@article {bnh-7300, title = {Improving the resilience of existing housing to severe wind events: annual report 2019-2020}, number = {607}, year = {2020}, month = {09/2020}, institution = {Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC}, address = {Melbourne}, abstract = {

This BNHCRC project titled:\  Improving the resilience of existing housing to severe wind events prescribes practical structural retrofits that will make improvements to the performance of Pre-80s (Legacy) houses in windstorms as well as measures to reduce damage and loss to modern homes.

The major activity carried out in 2019-20 by the CTS-JCU and GA has been refining the VAWS software package using detailed wind loading and structural response test data and conducting a benefit-cost analysis for a range of retrofit or mitigation options:\ 

The retrofit options for the ten selected house types are also being provided as guideline in a website that is being produced. In line with the project timeline, an alpha version of this tool will be presented to Stakeholders in the next Quarter with the intention of having the final version released at the end of the project.

This project continues to give advice to the Queensland Government Household Resilience Program which provides funding to low income eligible home owners to improve the resilience of their homes against cyclones. This program managed by the Queensland Department of Housing \& Public Works (QDHPW) commenced in late 2018 and has been extended through 2020. Eligible home owners can apply to receive a Queensland Government grant of 75\% of the cost of improvements (up to a maximum of $11,250 including GST. About 1700 houses have been retrofitted so far.\ 

}, keywords = {Housing, resilience, severe wind}, issn = {607}, author = {Korah Parackal and Martin Wehner and John Ginger and Hyeuk Ryu and David Henderson and Mark Edwards} } @article {bnh-5494, title = {Analysis of damage surveys of houses and preliminary input of VAWs}, number = {477}, year = {2019}, month = {04/2019}, institution = {Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC}, address = {Melbourne}, abstract = {

Significant financial loss in terms of cost of rebuilding or repair and loss of function of property (e.g. commercial activity, rental, relocation of residents, etc.), has been documented following recent severe tropical cyclones impacting the Australian coastal communities. These damage investigations estimate that the wind speeds in these events were less than the Australian building standard{\textquoteright}s design level wind speed for the regions impacted. Analysis of insurance claims data highlights issues with wind driven rain water damage. Additionally, investigations of the damaged buildings along with analysis of claims data reveals a high proportion of the losses are associated with contemporary construction as opposed to pre-current code buildings.\ 

Education and awareness of consequences of such failures (e.g. damage to property and risk to life) is required in all steps of the building process (regulation, design, construction, certification and maintenance) and by all parties (designer, builder, certifier, and owner).

}, keywords = {building risk, resilience, severe wind, VAWs}, author = {David Henderson and Daniel Smith and Korah Parackal and John Ginger} } @article {bnh-6276, title = {Improving the resilience of existing housing to severe wind events - annual report 2018-19}, number = {524}, year = {2019}, month = {12/2019}, institution = {Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC}, address = {Melbourne}, abstract = {

This project will provide practical structural retrofits that will make a significant improvement in the performance of Pre-80s (Legacy) houses to wind loads. The major activity carried out in 2018-19 by the CTS-JCU and GA has been progressing the VAWS software package using wind loading and structural response and other test data:

This project has also provided advice to the Queensland Government Household Resilience Program which provides funding to help eligible home owners improve the resilience of their homes against cyclones. This program is managed by the Queensland Department of Housing \& Public Works (QDHPW) and commenced in late 2018. Eligible home owners can apply to receive a Queensland Government grant of 75\% of the cost of improvements (up to a maximum of $11,250 including GST. About 2000 houses have been retrofitted.

}, keywords = {building resilience, cyclones, Emergency management, engineering, Housing, severe wind, storms, structural design}, issn = {524}, author = {John Ginger and Korah Parackal and Martin Wehner and Hyeuk Ryu and David Henderson and Mark Edwards} } @article {bnh-5434, title = {Improving the resilience of existing housing to severe wind events in Australia Annual Report 2017-2018}, number = {465}, year = {2019}, month = {03/2019}, institution = {Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC}, address = {Melbourne}, abstract = {

This project will propose practical structural upgrading solutions based on the latest research that will make a significant improvement in the performance of Pre-80s (Legacy) houses that are impacted by severe windstorms. The project has analysed existing structural retrofitting details available for some forms of legacy housing and has found that uptake is limited, even when these houses require major repairs following severe storm events. The work carried out in 2017-18 has focussed on developing cost-effective strategies for mitigating damage to housing from severe windstorms. The major activity has been progressing the VAWS software package by Geoscience Australia (GA) using wind loading and structural response data and other test data obtained by the CTS-JCU:

{\textbullet} Residential structures (i.e. Houses) have been categorized into types based on building features that influence windstorm vulnerability using CTS and GA housing survey data. Two house types were selected and incorporated in the VAWS package. The structural response (i.e. damage progression) with increasing wind speed has been modelled and validated. Testing carried out as part of BNHCRC supported thesis projects have provided additional data.

{\textbullet} Retrofit options and cost-benefit modules will be added to the VAWS model by GA and made available for trialling by end users and stakeholders (i.e. homeowners, builders, regulators, insurers). End-users and stakeholders will be asked to evaluate VAWS and suggest amendments and provide feedback on practicality and aesthetics of potential upgrading methods for these house types. Cost effective guides will be developed for vulnerable house types.

{\textbullet} Case studies will be used to evaluate effectiveness of proposed retrofit solutions for risk reduction. Economic assessment using the same case studies will be used to promote (via the stakeholders and end users) uptake of practical retrofit options.

}, keywords = {housing structure, resilience, severe wind}, author = {David Henderson and John Ginger and Daniel Smith and Martin Wehner and Hyeuk Ryu and Mark Edwards} } @article {bnh-6333, title = {Model for assessing the vulnerability of Australian housing to windstorms - VAWS}, number = {529}, year = {2019}, month = {12/2019}, institution = {Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC}, address = {Melbourne}, abstract = {

Modelling the vulnerability of houses in windstorms is important for insurance pricing, policy-making, and emergency management. Models for Australian house types have been developed since the 1970s, and have ranged from empirical models to more advanced reliability based structural engineering models, which provide estimates of damage for a range of wind speeds of interest. This report describes the development of a software program: Vulnerability and Adaption to Wind Simulation (VAWS), which uses probability based reliability analysis and structural engineering for the loading and response coupled with an extensive test database and field damage assessments to calculate the damage experienced by selected Australian house types.\ \ 

}, keywords = {building resilience, cyclone, Emergency management, engineering, severe wind, wind modelling}, issn = {529}, author = {Korah Parackal and Martin Wehner and Hyeuk Ryu and John Ginger and David Henderson and Mark Edwards} }