Tornado, Joplin, Missouri, 2011

The May 22, 2011, massive tornado that struck Joplin, Mo., was rated category EF5, the most powerful on the Enhanced Fujita scale. It impacted an area approximately three-quarters of a mile wide by 14 miles long, destroyed some 8,000 structures in its path, and killed more than 150 people.

NIST sent four engineers to Joplin from May 25-28, to conduct a preliminary reconnaissance of building performance and emergency communications during the tornado. Based on the analysis of the data collected and other criteria required by regulation, NIST Director Pat Gallagher established a research team to proceed with a more comprehensive study of the impacts of the disaster.

The objectives of the NIST technical study are to:

• determine the characteristics of the wind hazard from the tornado;
• determine the pattern, location and cause of injuries and fatalities, and how these numbers were affected by emergency communications and the public response to those communications;
• determine the performance of residential, commercial and critical (police stations, firehouses, hospitals, etc.) buildings;
• determine the performance of lifelines (natural gas, electrical distribution, water, communications, etc.) as they relate to maintaining building operation;
• and make recommendations, if warranted, for improvements to building codes, standards and practices based on the findings of the study.