Gimme Shelter 2009 - Hurricane Proof Houses

Project Based Lab: Building a Hurricane Proof House

What do you get when you combine construction paper, popsicle sticks, aluminum foil, and tape? Seminole Ridge High School science students building Hurricane Proof Houses!

"Hurricane Landstrom" was a leaf blower blown on simply built scale model "houses" to test their resistance. Some withstood the test of the wind and some were destroyed. It was all in the name of science, as the students learned about the force of hurricane winds and construction designs that make houses more durable during strong winds.

During the 2004 hurricane season, over $40 billion in storm damage was done. Florida suffered 4 major hurricanes making landfall, and it is estimated that one in every five homes in the state was damaged. Building homes that better withstand the winds from hurricanes is a consideration in all-future housing starts.

Students were asked to design and build the most wind resistant building you can construct, using the materials provided: "drywall" from two (2) sheets of paper (21.5 by 28.0 cm), lumber from six (6) popsicle sticks (11.5 cm), aluminum siding from one (1) sheet of foil (35.5 cm by 26.0 cm), and adhesives from six (6) pieces of masking tape (random sizes). Their home need to cover an area of at least 500 square centimeters, and students showed their blueprints and calculations before construction.

Lab Notes: Hurricane in a Classroom
Music: Stereogum and tape9 - Lockdown Shelter