Severe WX March 21-23 2022

[buckeye05]

So something interesting about the slabbed house in New Orleans. I initially though this home was unanchored, but it seems that each one of the anchor bolts along the edge of the slab actually broke off, and I'm assuming this is why an EF3 rating was decided on instead of EF4. I think this is from some type of defect rather than a result of the strength of the tornado itself, as a well-installed anchor bolt won't just snap unless the house is hit by a remarkably violent tornado. I'm wondering if they might have been rusty and corroded from storm surge? Metal and salt water don't mix well, and that area is no stranger to hurricanes. Anyway, just my theory but I could be wrong.

 

[buckeye05]

I'm going through all of the DAT surveys in Texas, and I gotta say, both the Austin and Fort Worth NWS offices just absolutely blew it. Everything is underrated. Multiple EF1s that completely unroofed homes, and lots of EF2s that caused total roof and wall loss, and one that slabbed an anchored home. Multiple EF2s and EF3s in there that won't be rated as such. Not good at all.

 

[TH2002]

So something interesting about the slabbed house in New Orleans. I initially though this home was unanchored, but it seems that each one of the anchor bolts along the edge of the slab actually broke off, and I'm assuming this is why an EF3 rating was decided on instead of EF4. I think this is from some type of defect rather than a result of the strength of the tornado itself, as a well-installed anchor bolt won't just snap unless the house is hit by a remarkably violent tornado. I'm wondering if they might have been rusty and corroded from storm surge? Metal and salt water don't mix well, and that area is no stranger to hurricanes. Anyway, just my theory but I could be wrong.

Well the slab for that house was poured in 2011 per street view, and it looks more like the bolts actually ripped out of the concrete rather than snapped as would be indicative of rust/corrosion. However, the size of the missing chunks of concrete is much smaller than in Smithville's case for example. So my two cents is that the holes where the anchor bolts were installed were likely not drilled deep enough into the concrete foundation. Either case could definitely be considered a structural flaw/defect of course.