Whole-Building Design Strategies -

Disaster Resistance

Guide describing how to provide a strong continuous load path from the roof through the wall to the foundation to ensure a structurally sound building and increase racking resistance in hurricanes, high winds, tornados, and earthquakes.

Guide describing how to apply water management strategies to below grade walls.

Guide describing how to design or retrofit a crawlspace to reduce the risk of damage during a flood event.

Guide describing how to construct flood-resistant homes using pier, pile, post, or column foundations.

Guide describing ways to construct a raised-slab foundation to increase a home's resistance to floods.

Guide describing different options for providing seismic and thermal resistance for homes with basement foundations, crawlspace foundations, or crawlspace foundations with a "cripple" wall.

Guide describing how to correctly slope solid surfaces outside a home so rainwater flows away from the home.

Guide describing how to provide a continuous load path with appropriate connectors to improve the wind resistance of attached porches, carports, and decks during high-wind events.

Guide describing different options for providing seismic and thermal resistance for homes with 'cripple' wall crawlspace foundations, which are known for their instability.

Guide describing design for shelter-in-place spaces during windstorm storm events.

Guide describing how to construct and retrofit homes built on slab-on-grade foundations in earthquake-prone areas to withstand seismic forces by properly installing wall to foundation connections.

Guide describing how to construct the walls of a home with bracing to resist wind and earthquake loads.