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These powerful turbines are part of the 12-fan Wall of Wind (WoW) located at Florida International University in Miami. Each 6-foot-tall fan supplies 700 horsepower and allows researchers to test different wind directions combined with wind-driven rain, an important variable when assessing infrastructure weaknesses that occur during hurricanes.
This is the nation’s first academic research facility able to simulate Category 5 hurricane winds. Recommendations based on WoW research altered the 2010 Florida building code to decrease the likelihood of sheared roofs and rooftop equipment.Image credit: Florida International University
