Building performance : Hurricane Andrew in Florida : observations, recommendations, and technical guidance.

On August 24, 1992, Hurricane Andrew struck southern Dade County, Florida, generating high winds and rain over a vast area of the county. Although the storm produced high winds and high storm surge, the effects of storm surge and wave action were limited to a relativley small area of the coastal floodplain. It was evident from the extensive damage caused by the wind, however, that wind speeds were significant.In September 1992, the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA's) Federal Insurance Administration (FIA), at the request of the FEMA Disaster Field Office staff, assembled a Building Performance Assessment Team. The purposes of this report are to present the Building Performance Assessment Team's observation of the successes and failures of buildings in withstanding the effects of Hurricane Andrew; to comment on the failure modes of damaged buildings; and to provide recommendations for improvements intended to enhance the performance of buildings in future hurricanes.