Image-Based Wind Damage Functions

Wind damage functions express the correlation of wind speeds and damage levels for various types of structures. They play a vital role in the prediction of damage for a given wind speed; are critical for the continued calibration of wind hazard models; and are valuable for the statistical estimation of wind damage severity for structures that are otherwise destroyed. In recent wind storms such as Hurricanes Katrina (2005) and Ike (2008), wind effects have been co-mingled with storm-surge effects. In many cases, storm surge has completely destroyed all evidence of any wind damage, but for settlement of insurance claims it is desired to have an estimate of the maximum probable wind damage that occurred prior to destruction of a building. Historically, maximum wind speeds in severe wind storms have been mostly unknown, and the collection of widespread and comprehensive damage data via ground surveys has been impossible. It is now possible to construct improved wind damage functions base