Assignment directions, Hurricane Sandy struck the East Coast of the United States in October 2012, causing more than $65 billion in damage, second only to Hurricane Katrina. The huge storm was more than 1,100 miles (1,700 km) across and left a path of destruction that started in North Carolina and traveled up the coast to Vermont. More than 72,000 buildings in New Jersey alone were damaged. Building scientists know that these types of storms may become more frequent in the coming years, and they responded to the disaster by studying exactly how the storm caused particular types of damage and recommending construction practices to prevent similar damage in the future. Your job is to research the storm’s effect on buildings and the new construction methods and codes introduced as a result. Some good resources can be found at “Hurricane Sandy: Building Science Activities and Resources,”
“Rebuilding NYC After Hurricane Sandy”
Assignment guidance: Your report will begin with an introduction that explains the problem (i. e., Hurricane Sandy’s size, amount of damage it caused, and where). The introduction will also explain the concept of building science and how it relates to the rest of the report. The bulk of your report will consist of a chart or list that you create, detailing 10 new recommendations or building codes that were devised or changed in direct response to Hurricane Sandy. Your chart or list will name the problem, the solution, and what agency (e. g., FEMA) has made the suggestion. You will include a concluding paragraph in which you discuss: (1) whether you think these recommendations are good and should be adopted; (2) whether you think they are too strict and why; (3) whether you think the government agencies and/or insurance companies have a right to tell people how to build private residential and commercial structures; and (4) a concluding statement on how studying disasters can enhance the field of building science.
Submission requirements, Please title your report. Feel free to give illustrations, charts, or graphs as right, but credit the source. Define all your terms (e. g., base flood elevation, scour and erosion, etc.). Organize your chart or list in a way that makes it easy to read. Spelling, grammar, and punctuation count.