A SEMINAR PRESENTATION ON

“CYCLONE RESISTANT BUILDING

CONSTRUCTION”

by

SPOORTHI L (1DA16CV082)

(DEPT. OF CIVL ENGINEERING)

DR.AMBEDKAR INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
 INTRODUCTION
CYCLONE:
A system of winds rotating inwards to an area of low
atmospheric pressure, with an anti-clockwise or clockwise
circulation.
The six main requirements of tropical cyclogenesis are:
• sufficiently warm sea surface temperatures,
• atmospheric instability,
• high humidity in the lower to middle levels of the
troposphere.
• enough Coriolis force to develop a low-pressure center
• a pre existing low-level focus or disturbance
• low vertical wind shear.
 VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES

• Lightweight structures with wood frames,

especially older buildings where wood has
deteriorated and weakened the walls.
• Unreinforced or poorly-constructed concrete
block are also vulnerable.
• Urban and rural communities on low islands or
in unprotected, low- lying coastal areas or river
flood .
• Seashore areas and rolling plains .
 How high winds damage buildings??
• Houses are pulled apart by winds moving
swiftly around and over the building.
• This lowers the pressure on the outside and
creates suction on the walls and roof,
effectively causing the equivalent of an
explosion.
 Basic design considerations
Chosing a site for the house,
• The area behind a mound or a hillock should be preferred to
provide for natural shielding.
• Similarly a row of trees planted upwind will act as a shield.
• The influence of such a shield will be over a limited distance,
only for 8 – 10 times the height of the trees.
• Distance of tree from the house may be kept 1.5 times the
height of the tree.

No shielding from high Shielding from high

wind due to absence of wind by permeable
barriers barriers such as strong
Shielding of house by hillock trees.
• In hilly regions, construction along ridges should be
avoided.
• In cyclonic regions close to the coast, a site above the
likely inundation level should be chosen.
• In case of non-availability of high level natural ground,
construction should be done on stilts with no masonry
or cross bracings up to maximum surge level.

Construction at ground Construction on

level risk of inundation stilts or artificially
raised earth mounds
 DESIGN OF THE HOUSE

Square(Best) Rectangle Long Rectangle L-Shape

PLANNING
 FOUNDATION
• It is essential to construct a suitable foundation
for a house as the stability of a building depends
primarily on its foundation.
• Foundation should be deeper.
• The entire foundation of a house should be
constructed on the same soil and not on made up-
soil.
MASONRY WALLS
 ROOFS

HIP ROOF HIGH GABLE ROOF

FLAT ROOF
Improvement of thatch roofs and mud walls to reduce
damages due to cyclone.
Overhangs,patios and verandahs experiencing high winds
pressure should be kept small.
POSITIONING OF WINDOWS
WALL OPENINGS

Adequate anchorage of door

window frames with holder

Large and thin unprotected Glass protection by adhesive

Glass areas in windows Tapes
 Recommended size and longitudinal steel in Seismic band in Cyclone Prone Areas
(see fig.)

For cyclone prone For cyclone prone

areas where wind speed areas where wind speed
is ≥ 47 m/s is < 47 m/s
Internal length of Size of Band
wall
Reinforcement Reinforcement

5 m or less 10 cm X wall width 2 bars of 10 mm dia. 2 bars of 8 mm dia.

6m 10 cm X wall width 2 bars of 12 mm dia. 2 bars of 10 mm dia.
7m 15 cm X wall width 4 bars of 10 mm dia. 4 bars of 8 mm dia.
8m 15 cm X wall width 4 bars of 12 mm dia. 4 bars of 10 mm dia.

Recommended size of vertical steel in Seismic band in Cyclone Prone Areas

For cyclone prone areas where For cyclone prone

No. of storeys Floor wind speed is ≥ 47m/s areas where wind speed is < 47
m/s

Reinforcement Reinforcement
One - 10 mm dia. bars 12 mm dia. bars
Two Top 10 mm dia. bars 12 mm dia. bars
Bottom 12 mm dia. bars 16 mm dia. bars
Three Top 10 mm dia. bars 12 mm dia. bars
Middle 12 mm dia. bars 16 mm dia. bars
Bottom 12 mm dia. bars 16 mm dia. bars
• To sum up the key principles of cyclone resistant construction
are:

• Foundations should be deeper.

• R.C.C. framed structures are to be preferred over load-bearing
structures.
• Sloping roofs should be avoided.
• Cantilever projections should be avoided.
• Roof and parapet wall should be properly anchored to the columns
and walls.
• The height of the buildings should be restricted.
• Suitable wind load should be considered in the building design.
• Openings in the wall should be less.
• The structure should not rest on loose soil.
 CONCLUSION
• A destructive cyclone leads to huge storm surge and
high speed wind gusts. Under these actions buildings
designed incorrectly will not perform well and
surrenders.
• The paper summarizes the construction technique and
design principles for building elements to minimize
the structural damage.
• Few of these has been addressed in this paper with
recommendations for improvement.
THANK YOU