InTeGrate Modules and Courses >Coastal Processes, Hazards and Society > Student Materials > Dimension 3: Adaptive capacity > Case Studies > 1992 Hurricane Andrew
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These materials are part of a collection of classroom-tested modules and courses developed by InTeGrate. The materials engage students in understanding the earth system as it intertwines with key societal issues. The collection is freely available and ready to be adapted by undergraduate educators across a range of courses including: general education or majors courses in Earth-focused disciplines such as geoscience or environmental science, social science, engineering, and other sciences, as well as courses for interdisciplinary programs.
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Initial Publication Date: December 7, 2016

1992 Hurricane Andrew

Many South Floridians still have vivid images of 1992's Category 5 Hurricane Andrew. The hurricane killed 29 people and caused $25 billion in damages in Miami-Dade County. Among the many building types damaged by Andrew, 90% of all mobile homes in the county were damaged beyond repair. In Homestead, Florida, 99% of mobile homes were completely destroyed.

The production of mobile homes is regulated by Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) building codes. At the time that Andrew struck, relatively lax building codes from 1976 were in place, making mobile homes especially sensitive to the major hurricane's intense winds. After Hurricane Andrew, HUD significantly strengthened the building codes to enhance the structural integrity mobile homes; these improved regulations went into effect in 1994. In addition, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, which ironically treats mobile homes not as buildings but as vehicles, also placed several stricter rules on mobile home construction in 1996 and 1999. The effectiveness of these regulatory adaptations to reduce the sensitivity of mobile homes to high winds has already been documented earlier in this module.

These materials are part of a collection of classroom-tested modules and courses developed by InTeGrate. The materials engage students in understanding the earth system as it intertwines with key societal issues. The collection is freely available and ready to be adapted by undergraduate educators across a range of courses including: general education or majors courses in Earth-focused disciplines such as geoscience or environmental science, social science, engineering, and other sciences, as well as courses for interdisciplinary programs.
Explore the Collection »