Why do roofs fly off in tornadoes and hurricanes?
Oct 12, 2010
in
Tornado Questions
sjforever;
I might be in the wrong category for this question, but I have asked it many times in Engineering and Physics, and haven’t received an answer yet.
I am looking for something along the line of how the building/structure assemblage is friendly to high winds lifting the roofs…
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6 comments
williamC on October 12, 2010 at 9:25 pm
This applies to a basic scientific principle: That the pressure exerted by a moving stream of fluid is less than the pressure exerted by the surrounding fluid. In other words, the faster the air/liquid is moving, the less pressure it exerts. And what I mean is that the fluid with the greater pressure will move toward the area with less pressure. This is the same as when you blow above a tissue and it rises.
So since the pressure inside the house is greater than the pressure outside (with a hurricane amd strong winds), the house’s roof will blow off. The greater pressure inside the house will push to go outside in order to balance the pressures.
sjforever on October 12, 2010 at 9:25 pm
Please tell me you’re joking?..
Because the wind is so strong it blows them off…
Duh.
Notorious Nate on October 12, 2010 at 9:25 pm
Wall are usually built securely to the foundation and join each other securely too. A roof is sort of a separate piece of the house. It’s not attached as well as other pieces are and it’s easier to remove it when the wind gets under it right.
Look at tornado damage and you’ll see that it’s not just the roofs that go when a tornado strikes. Movies like to pop the roofs off leaving everything else the way it is. Hollywood ain’t real life though.
Ice on October 12, 2010 at 9:25 pm
Wind is the sole reason for roofs coming off.
dankohner1 on October 12, 2010 at 9:25 pm
Is this a real question?
Sean F on October 12, 2010 at 9:25 pm
The wind blows them off.