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Multidisciplinary Assessment of Critical Facility Response to Natural Disasters: The Case of Hurricane Katrina

Abstract

  • Sponsored by the Task Committee for the Study of the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina of the Architectural Engineering Institute of ASCE.

    This report assesses the performance of essential buildings in New Orleans during and after Hurricane Katrina. Essential buildings are expected to be minimally damaged and remain operational during extreme events. Yet of five facilities inspected, only one performed successfully as a storm shelter during Hurricane Katrina. What happened? This report presents the findings of a team from ASCE's Architectural Engineering Institute whose members examined five facilities in New Orleans on a single day in December 2005.

    Topics include: Mechanical/electrical/plumbing (MEP) systems; Building envelopes; Structural systems; Fire protection and life safety systems; and Communication systems.

    The final chapter presents a new approach to multidisciplinary risk assessment and encourages investigators conducting building evaluations in the aftermath of catastrophic events to adopt and build upon this methodology.

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Front Matter
i–ix
    Chapter 1:
    Introduction
    1–6
      Chapter 2:
      Assessment of the Performance of Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing Systems
      7–14
        Chapter 3:
        Assessment of the Performance of Building Envelope Systems on Key Critical Facilities
        15–39
          Chapter 4:
          Structural Performance
          40–50
            Chapter 5:
            Performance of Fire Protection and Life Safety Systems
            51–57
              Chapter 6:
              Performance of Communication Infrastructure
              58–64
                Chapter 7:
                Multidisciplinary Risk Assessment
                65–72
                  Appendix A:
                  Multidisciplinary Assessment Form for Critical Facilities
                  73–93
                    Appendix B:
                    Multidisciplinary Risk Assessment Matrices
                    94–111
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                      Index
                      113–114