Rector of VUT: Houses during the tornado had no chance, they are not designed for it

Brno – The houses in Hodonínsko and Břeclavsko that were destroyed by Thursday's tornado had no chance of withstanding the impact, according to the rector of VUT Brno, Petr Štěpánek. They were designed for significantly lower wind speeds, Štěpánek told ČTK today. He added that everything is repairable, but it depends on the cost/performance ratio. Štěpánek is also the head of the Institute of Concrete and Masonry Structures at the Faculty of Civil Engineering VUT.

According to him, the constructions of houses in the Czech Republic are designed for basic wind speeds of approximately 80 to 130 kilometers per hour. However, the tornado in South Moravia reached speeds of up to 219 kilometers per hour. "These constructions are also designed for wind blowing perpendicular to the vertical wall. However, a tornado is a vortex, a kind of lift upwards. Much greater tensions are created on roof structures than they are designed for. If it blows like this, it cannot survive," Štěpánek stated.

The damaged houses must be assessed by a structural engineer. "A layperson may feel that the house could be relatively okay, but an expert will immediately recognize that the house is not in order," he said.

He mentioned that while everything is repairable, the cost/performance ratio is crucial. "If there are significant structural defects indicating that the wall, ceiling, or roof structures are damaged to the point that they would no longer serve their function, they must be replaced. And then it depends on how many of those structures are in such a state that they must be replaced," Štěpánek added.

He compared it to an older, say twenty-year-old car that is not a classic and the owner decides on a complete overhaul. In the end, it could turn out to be much more expensive than if they bought a new car. "With those houses, it's the same. The older ones have some history, and if they receive some impulse in the form of extraordinary load, it's better to build a new one than to repair the existing one for a lot of money," Štěpánek stated.