An Oak Ridge National Laboratory study of structural damage from Hurricane Ike in 2008 shows that buildings with large openings such as garages and loading docks are more prone to hurricane damage even if the structure's construction meets local building codes. The findings by ORNL engineer Andre Desjarlais are part of a report by the Roof Industry Committee on Weather Issues on damages from Hurricane Ike. According to the report, set for release this month, wind rushing into the large openings pressurizes the building, adding more force on the roof and increasing the likelihood for damages. Post-hurricane construction damage assessments to learn more about why the buildings failed are continuing. The ORNL study is funded by the Department of Energy's Office of Building Technologies.
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