If you live in Texas and have ever been through a hurricane, you know that it’s important to have a plan of action. But what if you’re not sure how to do that?

This article will give you some key points about building codes in disaster areas so that you can be prepared for whatever comes your way.

Key takeaways

• The Texas Windstorm Building Code Standards are a set of regulations that are in place to ensure that buildings in catastrophe-prone areas are designed and constructed to withstand high wind speeds and potential damage caused by natural disasters.
• The use of alternate methods or practices is allowed as long as they are proven to be effective in minimizing windstorm damage and meet the required design standards.
• Exterior walls, roofing materials, chimneys, tanks, towers, and other structures must meet specific wind pressure design standards to ensure their stability during a natural disaster.
• Buildings and structures must meet stability requirements to ensure they are structurally sound and can withstand high wind speeds.
• Roofing materials must undergo testing to ensure they meet the necessary standards for durability and resistance to wind and rain.

Texas Windstorm Building Code Standards

The Texas Windstorm Building Code Standards were established to minimize damage caused by severe windstorms along the Gulf Coast.

These standards apply to buildings and structures located seaward of the Intracoastal Canal on the Texas coastline.

The requirements apply to both new construction and additions or repairs made to existing structures, with the goal of increasing their resilience to severe windstorms.

These standards provide specific requirements for the construction of buildings and structures to withstand the force of severe windstorms.

Also, they allow for alternate methods or practices to be used as long as they are considered equal in providing the necessary protection against windstorm damage.

Applicability of building code standards

This refers to the areas where the building code standards apply, specifically in designated catastrophe areas for structures constructed, repaired, or to which additions were made prior to September 1, 1998, in areas seaward of the Intracoastal Canal.

The code contains requirements for the construction of buildings to minimize damage to such buildings by severe windstorms that occur along the Gulf Coast.

It’s important to note that the degree of protection against damage from windstorms provided by these requirements cannot be assured for tornadoes, but such compliance should be helpful to some degree in reducing tornado damage.

Only properties on the Texas coastline seaward of the Intracoastal Canal (or seaward of the boundary that the Commissioner may establish in accordance with Insurance Code, Article 21.49, as amended) are subject to the requirements set forth herein.

Additionally, the requirements herein shall apply, on or after October 10, 1988, to May 31, 1998, to new construction of, and additions or repairs to, structures located seaward of the Intracoastal Canal in areas previously exempt from the requirements of this subsection.

The Corps of Engineers built a sea wall to protect the property that was previously exempt.

The building code standards are put in place to ensure the safety and durability of structures in designated catastrophe areas where severe windstorms are common.

Observing these standards can help lower the possibility of windstorm-related damage.

Design requirements for minimizing windstorm damage

One of the critical factors in constructing structures in Texas disaster areas is designing the building to minimize windstorm damage.

The Texas Windstorm Building Code Standards require that all buildings and structures be designed to resist horizontal wind pressure on all surfaces exposed to the wind, allowing for wind in any direction.

The design requirements also specify that exterior walls must be designed to withstand inward or outward pressures as per the wind pressure table provided.

Also, the roofs of buildings and structures must be designed and constructed to withstand pressures acting outward, normal to the roof surface, equal to 1 1/4 times the pressures specified in the wind pressure table.

Roofs or sections of roofs with slopes greater than 30 degrees must be designed and constructed to withstand pressures acting inward, normal to the surface, equal to those specified in the wind pressure table and applied to the windward slope only.

Moreover, overhanging eaves and cornices must be designed and constructed to withstand outward pressures equal to twice those specified in the wind pressure table.

The design wind pressures for structures not covered in this paragraph shall be in accordance with generally accepted engineering practice and shall be subject to the approval of the building official.

The overturning moment due to wind pressure shall not exceed 50% of the moment of stability due to the dead load alone, unless the building or structure is securely anchored to the foundation to resist this force.

Use of alternate methods or practices

The Texas Windstorm Building Code Standards allow for the use of alternate methods or practices in the construction, repair, or addition of structures in designated catastrophe areas.

This means that if a building or structure is not built to meet the exact specifications outlined in the building code standards, alternate methods or practices that provide equal or greater protection against windstorm damage can be used instead.

However, any alternate methods or practices used must be based on sound engineering practice and experience.

Wind pressure and design standards for exterior walls

The Texas Windstorm Building Code Standards require that all exterior walls of buildings and structures located in designated catastrophe areas be designed to withstand wind pressure.

Specifically, these walls must be able to resist horizontal wind pressure on all surfaces exposed to the wind, allowing for wind in any direction.

The wind pressure on exterior walls must be calculated according to the table provided in the code.

It is important to note that the code allows for alternate methods or practices to be used as long as they are deemed equal by sound engineering practice and experience.

However, any such alternative methods must still meet the wind pressure requirements set forth in the Code.

Roof design standards and requirements

The Texas Windstorm Building Code Standards include specific requirements for roof design and construction to withstand severe windstorms. The standards are designed to ensure that the roof can withstand wind pressures acting outward normal to the surface.

For roofs with slopes greater than 30 degrees, the pressures should be applied to the windward slope only. Overhanging eaves and cornices must be designed to withstand outward pressures equal to twice those specified in the code.

Chimneys, tanks, solid towers, and similar structures have their own design standards and must be able to withstand the wind pressures specified in the code multiplied by specific factors.

In addition, roofing materials must meet the U.L. Standard 997 or a comparable test certified by the Commissioner and be installed as required by the Department to promote wind resistance of the materials.

Design standards for chimneys, tanks, and towers

The Texas Windstorm Building Code Standards contain specific design requirements for chimneys, tanks, solid towers, and similar structures to ensure they can withstand severe windstorms along the Gulf Coast.

These structures must be designed and constructed to withstand the wind pressures specified in clause (i) of the wind pressure section, which is measured in pounds per square foot. The pressure specified in clause (i) applies to all surfaces exposed to the wind, including the roof, walls, and other components of the structure.

To determine the required wind pressure for these structures, the wind pressure specified in clause (i) must be multiplied by a factor based on the height of the structure. For example, the required wind pressure for a structure that is 50 feet tall would be the wind pressure specified in clause (i) multiplied by 2.0.

Wind pressure design standards for other structures

The Texas Windstorm Building Code Standards not only cover specific design requirements for walls and roofs but also provide guidelines for other types of structures.

According to the code, wind pressure design standards for structures not covered in the previous subsections shall be in accordance with generally accepted engineering practice and must be subject to the approval of the building official.

This means that any structure not explicitly mentioned in the code should still be designed to withstand wind pressure based on established engineering principles. It’s important to note that such structures must still pass the approval process of the building official, who will verify that the design meets the code’s standards.

Designing structures to withstand wind pressure is essential in Texas’ coastal regions, where high winds from hurricanes and other severe weather events are common.

Stability requirements for buildings and structures

The Texas Windstorm Building Code Standards require that the overturning moment due to wind pressure not exceed 50% of the moment of stability due to the dead load only, unless the building or structure is securely anchored to the foundation to resist this force.

This means that the building must be designed to resist the force of the wind, and the foundation must be able to hold the building in place. The stability of the building is important to prevent it from collapsing during a windstorm.

The design of the foundation should take into account the type of soil on which it will be built. The foundation should be strong enough to withstand the wind’s uplift force.

In addition, the anchoring system should be designed to resist the horizontal and vertical forces caused by the wind. The Texas Windstorm Building Code Standards require that the anchoring system be designed to resist a force of at least 4,800 pounds per anchor point.

It is important to note that these stability requirements are only minimum standards. Engineers and builders should take into account the specific conditions of the site and the building when designing the foundation and anchoring system.

If the site is located in an area with high winds or if the building is particularly tall or heavy, the stability requirements may need to be increased to ensure the safety of the structure.

Roofing material standards and testing

The Texas Windstorm Building Code Standards also specify the roofing materials that can be used for buildings in designated catastrophe areas.

The roofing materials must pass Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Standard 997 or a comparable test certified by the Commissioner.

The U.L. Standard 997 evaluates the resistance of roofing materials to wind-driven rain and the uplift resistance of the roofing assembly. The test exposes the roofing material to a specified wind speed and tests its resistance to uplift, which is the force that can lift the roof off the building.

The Department of Insurance also requires that the roofing materials be installed as per their guidelines to promote wind resistance.

Other interesting articles:

• Building Code Standards for Structures in Texas Catastrophe Areas (Guidelines for Safety and Durability)
• Understanding Form 5695 (Getting the Most From Metal Roofing Federal Tax Credit)
• Can Roofing Kill Your Garden? (Tips to Protect your Plants)
• Damages to Texas Roofs During Winter (5 Things You Need to Watch For)