Powered by two 500-horsepower hotrod engines that spewed 115-mph winds and wind-driven water,

Rud'n Rud'nnnnnnnnnn!

Sweet!

.

sponsored by parliament funkadelic

So if it works, is global warming real again?

`Wall of Wind' helps scientists study hurricanes

First thing I thought of was that Ted Kennedy had decided to move to Florida.

It will be a 45-foot wall with 18 giant fans that can pound an entire house with 160-mph winds.

This, I have to see, I hope they shoot video of it and post it on GooTube.

sweet

MrToast

It's to cool us off after global warming kicks in of course.

This blows.

/yep, went there.

sponsored by parliament funkadelic

well played, sir

Finally, I thought they would have done this years ago to make houses more hurricane-proof.

All right!

Thanks, submitter, I had no idea I'd find a thread this very quiet season to shamelessly pimp my hurricane web site:

http://geocities.com/tropicwx

From TFA: The machine could help scientists unlock the secrets to building safer and stronger houses in hurricane-prone Florida.

http://www.earthshelteredhome.com/

THANK YOU, INTERNETS, FOR HELPING ME UNLUCK HURRICANE HOUSE SECRETS!

Christ...We're so attached to 4 walls and a roof that we ignore common sense altogether.

hurricane proofing from Rita last year

motherfarking snakes in a hurricane!

Well it was a slow year. Florida's a little light on the natural disaster relief money cause of it.

I live 5 minutes away from FIU (Florida International University), the National Hurricane Center, and Sweetwater.

As an FIU grad, I've seen this hurricane-making machine and read about it in the Miami Herald. Let me just say that it does look promising, but I don't think it can mimic a real hurricane. However, it can be used to observe how specific wind speed relates to damage done to a house.

Hurrican Andrew hit this area in 1992, so we're no stranger to devestating hurricanes like Katrina. As a result of Andrew, the building codes were toughened and construction/building companies complied. I just hope this machine sheds a light as to how building structures can be improved upon against hurricanes.

It's funny how the submitter mentions "scientists in Sweetwater", it's almost like saying "Harvard professors in trailer park trash".

Plausable?

and most people say it was like a freight train hitting their house...


yep... Cat5 would be up in the 3600hp range.

that unit was a thousand horsepower

FTFA " ..$30 million research pot .."

Mmmmm, research pot.

EVERYBODY PANIC!

/got noth'n.

None of you South Floridians remember the hurricane simulator at Planet Ocean?

/Get off my lawn.

So it'll tear the roof off of a house?

...all the Floridians should worry about is what it'll do to a trailer...

/ZING!
//...maybe?

kikspodunk: As an FIU grad, I've seen this hurricane-making machine and read about it in the Miami Herald. Let me just say that it does look promising, but I don't think it can mimic a real hurricane. However, it can be used to observe how specific wind speed relates to damage done to a house.


Can't do the vortex - just straight line winds - unless someone can flip a switch and make the wind strike from random directions all at the same time. It's better than nothing. 115 mph winds is pretty average for a decent storm. Plus, it can't mimic the pressure displacement - THAT'S what cracks the fark out of your stucco. Cracks start, then the wind and water drives inside = mush. But hey man - it's definately an improvement, most especially if we get better tech off it.

Das' what I call tearin' the roof off the sucka.

I used to live in Sweetwater. I think it's pretty farking hilarious that the university is testing its fans out in the ghetto.