MythBusters for wind versus water damage

Recent tropical storms such as Hurricanes Ivan (2004), Katrina (2005), and Ike (2008) have resulted in elevated levels of wind and storm surge. With the potential for both wind and storm surge to cause damage to coastal structures, questions have continually arisen as to what damage was caused by wind and what damage was caused by storm surge. Such questions are further complicated when a structure is destroyed, leaving little-to-no direct evidence of the exact damage sequence. In reviewing numerous reports addressing wind versus water damage causation in Hurricane Katrina in Mississippi, we have observed a host of implausible failure theories that can be potentially misleading. This paper examines common misconceptions encountered in the wind versus water debate and provides guidance for application of the appropriate physical principles.