Structures under construction — from dormitory complexes to a child care center to hangars that will house three new squadrons of the F-35A Lightning II later this year — are being built to withstand winds in excess of 165 mph. Steel frames, high-impact windows, concrete facades and roofing with additional bracing are among the features meant to weather the stronger storms to come.
Author(s):
Brady Dennis
As climate change worsens, military eyes base of the future on Gulf Coast
Source(s):
Washington Post, the
After Tyndall Air Force Base was leveled by 2018′s Hurricane Michael, those overseeing its reconstruction hope it becomes the ‘test bed’ for bases to defend against the perils posed by a warming atmosphere.
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At nearby Panama City, sea level rise has accelerated in recent years, with federal data showing seas have risen there more than 4 inches since 2010.
Planners factored in the potential for as much as 7 feet of sea level rise by the end of the century, and as a result placed the “vast majority” of new buildings at elevations that should be safe from storm surges for decades, Dwyer said. In addition, sensors placed near the low spots of buildings will send alerts the moment a flood threatens.
The Air Force also has created a “digital twin” of Tyndall — essentially, a virtual duplicate of the base that allows officials to simulate how roads, buildings and other infrastructure would hold up in different scenarios, such as a hurricane or historic rainfall events.
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