Monolithic

Reinforcements Available for the Monolithic Cabin: Just tell us what

Cabin Articles

How does our Monolithic Cabin compare to FEMA’s specifications for a disaster shelter?

Published in August 2008, the Second Edition of FEMA 361 Design and Construction Guidance for Community Safe Rooms lists FEMA’s standards and minimum requirements for a disaster shelter.

One of those requirements for tornado protection states that the structure must be able to withstand a hit from a 2″ × 4″ wood plank hurled at 100 mile-per-hour (mph).

A Monolithic Cabin is one tough building, but there is a circumstance under which the Cabin will not meet that provision unless we add two more inches of concrete.

The standard Monolithic Cabin is extremely strong.

Note: Tornado winds can be 250 to 300 mph.

We build it with an average of two inches of reinforced concrete. We blanket that concrete with three inches of polyurethane foam. This means that the Cabin can withstand any wind event, but it will not withstand the 100 mph 2″ × 4″ if it hits certain places in a certain way. This pertains to tornado winds not hurricane winds up to 150 mph.

Make no mistake: the 2″ × 4″ would have to hit perfectly perpendicular to a specific area of the structure. If it hit a glancing blow, it would bounce off.

It’s almost impossible to understand how strong and what a deterrent to the 2″ × 4″ the polyurethane is. It can absorb enormous amounts of energy, as the concrete behind it also can.

Another two inches of concrete

But to stop that rocketing 2″ × 4″ destined for a perpendicular hit to that vulnerable area, it takes approximately four inches, not two, of reinforced concrete.

Our decision to use two inches of concrete was done to keep shipping weight and cost as low as possible. But if you have a need for the additional tornado protection, simply let us know, and we will increase the concrete’s thickness. You will need to be prepared to handle the extra weight and cost involved in shipping and unloading. You will also need to have tornado shutters or doors able to withstand the 2″ × 4″ and extra heavy wind.

The Monolithic Cabin as a hurricane shelter

A Monolithic Cabin will work as a hurricane shelter if it is fitted with windows and doors rated for hurricanes. (Hurricanes can push at 150pmh.) Our standard model does not come with these windows and doors as they are substantially more expensive, but they can be installed if you wish.

Nevertheless, you will be safer in a Monolithic Cabin than virtually any other structure, and certainly you will be more impervious to high and low temperatures.

January 19, 2009