HURRICANE
SANDY RESILIENCY AND RENEWAL PROGRAM:
PRECAST CONCRETE PROTECTS CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
AFTER THE PERFECT STORM: NEW NORMAL FOR STORM-RESISTANT BUILDING CONSTRUCTION FEATURES PRECAST CONCRETE BY MONICA SCHULTES
No one was prepared for a storm the magnitude of Superstorm Sandy in 2012. Sandy was exceptionally large, with hurricane-force winds 175 miles from the eye, and tropical-storm-force winds extending beyond 500 miles. With such wind velocity and range, more than 8.6 million people were without power, leaving more people in the dark than any other storm in history.
In addition to assessing the aftermath, the newly formed New York City Building Resiliency Task Force developed specific proposals to create “resilient” buildings: buildings that, in the face of hurricanes, heavy rains, heat waves, blackouts, blizzards, and flooding, will resist damage, protect occupants, and allow evacuated residents to return quickly to their homes.
The recommendations issued by the task force include a category entitled “Stronger Buildings.” The chapter on stronger buildings includes recommendations related to managing flooding, resisting wind, and advancing building systems in preparation for natural hazards. As a direct result, many such projects focus on relocating infrastructure systems from lower levels to elevations above the flood zone. A classic example is the work being completed at the New York City Housing Authority’s Redfern Houses development.
