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<br /> <br />Resort home on timber <br />piles, Galveston Island, <br />Texas <br /> <br />The resort home, shown in Figure A8, is located along the <br />Texas Gulf Coast on Galveston Island. This and other structures <br />along the coast are subject to hurricane tidal surges. The natural <br />ground elevation is only about 5 feet, while the 100-year <br />stillwater tidal surge is 12 feet above sea level. The house was <br />built before the Federal Insurance Administration established <br />wave-height requirements and therefore, if built today, would be <br />required to have a higher elevation. <br /> <br />The house is of wood frame construction and is built within, <br />and connected to, extended wood piles. These batter piles are <br />not only aesthetically pleasing, but also provide greater <br />resistance to the overturning forces of possible wind-driven <br />waves. Window awnings are metal, and designed to fold down, <br />thus serving as storm shutters. The first floor is elevated 8 feet <br />above the ground level. <br /> <br />No severe flooding has been experienced by this structure. <br />The only hurricane to strike after its construction was Alicia in <br />August 1983. During that storm, winds were recorded at 130 <br />m.p.h., and the still water surge elevation was 9.5 to 10 feet. It is <br />not believed that wave action was significant at this site, and <br />there was no apparent wind damage. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Front view. <br /> <br />Figure AS. Resort home on timber piling <br /> <br />28 <br />