Wall of Wind. Photo: International Hurricane Research Center.
In a quest to develop a novel residential connection device, researchers from the four Gulf of Mexico Sea Grant college programs have constructed a full-scale testing facility capable of producing winds of up to 140 miles per hour.
While most previous testing relied on miniature models, researchers home that the full-scale destructive testing of houses using the Wall of Wind will change the public’s perception of building safety, and lead to the development of a “culture of preparedness” in addition to helping research better construction techniques.
Can it help change public perception of risk? The videos are certainly impressive: watch “Wall of Wind” on NBC6.
Read more in this Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Press Release.