UA Engineering Key in Multi-Institute Exploratory Research Project Investigating Hurricane Katrina Damage

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.–Tragically, Hurricane Katrina caused loss of life and widespread damage in several states. Engineers throughout the country are beginning to analyze building structures and codes in order to design safer and stronger buildings for the future.

A research team, consisting of academic researchers, code developers, professional engineers, and top wood industry personnel, has received a National Science Foundation Small Grant for Exploratory Research to investigate and gather data about the damage to, and performance of, woodframe structures in the affected areas due to strong winds. Woodframe structures include residences, small apartment complexes, and small businesses.

The group received the grant because of The University of Alabama’s location to the proximity of the affected areas and because four members of the team serve on the American Society of Civil Engineers’ Structural Engineering Institute Committee on Wood.

The National Science Foundation recognized the urgency with the grant request because this type of data is perishable in that once repairs begin there is no way to analyze the performance of the wood structures, said Dr. Ken Fridley, professor and head of civil and environmental engineering at UA.

The research goal is to instantaneously provide the NSF and ASCE, civil engineering’s professional society, information to better develop wind codes for woodframe structures, thus decreasing the risk to families living in woodframe houses.

The research team will travel to the affected areas in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana on Sept. 23-26 to analyze woodframe structures that are in the non-flooded regions.

“The University of Alabama is in a unique situation because of our location to the affected areas,” said Fridley.

“Through this multi-university and industry collaboration, we can provide valuable research to help design safer homes,” he said.

The team consists of the following researchers:

• Dr. John van de Lindt, associate professor of civil engineering from Colorado State University
• Dr. Ken Fridley, professor and head of civil and environmental engineering from The University of Alabama
• Dr. Rakesh Gupta, associate professor of wood science engineering from Oregon State University
• Dr. Andrew Graettinger, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering from The University of Alabama
• Steven Pryor from Simpson Strong-Tie® Co.
• Tom Skaggs from APA–The Engineered Wood Association

In 1837, The University of Alabama became the first university in the state to offer engineering classes and was one of the first five in the nation to do so. Today, the College of Engineering has about 1,800 students and more than 95 faculty. It has been fully accredited since accreditation standards were implemented in the 1930s.