Here at LSU, we have had some basic testing on open frame and pipe rack structures under way for the past 3 years, and are now building a larger wind tunnel to handle more detailed, larger models. I was wondering how the chemical plants faired during that storm. That was well before my time in Louisiana. Amy had a question about conservative design and the type of chemicals stored. The Army stores nerve agents in underground bunkers, partially for this reason.
Plants are typically very caustic environments.
Corrosion and other degradation of structural integrity are very likely if the structures are not adequately maintained. Also, in areas such as Louisiana, we have had much coastal land loss plants built 50 years ago were perhaps 30 miles from the coast, but are in some cases much closer than that now. Since the winds decrease rapidly with passage overland, this land loss in effect increases the wind speed for the same storm at the same location. We hope to use some NASA facilities when we need to test larger scale models but we aren't at that point yet. To find out the types of chemicals used in order to be prepared and to ask some questions about what design criteria were used for the structures.