Hurricanes and construction: plan ahead to protect your structures
Hurricane Irma, in September 2017, left deep scars on Saint-Martin. For construction professionals and private project owners alike, that disaster was a reminder of an inescapable reality: building in the West Indies demands higher technical standards than on the mainland. Anticipating hurricane risk begins long before the walls go up — right from the earthworks.
Why building in the West Indies requires higher standards
Winds of more than 250 km/h, torrential rain, hurricane swell: a structure in Saint-Martin must withstand forces on a completely different scale from a mainland jobsite. Regulations, in fact, impose strict seismic and hurricane-resistant requirements. But beyond the codes, it is the quality of execution of the foundations and utility networks that makes the difference on the day the storm hits.
Earthworks: the foundation of resilience
A building is only as good as its base. A well-prepared subgrade — cleared of unsuitable material, properly compacted and drained — determines how the structure holds up over time. Conversely, a poorly executed fill or an unstable platform becomes a weak point that the first hurricane will expose.
Drainage and stormwater: preparing for heavy rain
During a hurricane, it is not only the wind that causes damage: water is often the leading cause of loss. Erosion, scouring of foundations, saturated soils… A properly sized stormwater network and drainage slopes designed from the earthworks stage protect the building for the long term.
Preparing a jobsite before hurricane season
- secure slopes and open excavations;
- ensure water runoff and avoid uncontrolled ponding zones;
- stabilize platforms and protect stored materials;
- schedule sensitive phases outside the high-risk period.
The experience gained by David Pivetta and his teams during past events now guides every Geotech Caraïbes jobsite: to anticipate is to protect your investment.