An Empirical Study of Earth Covered Schools in Oklahoma.
Abstract
The present program was aimed at identifying what information is currently available to define broad trade-offs between earth covered and traditional schools, applying this information to provide an initial quantitative assessment of costs and benefits, and defining what additional studies and measurements might be desirable. Major areas to consider were: (1) Sociological, physiological, and psychological functional adequacy of earth covered schools, (2) Economic differences, their costs and benefits, (3) Practical aspects of disaster protection. The first task was to ensure earth covered structures were acceptable as a teaching and learning environment. The second task was to identify additional incentives (besides tornadoes) for building schools underground. The third task was to evaluate structural performance of Oklahoma's earth covered schools under realistic disaster loading conditions, as built, and to assess the degree to which this performance might be upgraded simply, to improve it. Two levels of upgrading were to be considered, options that could be implemented in a matter of hours on existing structures, and inexpensive options that could be introduced at the time of design to be incorporated during construction.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 1979
- Accession Number
- ADA082508
Entities
People
- James V. Zaccor