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Wind Hazard and Infrastructure Performance Center (WHIP)

The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the Center author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Center Overview

The mission of the Wind Hazard and Infrastructure Performance Center (WHIP-C) is to enhance the resiliency of buildings and infrastructures to resist the extreme winds of hurricanes, tornadoes, and other windstorms.

Windstorms have a severe effect on society by causing large numbers of fatalities and injuries and devastating damage to residential, commercial, and industrial buildings as well as power, communication, transportation, water, and other lifeline systems. Over the last 20 years, windstorms have caused more than $300 billion in insured losses in the United States alone. The total losses are estimated to be twice that number.

WHIP-C develops methods and tools for preventing wind hazards from becoming disasters. Its objectives are to seek solutions to real-world problems encountered by the industry; transfer knowledge gained from fundamental research to products and intellectual properties that benefit both the industry and researchers; and develop long-term strategies for enhancing the resiliency of buildings and infrastructure to wind hazards.

WHIP-C members are primarily from the insurance, risk-modeling, and construction industries. The construction industry plays a key role in reducing the vulnerability of the infrastructure, while the risk-modeling industry strives to provide accurate and credible assessments of the risk. The insurance industry benefits from reduced vulnerability and better understanding of the risk, leading to more affordable insurance and more resilient and sustainable communities.

Universities

Texas Tech University
Florida International University

View Center Website

Center Personnel

Ioannis Zisis
Site Direction at Florida International University
+1 305 348 4869
izisis@fiu.edu

Kishor C. Mehta
Center Director
+1 806 834 5679
kishor.mehta@ttu.edu

Delong Zuo
Site Director at Texas Tech University
+1 806 834 6535
delong.zuo@ttu.edu

Research Focus

The principal research themes of WHIP-C are characterization of wind hazards; assessment of exposure and vulnerability of buildings and infrastructure; and enhancement of community resilience.

Characterization of wind hazard

The research agenda includes better characterization of wind hazard for a community or a location and improved understanding of wind speed and direction in hurricanes, tornadoes, and other extreme windstorms within the boundary layer. Field measurements and statistical analyses of the measurements are pursued to yield results that help industry partners.

Assessment of building and infrastructure vulnerability

WHIP-C conducts research to better understand the wind loading on structures and the load effects. The outcomes of this research are converted to methods and tools for improved assessments of the exposure and vulnerability of buildings and infrastructure to wind hazards.

Enhancement of community resilience

The resilience of a community lies in the robustness of its buildings and infrastructure and its ability to recover quickly from damage caused by windstorms. Innovative new building products and approaches to retrofit building and infrastructure systems can improve resiliency. WHIP-C pursues research that uses analytical methods and experimental testing to develop products for enhancing community resilience.

Awards

1841503

Phase I I/UCRC at Florida International University: Center for Wind Hazard and Infrastructure Performance (WHIP)

The United States is annually impacted by windstorms, causing large numbers of fatalities and injuries and severe damage to residential, commercial, and industrial buildings as well as to power, communication, transportation, water and other lifeline systems. Insured property losses exceeded $300 billion over the last twenty years while total losses are estimated to be twice that number. The goal of the Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC) for Wind Hazard and Infrastructure Performance (WHIP) is to enhance the resiliency of buildings and infrastructure against hurricanes, tornadoes, and other windstorms. Findings generated from WHIP Center research and implemented by its industry partners will contribute to community resiliency against wind hazards while enhancing the economic competitiveness of the U.S. and the well-being of its citizens. Students will interact with industry partners, understand their needs, and obtain both academic and professional training. The WHIP Center will be promoted to grow in size and make greater impacts by attracting additional industry members and collaborating institutions. Envisioned as a national center it will address multiple thrusts in the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program (NWIRP). The concept of disaster resiliency will be advanced among industries, government agencies, and the public at large through publications, and social media.

The WHIP Center will adopt a broad-based approach aimed at serving its members, who are concentrated in the insurance, risk modeling, and construction industries. Its major research themes are: a) wind hazards assessments; b) estimation of exposure and vulnerability of buildings and infrastructures; and c) improvement of community resilience. Within these themes the Industry Advisory Board (IAB) will select the projects based on their priorities and the Center?s faculty specialties and expertise. The NSF NHERI Wall of Wind (WOW) research and experimental facility will be at the core of the Florida International University (FIU) WHIP Site. The WOW is an open-jet hurricane simulation facility capable of testing full- and large-scale models of buildings and infrastructure. The WOW will provide the following distinct multi-scale test capabilities to the WHIP: (1) high-speed holistic full-scale testing in up to simulated Category 5 hurricane winds; (2) wind-driven rain simulations to study water intrusion through building envelopes; (3) destructive testing to study progressive damage, enhance designs, and develop new mitigation techniques; (4) large-scale aerodynamic/aeroelastic testing in Atmospheric Boundary Layer (ABL) and high Reynolds number flows; and (5) classic boundary layer wind tunnel testing in flows with a full turbulence spectrum.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. Read More >

1841523

Phase I at IUCRC TTU: Center for Wind Hazard and Infrastructure Performance (WHIP)

The United States is annually impacted by windstorms, causing large numbers of fatalities and injuries and severe damage to residential, commercial, and industrial buildings as well as to power, communication, transportation, water and other lifeline systems. Insured property losses exceeded $300 billion over the last twenty years while total losses are estimated to be twice that number. The goal of the Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC) for Wind Hazard and Infrastructure Performance (WHIP) is to enhance the resiliency of buildings and infrastructure against hurricanes, tornadoes, and other windstorms. Findings generated from WHIP Center research and implemented by its industry partners will contribute to community resiliency against wind hazards while enhancing the economic competitiveness of the U.S. and the well-being of its citizens. Students will interact with industry partners, understand their needs, and obtain both academic and professional training. The WHIP Center will be promoted and grow in size and impact by attracting additional industry members and collaborating institutions. It is envisioned as a national center that will address multiple thrusts in the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program (NWIRP). The concept of disaster resiliency will be advanced among industries, government agencies, and the public at large through publications, and social media.

The WHIP Center will adopt a broad-based approach aimed at serving its members, who are concentrated in the insurance, risk modeling, and construction industries. Its major research themes are: a) wind hazards assessments; b) estimation of exposure and vulnerability of buildings and infrastructures; and c) improvement of community resilience. Within these themes the Industry Advisory Board (IAB) will select the projects based on their priorities and the Center?s faculty specialties and expertise. Texas Tech University (TTU), as one of founding sites of the WHIP Center, has had an ongoing wind related research program for forty-eight years and supports a broad array of facilities including Ka-band mobile radars, 200m met tower, low-rise test building, wind tunnel, tornado simulator, and debris impact facility. The projects will leverage these facilities along with analytical models to build a strong linkage to fundamental research and technological innovation. Dual-Doppler radar and in-situ anemometry can measure and validate microscale surface winds in landfalling hurricanes. Fragility curves generated from tornado simulator could be quickly transitioned into design standards and building codes. Aerodynamic database of wind tunnel data would help formulating probability distributions of pressure on building components for differentiating wind-water damage in hurricanes.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. Read More >

Member Organizations

IUCRC affiliated member organizations are displayed as submitted by the Center. Non-federal organizations are not selected, approved, or otherwise endorsed by the National Science Foundation.