After much research and thought, I have decided to go with SIPS. Now to find a builder......

Posted By arkie6 on 11 Feb 2011 11:31 AM

Posted By Torben on 09 Feb 2011 11:49 PM
Here's a link to a story you may find interesting. This is a SIP home in TN that did rather well through a hurricane (however the foundation did not fare well).

http://www.noarkrcontrol.com/SIPs/projects/TN-Tornado.asp

That was a tornado, not a hurricane.  If that had been an ICF home rather than a SIP home, it is unlikely the house would have been shifted off the foundation.

I know this is after the fact, but the huge concrete hospital in Joplin was just shifted 4" from a direct tornado hit. It also was destroyed to the point of being unusable and needing to be torn down. Point is, there are NO guarantees in a tornado.

I agree there are no guarantees that a tornado will not destroy a building. However, I do not believe that a hospital with its wide spans, multiple floors with excessive glass can be compared directly to a well-designed and built concrete home.

I realize it is after the fact as well, but I would like to note regarding the foundation that "failed" on the SIP house in TN. According to the article the "cement block foundation failed", that is pretty unusual. Normally its called a concrete block not cement block by those in the industry and I feel it most would agree a block foundation is not remotely the same as a concrete foundation.

Also with regards to an ICF being resistant to tornados, the 2 1/2" of EPS on the outside acts as a buffer when it gets hit by objects, thus protecting the concrete. Here are some photos of other such instances.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfgZmWXNOcA

http://www.icfmag.com/articles/features/Enduring_the_Elements.html#12

Posted By Alton on 30 Jun 2011 12:48 PM
I agree there are no guarantees that a tornado will not destroy a building. However, I do not believe that a hospital with its wide spans, multiple floors with excessive glass can be compared directly to a well-designed and built concrete home.

But just think of it Alton; it moved the whole danged building 4 inches! There were of course people sucked out but the majority lived. If it had of been any other type of construction other than concrete and steel it would probably be leveled, just like most of the town. The destruction was HUGE.

How could the building move? Did it break free of the foundation? Or did it just slide sideways? Help me understand what happened here. I looked at the pictures. Most large buildings that I know about have a solid foundation down into the earth. Some even have a solid slab a few feet thick as a foundation. Some hospitials even have one or two levels deep basement.

SIPs Survive Hurricane Charlie ............................

Posted By Alton on 30 Jun 2011 07:37 PM
How could the building move? Did it break free of the foundation? Or did it just slide sideways? Help me understand what happened here. I looked at the pictures. Most large buildings that I know about have a solid foundation down into the earth. Some even have a solid slab a few feet thick as a foundation. Some hospitials even have one or two levels deep basement.

Can't tell you. It was reported on the local news. Perhaps they were wrong. I do know that, the last I heard, it was condemned and deemed to be not restorable. The TV pictures of the area do not really convey the extent of this tornado damage in Joplin. Really total demolished quite a bit. And I hear most are going back with stick construction on the houses. I know that for me personally, I would rather live in a very small concrete house than a big stick house.

I read that the hospital didn't move, but there was some stress to the beams - so it will be rebuilt elsewhere. I'd say it did well except for the windows.

Posted By jonr on 02 Jul 2011 08:16 AM
I read that the hospital didn't move, but there was some stress to the beams - so it will be rebuilt elsewhere. I'd say it did well except for the windows.

And this brings a good point, that no matter how strong the structure, if folks have windows in between them and the storm they are not safe. There must be a safe-room, without windows, that is designed to withstand the enormous pressures and lift of a tornado. And even then there are no guarantees if the whole structure collapses on top of it. You may not be found for months - at least if you are rural without family or friends looking for you, and possibly even if you are in-town if no one knows you had the shelter.