TYPICAL CONCRETE BLOCK WALL SECTION

The attached drawing shows the typical construction of a hurricane resistant wall used in construction of “AFFORDABLE” new homes that are built in Hurricane prone Florida. A 3-course concrete block stem wall is placed upon the Engineered Concrete Foundation with embedded #5 steel rebar.

The number of courses of concrete block added is dictated by the desired finished height of the interior walls minus the height of the TIE BEAM. The 8” by 16” formed and poured concrete TIE BEAM (with 4 embedded #5 steel rebar) sits on top of the block wall and the rebar is curved and tied to the adjoining wall’s #5 rebar and this process continues around the perimeter of the home. Vertical #5 rebar is put in place and tied to the #5 rebar in the engineered foundation and is then tied to the #5 rebar in the TIE BEAM.

A vertical #5 rebar is placed typically every 36” or as directed by the structural engineer. At the time of the continuous pouring of the TIE BEAM, the cells in the concrete block containing the vertical #5 rebar are poured solid from the engineered foundation up to the TIE BEAM. At the same time the TIE BEAM is being poured, hurricane straps are embedded in the TIE BEAM and later are used to secure the roof trusses.

This completes a unified structure of concrete and steel that affords the new home owner hurricane resistance to their new home.

ADB Homes Typical Wall Section