PB 258 347

NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS REPORT

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THE EFFECTS OF THE FAIRBANKS ALASKA FLOOD

ON RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION

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U.S. -

• : DEPARTMENT ' OF COMMERCE . ' . ~ ' - _ NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS

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NATIONAL TECHNICAL

^FORMATION SERVICE

v‘ Mm=M MM IK :
U 5 nepT OF COMM. 8S«L»OGe*?»H»C DATA

V. P! i'l.K *i HON <>H R 1 1‘oH i SO. NBS REPORT 10676

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4. ri ! l.E AND SHETH 1.

The Effects of the Fairbanks Alaska Flood on Residential

Construction •

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.

5. f 'trbiu aituti Date January 19 2

A, FVrfurrn/n^ t Vj; i;< ;-.t • < n Cod*1

7. AUTHOR(S>

William C. Culle«»

S. I’tf ft-fiTiirr Ur, -an. Rt-pori N

9. PERFORMING ()RCAN fZAT ON N A M

: 4 .MU * >i -b HbS

NATIOWAC SURtAU OF STANDARDS

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

WASH INC TOM, O.C 20234

TO. f

' l asl l.irisr N;>. •1216217

Vi. < omravt Grant No.

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14. AhSTKA( i f.A 2Q&veord or less, far sun I summary of most st&>. ificani information.. If docupu^it im hides * xi&nifu tint to fo-io&aphy or fiteratur< .survey, mrniion it fte-re. i On August IS, 1967, the Chern River at Fairbanks, Alaska crested at 18,8 feet,

6.8 feet above flood stage. The flood waters caused severe property damage in

, Alaska cad the c urroiaiding areas. At the request of Ernest Gnietring,

U.S. Senator Alaska, a special on-site investigation of building damage was made on 24- 2", 1967 by a two man team from the Building Research Divi *ion

of the National Bureau of Standards. The team members were:

Mr. William C. Cullen, Materials Technologist

Mr. Clinton W. Phillips, Mechanical Engineer

On August 25th, Teconsnenrfat ions were given to the citizens of Fairbanks to facilitate

the repair and early rehabilitation of their homes.

In Ma> IMS, Mr. Cullen and Mr. Phillips made a return visit to Fairbanks, Alaska

to assess the value and utility of their recoiwnendat ions and results of the special

on-site investigation and the follow-up trip.

17. KEY DWORDS (six to twot vn entrus. atphatmttra! order: capitalize only die iirst tetter of the first key n?.irf unless a proper name, by semicolon* > _ Alaska flood; on-site investigations; property damage; observations; recommendations

PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANG

l'8. \ VAH.ABU.STY Mali* iced

F or Official Distribution. Do Not Rfleas< \. I IS

Ot.cfcr From -ur>, oi Doc.. D.-S. isoretttmcni IV.ntjnfc

7:. V»9hia£t.«3R, ! ,< . , 20102, git C’ , :X Order From National Trchircal informanon •frvicc ;N1 fO

Springfield, Vifjjinsa 27

?9. SECURITY Cl. ASS

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UNCI. ASSIMI 0

21. NO. OF PAC.FS J?

20. S E< iJRUY f I. ASS 22. Jitu c

! THIS PAGET

UN< 1 A SSI HID J

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INSTRUCTIONS

FORM NBS114A BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA SHEET {REVERSE SIDE), this BibKo^aphc Data Sheet is an NBS

adaptation of m prescribed b> < OSAT! guidelines (Appendix F. NBS Manual for Stien-fific and Technical

Communications). ' Please complete with extreme care. This sheet will provide the basis for the literature citation of the publication, and in most cases u will become an integral part of the final publication itself.

A. Complete item 1 I information is available; otherwise, OTP will complete later, li pon-NBS publication, state: ‘sec item

1

: . (Additional instruct iorss under K below, >

8. Ignore ,te<t»> 2 , 3. 6, and 14, these are reserved for possible future use

C. Complete and 7 . When NBS 11.4A ts resubmitted these items must be as they will actually appear on the published paper.

D. Leave items 5, 21 , and 22 blank; 04 P will complete

E. Stems 9, 19. and 20 are preprinted; you need add nothing,

F. Complete items 10, 1 1, and/or 1 2 when applicable. 1 1 n isofis involved, in item I 2 stale- same as item 9. G. For item 13. inter ‘''Final” or "Interim” and calendar period covered, as appropriate.

ft For iitefn 15, enter other relevant information. (For -sample, upon receipt of cm ti pie red Form N13S 266 from author,

OTP will, rater the complete citation for NBS-utitho- zed papers poblisht-d in non NBS media.)

I. Complete items 16 and I?. Guidance ;s given in 4 .md Appendix B of the NBS Manual for Scientific and

T -chnical Communications, The abstr?'* must ,»gree with the one of the published paper.

J- For item IS, indicate one of the fo !! -n , fot open literacurc documents, cleared under NBS editorial procedures, or "For official dismbu * o rot rclcas, tuNTIS" for limited restricted, or needto-know material. (See

.5, 1 .4.2.1 of Brady memo dated Jar*; 16* IS/ •* ".Reports to Sponsors.”)

K„ In completing item 1, use the brief dcs

a ors shown m the right-hand column below Each designator will be foBowed

fay the specific publication number -m. This number will be he umr in both the longer and briefer designators;

for the same document, for ex.irnp! NT-5 Technical Note 548 will be equivalent to NBS TN-548. You would enter NBS

TN-548 in item I of Form NRS I I4A

NBS Identification NBS Technical Note N BS Monograph

NBS Handbook

MBS , oecul Publican -n NBS A*. t

* ma(nematics Series NBS Na banal Standard Reference Data Scries NBS Building Science Series NBS Federal Information Processing Standards Publication NBS Voluntary Product Standards NBS Cofisuni r * , formation Series NBS journal o. Research Section A

NBS Journal of Research Section B MBS DiiYensaons

NBS In teragency or Internal Report *

Since each paper in the two volume NBS journal of Research is assigned a specific designator, OTP will add appropriate:

journal designator fot item f. _ -

*It rbr outside spoas&r assigned ins own B.tvmiiM, enter hi-. Ba.mhei m tte.tr. •; , and the NBSlR- number in i_t em tk -

FOftM NB5/IT4A 'REV. f-FT USCQMMvGC

NBS TN- N BS MNNBS HB- NBS SPiN BS AMS-

. NBS NSRDS

NBS B3S- NBS I IPS NBS PS NBS CIS- NBS JR A

NBS iftB NBS P- NBS IR-
NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS REPORT

MBS PROJECT

421624? January 1 2, 1972

mbs report

iO 676

THE EFFECTS OF THE FAIRBANKS ALASKA FLOOD

ON RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION

by

William C, Cullen

Building Research Division

institute for Applied Technology

M ationa’ Bureau of Standards

Sponsored by

Bunding Research Division

Institute for Applied Technology

national Bureau of Standards

Washington, 0* C* 20234

.'4 FO»JANT NOf.’Ct NATIONAL SURCAli Of STAN

fo? UT9 withur the (jaW'BhtsPt- oi

anti f®«ew. for thrs reason, Bus o

ahois O! -n pari ;s not author*;: <h Busam of 'Standard Washington,

the 8*por» has Seen sp^rficai y pn

not authornet Director

Approved for public release by the

~ - -v t i * 1 TvsnflflltP HI

Standards and Technology (NIST)

on October 9, 2015.

/V* AV/x ^ f p of the National Institute ot

-,g iocurrtBnts in atMtai

o additional era uatton

this Report, e»tr»er lit the Lfrector, PUtlgnst

irrent agency for which own use.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS
On August 13, 196/, the Chena Rf ver at Fairbanks, Alaska crested

at IB ,8 feet, 6.8 feat above flood stage. The flood waters caused

severe property damage in Fail banks , Alaska and the surrounding areas.

At the request of Ernest Gruening, U.S- Senator A aska } a special

on-site investigation of building damage was made on August 24*25, 196?

by a two-man team from the .Building Research Division of the National

Bureau of Standards, The team members were;

Mr. William C. Cullen, Materials Technologist

Mr, Clinton W. Phillips, Mechanical Engineer

On August 25th, recommendations were given to the citizens of Fairbanks

to facilitate the repair and early rehabilitation of thier homes.

In Kay 1968, Mr. Cullen and Mr. Phillips made a return visit to

Fairbanks, Alaska to assess the value and utility of' their recommendations

and results of the special on-si to investigation and the follow-up

trip.

Key words t Alaska Flood, on-site investigation, property damage,

observations, recommendations.
Tha Effects of the Fairbanks Alaska Flood on Residential Construction

by

William C. Cullen

Introduction

Four times since 1930 the city of Fairbanks, Alaska lias experienced

serious flooding when the Chena River overflowed her banks , On August

15* 196? the' Cheat River crested at 18,8 feet, 6,8 feet above flood

stage. This unusual event was the highest of record* The other major

floods occurred in August 1930, May 1937 and May 1948 when the. river

crested at 15 .2,- 15.9 and 19.2 feet respectively. The hydrological

conditions associated with the August flood were a very wet July and

very heavy rainfall measuring 6.1 inches during the period August 9 -15,

The August 1930 flood is the only other high-magnitude flood caused by

rainfall. The other two major floods were the result of spring snow

melt and Ice breakups

,

The toll the floods take involves millions of dollars and this

amount is likely to grow as the population increases and fan builds

mo?a houses and other structures to river valleys* The ultimate

solution obviously list in adequate flood control measures for the.

flood susceptible areas. However , when the benefit/cost ratio for sutch

flood control, programs are not sufficiently high to warrant their Implementation, other risk-reducing approaches must be explored. The

following questions Issued lately arise: Is it. possible ^artd feasible

that departures from the conventional can be made in the utilization

of building materials and construction techniques to -educe the

1

potential damage from flood waters? Can the knowledge gained in pa 5 1 experiences such as the August 1967 flood be used to advantage in the

reduction of potential damage in future f? >ods? The answer to each

question is a categorical yes!

This report documents the effects of water on materials of con- struction and the building service systems and is based on a survey of

flood damage to residential structures and their subsequent rehabilitation following The Disastrous Fairbanks, Alaska Flood, In a disaster

of such magnitude, certainly not all damage can be eliminated but, we contend, it can he minimized We have observed that what at first

appears to be terminal damage to building components and systems is, in

fact, very often relatively minor. Frequently the componcent or system,

upon drying, will function adequately for a period of time with maintenance and minor repair. Further experience has indicated that much

of the damage observed could be avoided by the application of simple,

inexpensive, common sense principles during the construction period.

This report demonstrates some of the principles which can be applied

during the construction phase and others for use itnmed lately after the

flood waters have receded to ameliorate losses, both comfort and

financial. While the contents of this report primarily deal with water

damage and rehabilitation of residential structures associated with the

Fairbanks, Alaska flood, many of the principles identified here are

applicable to other geographical areas when struck by flood, hurricane

or similar disasters.

3
Res Id e. at la I. Construct. to ns Although -nan/ types of houses are constructed in the floodawseept. ibie areas of Fairbanks, Alaska .. the typical residential

structure consists of a v?oo4^£raEie construction, over a basement or crawl space which was located be grade level- footings were of

poured concrete on solid ground which penetrated the earth to a minimum depth of four feet. The foundation walls were const ruefed of

poured concrete,: concrete blocks or similar masonry units and the space

within the perimeter served as the basement or crawl space. The basement floor was of poured- in- place reinforced concrete, generally applie

over, a polyethylene vapor barrier. It appears relevant to mention here

that, due to the severity of the wir cer weather in the Fairbanks area,

a garage, generally adjoined each structure . The open cavity which

was excavated to the same depth as the basement or crawl space beneath

the garage was backfilled with available soil and covered with s reiftforced; concrete slab which served as the garage floor. The compact ion,

or lack of it, of this backfill contributed to the slabs performance

during: the; disastrous flood. It short Id be noted here that the basement

of many of the older residential constructions were of a wood -pr lb

construction, la,, both floors and walls consisted of wood planking,

While the interior sub-’ flooring consisted of plywood (both

exterior arid 'interior grade) and in the case of s<me older houses the

traditional wood-board sub- flooring , little I? any: hardwood was

employed as the exposed floor surface , For - a most part the resilient

floor coverings were employed-.- These included, -vinyl, asphalt- or vinyl

asbestos tiles and the continuous- type coverings suck as linoleum or

4 £
Typical rasicdhikal construction in

Fairbanks' f: Alaska , Vote the high w mark of the flood*

Che c ; - n . ' l a *o a f ound ail on val i s had a . s i on iflean

i

fl ueh ca on per fo rma nee during the

5
sheet vinyl applied to the sub- floor with an adhesive. However , living

rooms and recreation rooms were frequently decorated with wall to wall

textile type coverings.

The wall system of a wood- frame structure serves many purposes.

It supports the loads of the roof and of the second floor. It serves

as a fastening base for exterior and interior coverings. Further , tt

serves as a weather and thermal barrier; a most important function in

Alaska. A corranon wall system or recent constructions from the inside

to the outside consisted of painted vypsum hoard or a decorative wood

paneling applied to wood studs, a sheet-type vapor barrier, insulation

of fibrous .lass, mineral wood or similar materials, -a- bituminous Impregnated Insulated sheathing and an exterior cladding of wood, asbestos

cement, or other weather- resistant materials. Here again, the const nju t ion practices in the older houses differed significant ly from the more rect' • ores in that a wood cavity wall filled with, wood sawdust

served as the basic wall construction. The indoor and outdoor surfaces

were covered with gypsum board and a weather- resistant material

respectively.

Tne ceiling- roo fing system consisted of & sloping wood roof deck

generally covered with asphalt shingles or prepared asphalt roof covering. In some cases where low slopes were involved, a bituminous builtup roof provided weather protection. Gypsum board fastened to ceiling

joists provided th* interior surface which was insulated with loose

mineral wool, fibrous glass battens and in the case of older houses a

wood sawdust fill placed on the top surface of the gypsum board between

the ceiling joists. The ventilation, or lack of it, of the attic space

6
between the ceiling and the roof had a significant impact on the performance of exterior protective coatings during the post- flood period

and the rate of drying of wetted homes.

Flood Damage Survey

The Department of Housing and Urban Development approved funds to

help the state of Alaska survey damage to the Fairbanks area and to

plan a rehabilitation program. The funds , together with local supplementary funds, were used to finance the project activities of 94 two-man

survey teams coordinated through 1 he office, of the Governor of Alaska

in cooperation with. the Alaska State Housing Authority. The survey was conducted under the direction of Dr. Elbert F.Rice, University of

Alaska. The survey teams determined, by house to house inspections the

damage to private property. Further, based on the tta which were developed the preparation of projections of loss of incone and revenue to state and local governments, and the inventory of available manpower

and housing needs was accomplished.

The results of the survey showed that over 4800 residential

structures suffered extensive water damage . The findings also revealed

chat of the 4800 residences some 1300 had a water lev- 1 of over 3 and

one-half feet while another 1200 had experienced a high water mark of

one foot or more above the first floor level. Basements, of course,

were completely flooded and many basements had been finished as living

quarters which compounded the resultant damage. In respect to heating

units, the results showed that in excess of 500 were submerged over

the burner itself and approximately 4000 in which the controls were under Hater.

7
The monetary loss to structures* no: iaeludtig their contents, was estimated to be $2*1,114,251 or the basis of j_fte field survey.

Specifically, these losses w re categorized in Table 1. Table 1, Monetary Losses /Estimated}

Humber

4837

- 490

51

85

Description

Residential Structures

Conmercial Buildings

Tar Exempt Buildings

Trailer Houses

Unclassified

Lo s s .

$ 23,357,743

$ 5,025,653

$ 201,758

$ 1 10 , 687

$ 418,416

National Bureau of Standards Participation

At the request of Senator Ernest Gruening of Alaska, representing

the United States Senate Public Works Committee two re present at ivcs of

the National Bureau of Standards* Building Research Division accompanied

the Senator and two staff members of the Senate Public Works Committee

to Fairbanks, Alaska After briefings by various Federal, State tnd

local authorities at the site as to the current status of the flood and

its subsequent damage, a comprehensive inspection was made of- residential structures’ i- .he more severely affected areas of Fairbanks.

Based on t:he information developed during the various briefings,

observations and critical examinations of damaged structures, discus-'

sious with flood victims, and on considerable laboratory and field

pc ? L»iuv tn the properties and performance of building materials acid

systems, a set of -recommendations were prepared for the rapid drying of

the structures to facilitate the aarlv rehabilitation of water damaged

houses. The recommendations were communicated to the Citizens of

8
Fairbanks by radio, newspapers and by leaflets distributed by various

organizations.

As suggested by- Senator • Gruening and approved by the Director

,

National Bureau of Standards, a return trip was made to Fairbanks,

Alaska by representatives of the Bureau approximately one year after

the flood. One purpose of the trip was to assess the value of .the MBS

recommendations . Another purpose was to observe the effects of wwter

submersion. and subsequent drying on various materials of construction

ay well as on the electrical, mechanical and plumbing systems

associated with residential structures.

Observations - August 1987

Found at; ions

• Foundation problems, although not as prevalent as problems with

other building, components, .accounted for the more serious and costly

type associated • with residential • constructions during the Fairbanks

flood. Failures were observed in. foundation walls and in concrete

slabs used .for basement and garage floors. In some cases the failures

.were experienced during the early stages of the flood, while In others

the evidence of 'damage appeared subsequent to the recession of the

flood waters. Various and sundry opinions have been proposed to

explain the failures of foundations. The validity of a number of the

opinions can be supported by observations and theoretical considerations

Furthet and more important many of the foundation failures were preventable either initially or by taking immediate action during the

flood . The compaction of backfill around foundation walls, beneath

slabs nd traffic surfaces during construction had a. significant

9
influence on the* stability of rh.e particular system or the surrounding

ground during the flood or after the re cession of the'' flood waters.

For example, observat ions were made of many residences where the hackfill was washed away from basement, walls. Further the garage concrete

floors as well as sidewalks and other traffic surfaces of many

residences settled and consequent iy deteriorated to such ai extent

that replacement was indicated.

Ironically the immediate action implemented by the conscientious

homeowner to keep his basement relatively free of water daring the

initial stages of the rising of the flood water, frequently resulted

in the most serious and costly flood damage observed in residential

houses. In some cases, the Couadat too walls actually imploded Jue to

the hydrostatic pressure against the exterior wails. In others where

the basement walls were sufficient Iy strong to resist the forces

generated by the differential pressure, the basement floor actually

heaved and cracked.

Interior w.t 1 Is

At the t ime of the inspections, the flood waters had receded

However, the gypsum board interior walls were still in a wet condition

up to the high water mark. Although the wall board for the most part

appeared to he intact and in place, the material* as expected from the

properties of its component s , had lost a great deal of Its original

strength. The covering of the board, which serves as a reinforcement

for the gypsum core, was substantially veaken-d and consequent ly was susceptible to- damage eve a from the slightest abrasion, it was the

opinion of the observers that it the walls were allowed to remain in

10
Figure 4 Beinaval o f water should- b& -deiaued until

the flood water has . reached a'- safe level

to prevent interior collapse *- FI g u to 5 Co i 1 aps <? o 1 b a % emo n t . *ra 11 due to h g dr o~

static pressure against exterior walii

August 196?
place, they could be expected to 'regain, upon dryingg, a sufficient

portion of their initial strength properties to serve adequately In

the future.

Wood paneling which was frequently used in living quarters at

be low-grade levels showed evidence of warpage and initial de lamination

at this early stage. Obviously where this condition was severe, replacesnent was indicated.

Vapor Barriers and Insulations Materials used as vapor barriers are, per se, resistant to water.

There fo’-e, no damage to these materials, be they polymeric or metallic,

was expired nor observed. Further, there was no indication that the

vapor burri had been disturbed by the rising or falling of the flood w.ce r . Consequently the evidence indicated that the vapor barriers

would continue to function as intended for some time to come.

As indicated previously a number of basic materials were employed

as between the wall cavity insulations. The materials included wood

sawdust which was common in the pre World War II residences, mineral

wool type fills, aluminum backed fibrous giass composites and other

types. It was difficult to observe many insulations because of their

concealed position. Therefore, the following observations are based

on a relatively few samples . The insulations , regardless of composition,

had seen wetted to the high water level and at the time of inspections

were still in such a saturated condition that liquid water could be

squeezed from the materials. The portions of the insulation which

were observed above the high water mark appeared to be relative dry even at this early stage thus Indicating minimal water transmission

within the insulation itself. In ail cases of the fibrous glass type

12
observed , the wet insular ion wms b t ill in' place,, was apparentt.ly

undamaged and little if any settlement bad occurred , These observations

indicate! that upon drying the insulations* -would sqxvc adequatelyas- intended! Unfortunately / the-. condition -of a 1 1 types of insalat ions

w-:.. re not observed fetaanse or their ioa^crJS-Sfiha It f y . However, reports

from reliable sources indicated chat some of the fill-type insulations

had Svigv-d and compacted- leaving a void at. the t op ei each nt ud. space *

In cusiraary the conclusion was made that the. wetted insular ionsl were capah le hi being forced dried to place and-, noon drying, would regain

muffle.lent therm! resistance properties to produce the desired

results Therefore, except in unusual eases, the replacerRenc of the

insulation:' was hot indicate^-.

c>cfti ri or JcallS

There was no serious damage to the exterior sidirtg of houses'

despite the severe and prolonged wetting from the flood water . Bowove r

,

xt was precicted that paint failures in the fora of bl late ring,

cracking and pee ling, would become apparent as the forced drying

cess progresses! Fortunately the -water-vapor permeance of the

exterior, siting materials, wood- and asbestos - cement , were such as

to offer little resistance to the transmission of water.-vapor during

the drying process*

13

Toe asphalt- saturated insulating sheathing which servos as a bash for

the exterior siding was saturated with water at the time of the

inspection . but no de format xcn. or other signs of deterioration were apparent. Therefore the prospect of this material serving its

intended funct ion after" drying in place appeared good,. The question

frequently arose about the possible adverse effects of the soon to

arrive sub freezing temperatures on the water soaked sheathing and

sid ing. In replying, it was recognized that the complete drying of

these waii .system components together with the 'insulation before . theadvent, of freezing weather was highly . improbable , However,, it appeared

remote that these, materials would be adversely affected. In any event

arc/ damage which resulted from sub freezing temperatures would present

problems less serious than vent a, ia. ting cavity walls by removing

sections of the. exterior walls, A major factor m this conclusion was

the shortage of labor and materials in the Fairbanks area to repair

the hundreds of structures affected before the advent of freezing

weather

Co i 1 itvg Systems

In only one case reported did the water level go above the first

floor ceiling. Consequently the only ceilings which were affected

were those of finished living quarters in the basement. In the majority

of cases , the damage sustained by ceiling s’laterials, regardless of type,

was substantial As opposed to its performance on vertical surfaces,

gypsum board exhibited two types of failures on ceilings. On one hand

tt was weakened by water to the extent that its nail pull-through

resistance was reduced and the cuaiu let lave weight of the gyp Stan plus

15
the absorbed water caused failure. On the other baud, where the

strength of the fasteners was sufficient to keep the hoard in place

a permanent deformation exhibited by a sagging between the floor

joists was apparent . It appeared doubtful that the material would

regain its original dimensions after drying. Removal and replacement

was indicated. In cases where ceiling t ties were used, irreparable

damage was often sustained. Failures were attributed to dimensional

instability of the fibrous type tiles and to the failure of mechanical

fasteners or both. In instances where organic adhesives were employed

to adhere tiles to the ceiling, it appeared that failure of the

adhesives accounted for a large portion of the failures observed.

Flooring Systems

Floor coverings and subflooring were adversely affected by the

flood water. In almost every instance the coverings including asphalt,

vinyl and vinyl-asbestos tiles, sheet vinyls and textile type carpeting

were soiled and damaged. The most common type of damage observed with

the resilient type coverings was a failure of the adhesive used to bond

the tiles to the substrate. The performance of the subflooring was certainly a factor in the performance of both the finished floor

covering and the adhesive selected for its application. In cases where

the substrate was concrete or exterior grade plywood and a water

resistant adhesive was employed, it appeared that the flooring systems

resisted major damage other Chan that due to soiling.? However, where

delamination or warpage of interior grade plywood occurred or where a

water susceptible- adhesive was employed, removal and replacement of

the damaged flooring was indicated. -
Fi 7 ura 5 Staining of ext&x&o? siding duo- to zotG&d

d ry ing procedure

Figure 9 Failure of adhesive used to bond floor

tile te> suhstrste.
Carpeting was still saturated with water at the time of the inspection and without exception was heavily soiled with silt. Much of

It already had been removed and was being dried ana cleaned by various

t eh uniques.

Recommendat ions - August 1967

On August' 24th when the on-site inspections were in progress, the

flood waters had receded and many residents ware returning or had"

returned to their homes. They had started the rehabilitation process

by removing household furnishings , clothing and other personal articles

to the .outdoors to expedite drying. In fact a number of homeowners

showing the initiative of the typical resident of Alaska, were already

in the - process .of taking rather drastic steps, such as ''the 'removal of

Interior walls, to replace or repair flood damaged building mater la Is.

and' systems. Although the immediate action of these ambitious

citizens was to be commended, it was felt that the remedial measures

being' implemented" frequently were unnecessary and uneconomical.

Therefore, the urgency of preparing guide lines foe the- drying and

repair of. the homes was apparent.

Immediately after the inspections were completed, a set of

recommendations capable of being implemented by ' the; average home' owner was prepared and communicated to the citizens of Fairbanks by

various means * - It should- be pointed out here that two major

influencing factors were considered in ' the development -of the recommend

at ions. First* sub frees ingtetupscat urea wore expected with to six weeks.

" Ite'xt , the' disastrous- flood precipitated a • severe shortage. of labor

and 'material' which would have .bean; ; required ter accomplish - major

m
repairs to the hundreds of affected buildings before the advent of

freezing weather.

the re commend at ions as promulgated to the homeowners of

Fairbanks, Alaska on August 24 „ 195? were;

1. Remove standing water from buildings as quickly as possible by

p map in. a , boiling or other tseans .

2. Repair the heating system as quickly as feasible and /or obtain,

supplementary heater.

3» Operate the heating system or ays terns at higher than normal

thermostatic settings of 80° to or higher

4- Opea windows and doors sufficiently to maintain desired temperature

but to accomplish drying cif interior..

5, When interior bas been reasonably dried, continue to operate the

heating system at a higher- fhah nbrraa t temperature with doors and

windows only partially open. This procedure .will tend to force-dry

the Insulation, insulated sheathing through the exterior- walls,

6. Do tot: remove or disturb the interior walls and /a nor barriers

unless it is absolutely necessary to replace them because of

severe damage

?. Do not remove the exterior siding. Drying of insulation and

sheathing will be hastened if the top and bottom of the exterior

siding can be opened at each stud space to provide for Increased

ventilation of each stud space. This procedure should be followed

only if it can be accomplished easily and repaired easily.

19
8. Provide ample ventilation of attic space during the heating season.

9. All residences including those that will not be occupied should be

.ted during the coming winter to avoid serious and sometimes

catastrophic damage by water freezing in walls md foundations.

COMMENTS ON RE CQMM.ENDAT ION$

In May 1968 a second visit was made to Fairbanks. Alaska area after the spring thaw had occurred. This visit served a number of

purposes. One was to assess the value and utility of the National

Bureau of Standards recommendations made immediately after the flood

to the residential property owners regarding the methods md procedures

for drying and repairing their flood-damaged homes. Another was to

obtain, first hand, a knowledge of incipient damage which was not

readily apparent to the observers immediately after the flood waters

had receded. It should be mentioned here that in making the recommendations the observers gave serious consideration to the probable

S3?nergjstic effects of wetted building materials and prolonged subfreezing temperatures Which they believed would be of major concern to

federal, state and city officials and homeowners alike. Certainly

a major purpose of the return visit was to collate Che knowledge and

experience obtained in the natural disaster so that they can be used

to advantage in reducing potential damage of similar disasters which

may occur in the future
The procedures agreed upon for accomplishing these objectives included

meetings and discussions with federal, state and city'';- officials

,

representatives of building contractors and building materials

suppliers* representatives of service organisations, citizens coordinating consult tee and- numerous homeowner? . Each of these factions gave

freely of their time and talents :to' assist the observers. The frank

opinions and contents about both their professional and personal

experiences prior to, during and offer the flood proved 'to be invaluable in not only preparing the recommendat ions but also in

assessing their worth.

To the casual observer it might have appeared that the. initial

recommendations made immediately after the. flood waters had receded were extremely elementary. This was the intent so that drying and

rehabilitation procedure's- would be as practicable as possible. Other

recommendat ions may have even appeared to be illogical especially when

they dealt with the drying and reuse of a more complex building

system such as a complete wall system. Yet each of the recommendations

was intended to serve a specific purpose and were made only after

careful consideration of how affectively they could be implemented

within the iimitat ions of the very critical situation. Therefore

after-the-fact comments on each of the recommendations appears to be

useful here In order to review their utility and effectiveness

Further some additional observations were made which are not directly

related to the specific recommendations. However their identification

will prove helpful in demonstrating certain building practices which

may ameliorate damage from future floods.

21
Recomnendat a :-n Number 1

The removal of water front a huildirg is quickly as possible

obviously appears to be the first step in the drying process.

Experience during the Fairbanks flood las shown that In instances

where this was accomplished when the exterior water-level was at

ground level or above, serious and costly basement floor and valoroblems were created by differential hydrostatic pressures between

outside and inside, "'here fore, removal, of water should be delayed

until such a time the water has reached a safe limit.

Recommendation Number 2 The prompt repair of the aeating system rates a very high priority

in the rehabilitation schedule. Experience at Fairbanks showed that

the supposedly water susceptible parts such a3 burners, controls and

motors upon being cleaned and dcied can function adequately at

least during the critical period. Supplementary heating in the form

of portable units proved to be effective in the drying operation.

Unfortunately these were not available in sufficient numbers to assist

the many who had a need

Recomme ndation Numbers 3 and 4

The implementation of these recommend i t ions are predicated on the

fulfillment of recommendation Number 2* The purpose of operating the

heating systems at higher than normal temperatures -with the doors and

windows open are obvious . The effectiveness of this recommendat ion

was confirmed during the initial inspections in August 1967.

22
Recommandat iOR Nurabe r 5 This re.cOBHneadat ion to continue the high temperature operation: of

the heating system with doors and windows only partially open or preferably in the closed _ position is less obvious. The objective here

is to create a high water' vapor pressure,, which increases as the

temperature is raised, in the interior of the.. st ructure *• This con- dition in conjunction with the extremely low winter vapor pressures

common to. Alaska literally .forces moisture contained within the wall

cavities through the exterior wails. The success of this procedure- is

dependent on the water vapor permeance of the exterior siding.

Fortunately wood and asbestos- cement sidings which are common to the..

Fairbanks area are relatively permeable to moisture . Where moisture

vapor impermeable sidings such as aluminum, plastic Or masonry are

used, procedures must fee initiated to obtain' ventilation of stud- space

to. the outside. It should be rioted that the successful conduction of

this operation may. result in failures of exterior paints which have

low. water vapor permeance values. -These- failures as evidenced by

blistering, flaking and general deterioration were expected and observed during the ' May inspections . This is a- natural consequence of

the drying technique utilising- differential water-vapor pressures.

Recemmetidat Ion. Number 6

. Considerable opposition was received from many sources regarding

the wisdom of the recommendation against disturbing or removing the

interior vails. The apparent weakened condition of the wet gypsum

board together with a curiosity to discover damage hidden -within the

confines of the wall system would seem to support the objections. In23

lace before making the judgment, the observers called upon may years

of experience with properties of materials, arid their behavior in. service.

The gypsum wall board used on vertical surfaces did regain, upon drying

many of its original, characteristics and was performing in a satisfactory manner after minor repair and routine maintenance. On the

other hand., wetted gypsum board used in ceiling applications required

removal and replacement .• It had softened and sagged under its own,

we ight and upon drying was permanently deformed.

R .? corii .ondat ion Humber 7 This recommendation against the removal and replacement of

: ufcerior siding, sheathing, and wetted insulation probably contributed

more in decreasing monetary outlays for repairs ny homeowners than- any

of the other recommendations. A prime factor in this suggestion was

the shortage latbrials and labor to repair the largo number of

residence s affected before the advent • o f freeging weather.

The observations made during the Spring visit .confirmed t he

predictions that the replacement of these components of the wall system w t s not required except in a 'rev/ I u isos . Further the inspect toils •

faii«?d to reveal a .single instance where damage to insulat itm, sheath”

in-, or exterior siding was attributed to the freezing' of the wotted

components* Apparently the drying procedures In conjunction with the

fair weather which followed the flood and !: no life arrival of winter

in the Fairbanks area were -effect ive in the e l iminat Lon of such damage.

25
ftocotamends t ton Humber §

The practice of providing adequate ventilation of the attic space

during the heating season was required apt only to facilitate the drying

of the 'wet house but is a r^eornm ruled and necessary practice for homes

in all cold climates The difference between houses with and without

adequate attic ventilation was readily apparent by observing the con- dition of exterior paint coatings after exposure to the winter weather,

R

c otime nda t i on Number T

The hearing of unoccupied houses during the winter season was stressed in the early recoeamendat ions to prevent serious and sometimes

catastrophic damage by freezing of the wet floor, vail and foundation

systems . The validity of this recommendat ion was con firmed during the

Hay inspections. Many severely vetted homes which were dried and

heated survived the severe Alaska winter with little apparent damage.

One the other hand observations were made of two houses (others were

reported) which wort unoccupied and tin heated during the cold raonthsSevere damage evidenced by warping, heaving and structural deficiencies

resulted.. The correction of these preventable conditions will prove

costly and in some cases will be prohibitive.

The recoirsae nidations of August 1967 were formulated to meet the

immediate' need to facilitate the early rehab 11 it ation of flood damaged

homes. Therefore . of necessity, a number o? factors were omitted o:

overlooked. A knowledge of these factors can be of considerable value

in the directions to victims of future floods . The more relaxed

inspect ions: "of. residential const ructions together with discussions
27
with numerous informed people during the Hay visit afforded .-he opportunity to explore these factors. It appears useful that they he

considered in this paper.

Electrical Distribution Systems '

Experience in the Fairbanks flood has indicated that these systems

can be operated safely and effectively after drying. The cleaning of

silt and other flood deposited materials from fixtures, outlet and

switch boxes was frequently required. The plastic sheathed conductors

performed satisfactorily after drying. Latent failures were reported

for copper wire conductors contained in metal conduits. These were attributed to electrolysis.

Heating Systems

Heating systems which were completely submerged for a number of

days functioned in a satisfactory manner after being cleaned and

dried. The cleaning procedure for electric motors, burners and

controls consisted of flushing with water , drying, treating with a water-displacement liquid and placing in service. As expected there

was a high incidence of premature failure of various parts of the

system such as bearings in motors s contacts in coils, etc. during the

subsequent’ heating season. The failures were mainly attributed to

abrasive silt and corrosion. The important fact re,-mins that despite

the. severe exposure conditions* the systems upon drying* were able- to

function when the need for heat was most critical.
Oil is the predominate fuel used in the Fairbanks area. Consequently oil storage tanka are required and are frequently placed

underground » Tanks which were' totally or partially empty literally

popped out of the earth due to their houyaxiey in the flood waters*

Flooring, Systems

Resilient type floor coverings applied to concrete and exterior

grade plywood sub- floors with water-resistant adhesives suffered only

minor damage and were ready for immediate use with drying, cleaning

aad minor repair. Similar type coverings applied vith other than

water resistant adhesives or over- interior' .grade', plywood 'frequently'-,

suffered major damage and in some cases had to he completely removed

and replaced la kind

Many textile type coverings (carpets) including the wall-to-wall

variety which initially appeared to suffer terminal damage were 100X

salvaged lot reuse by flushing free of silt with water followed by

professional treatment and cleaning.

Organic. Coat Inga

In contrast to the severe and costly damage' to other systems cf

the structure, paint failures were considered relatively minor.

However they were common* Ironically many of the' failures were a direct result of the force drying of the wall system. The deficiencies

appeared as blistering, flaking and peeling and.* as anticipated

appeared more frequently oa the portions of the exterior, wails which

were submerged during the flood. The extant of the failures may be

reduced somwhat by employing exterior coating which have relatively

high water vapor permeance values* Further the provision of adequate

29

ventilation to allow moisture to escape would also assists

Interior, coatings appeared to perform better except where the

surface of the softened wall board was damaged mechanically . Generally

the condition of the interior, decorative surfaces could ye made

presentable by a thorough c leaning , However, complete repainting will

be required in the near future.

Wood Products

Kitchen .cabinets, which were coastrue.t^d'. of;, wood- or plywood wagre severely damaged and : in. most cases required reaaava l and replacetneai f Interior wood paneling of the plywood variety which was submerged,

generally required re Ma cement

£22

^

mss . In summary, the National Bureau of Standards recorarne i idat ions

which were promulgated to the. citizens Of 'Fairbanks , Alaska or. August

25, 19.$? were effective, practical and valuable.' The re cotameodat ions

sot forth procedures fo:r drying, deh«nidificstion and repair of flood

damaged residential structures* This cpnclusidn is based oh observations of many stricken residences as well as- meetings and discussions

with federal, state -and city officials;- local citizens involved ift construction, building material, supply, u?\d services to homeowners;

and on nume reus interviews with houseowners themselves* It was most

gratifying that a large- number of owners of the 4800 affected residences

substantially reduced their potential dollar losses by the implementation of the recommendations » The monetary value of the assistance

provided ay the Matronal Bureau of. Standards is difficult to asses,

A member of the Citizens Coordinating Committee expressed hi# views

31
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