Simulation of Rain Penetration and Associated Damage in Buildings within a Hurricane Vulnerability Model

Abstract

Recent large-scale tests provided valuable insight into the wind driven rain deposition distribution and subsequent water surface run-off for low-rise buildings in hurricane conditions. These tests led to better understanding of the phenomena associated with water intrusion through the building envelope, one of the predominant factors contributing to interior damage from hurricanes. This paper incorporates those test results within a vulnerability model along with a directionality scheme to model the effect of change of wind direction on water deposition on building facades to quantify the volume of rainwater ingress into a building through building defects and breaches of building components in order to improve the prediction of insured losses. This paper describes the model enhancement and implementation, and the resulting changes in the vulnerability model.