Simulated wind load tests on the Tongan hurricane house.

Includes 23 figures and 2 tables

Technical report

Simulated wind load tests were conducted on a tongan hurricane house, designed by the Tongan Ministry of Works and mass produced in Tonga for replacement housing following extensive damage caused by cyclone Isaac in 1982. The prefrabricated house kit was chosen at random from those on the production line in Tonga and assembled under the direction of a Tongan supervisor to ensure it was typical of those already built in Tonga. During the cyclic loading sequence which simulated the buffeting action of a cyclone, a number of localised failures were observed. Of these, the failure of truss tie down straps would have caused significant failure of the complete house. A new truss tie down detail was designed, tested in the laboratory and incorporated into the house. The modified house was then able to endure the full complement of cycles based on the Tongan Design Loads. After having tested the mofified house to destruction some comments on the failure loads have been made in relation to the original Design Loads and also to loads obtained from the most recent Australian Wind Loading Code and a wind tunnel study on a model of the hurricane house. Other recommendations have been made on the suitability of the house for extension and its performance in sites with varying protection .550.