Laserfiche WebLink
<br />FLOOD PROOFING TESTS <br />TESTS OF MATERIALS AND SYSTEMS FOR FLOOD PROOFING STRUCTURES <br /> <br />PART I: INTRODUCTION <br /> <br />Purpose <br /> <br />This report presents results of studies concerning the structural integ- <br />rity and the flood protection of homes and buildings. Since many such struc- <br />tures are built with brick-veneer and concrete-block exteriors, the experi- <br />mental tests in this report deal with the treatment of brick-veneer and <br />concrete-block walls. <br /> <br />BackRround <br /> <br />Each year flooding causes more property damage in the United States than <br />any other natural disaster. Annually, flood damages average over $3 billion. <br />In 1985 the estimated flood damage was $6 billion and affected over 250,000 <br />structures. Average flood damage for a home is approximately $20,000 per <br />flood and is much higher for industrial buildings. Flooding is not only ex- <br />pensive to the homeowner and the taxpayer, but also causes despair and worry <br />for its victims. Effective flood protection and preventive measures can sig- <br />nificantly reduce the expense and trauma caused by flooding. <br />District offices of the US Army Corps of Engineers provide, through Flood <br />Plain Management services, information to the public regarding potential flood <br />hazards and proper flood plain management. This includes dissemination of <br />information on flood proofing systems, materials, and techniques. These same <br />offices are responsible for the planning, design, and construction of flood <br />control projects which are authorized by Congress. <br />Despite the construction of flood control projects and the development of <br />public programs to reduce flood losses, flood damage to homes and other build- <br />ings in the United States has increased dramatically (Figure 1 is an example <br />of a flooded home). The growing exposure of structures to flooding is largely <br />due to rising land costs and a reduction in the quantity of available land for <br />building, thus resulting in an encroachment on flood plains. <br />Because flooding occurs with certain frequencies, a cost-effective method <br /> <br />3 <br />