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BUILDING A BETTER WORLD |
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| Texas Tech
University Flying Debris Test |
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The Wind
Engineering Research Center at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, tested a 6-inch
PolySteel wall and several other wall systems to determine their resistance to flying
debris during a tornado or hurricane. The tests were performed using a compressed
air cannon to propel a 15-pound 2 x 4 wood stud (missile) at over 100 miles an hour at the
test walls. (It should be noted that the standard test for building materials used
in hurricane regions is a nine pound object traveling at only 34mph!)
The PolySteel wall performed with flying colors while the wood frame and steel frame walls
failed miserably, even when covered with brick veneer. |
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| View
the Test
Highlights Below: |
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| PolySteel
wall: |
| The 4' x 4'6"
PolySteel test panel was filled with 3000 psi concrete and a #4 rebar at 24" on
center vertically and #4 rebar at top and bottom horizontally. A 1/4" thick
EIFS stucco was applied directly to the PolySteel.
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The 15 pound wood stud was fired at a speed of 103.8 mph and in a second test at 100.2
mph.
The wood stud broke and splintered into pieces after penetrating the foam but did no
observable damage to the concrete web in the PolySteel wall. |
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| Wood
framed wall: |
A 2" x
4" wood framed wall with 3/4 inch plywood sheathing and a 4 inch brick veneer was
tested by firing a 15 pound wood stud at 69.4 mph.
Even at this slower speed, the wood stud perforated through the entire wall with little
damage to the wood stud (missile). |
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| Steel
framed wall: |
A 2" x
4" steel framed wall covered with 1 inch of foam insulation and an EIFS stucco system
was also tested.
A 15 pound wood stud was fired at only 50.9 mph and went through the wall completely with
no damage to the wood stud. |
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| What
does this mean to you? |
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following table shows the maximum expected speeds of flying debris from tornadoes and
hurricanes: |
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| Wind Speed |
% of Tornadoes
(or Hurricanes) |
Speed of Flying Debris |
| 250 mph or
less |
99% of all
tornadoes |
100 mph |
| 150 mph or
less |
90% of all
tornadoes |
60 mph
(est.) |
| hurricanes |
all |
34 mph |
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Please
report problems to john@polysteelnortheast.com
© Polysteel Northeast, LLC 2000. All Rights Reserved.
No part of this website may be reproduced or used without express and written permission
from the owner.
Polysteel® and
Polysteel Form® are registered trademarks of American Polysteel Forms. |
