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PUBLICATIONS

An Optimization Model to Inform Alternatives for Resilient Communities for Tornado Retrofits

Published

Author(s)

William Hughes, Tasnim Ibn Faiz, Marc Levitan, Kenneth Harrison

Abstract

Tornadoes devastate communities, razing buildings and critical infrastructure and claiminghundreds of lives annually. To reduce these catastrophic impacts and inform prioritizedretrofits under resource constraints, an Alternatives for Resilient Communities (ARC) modelfor tornado hazards is introduced. ARC is a mathematical programming model informingoptimal strategies to improve community-level resilience while meeting constraints relatedto system interdependencies, budget limits, and other considerations. The ARC modelevaluates optimal retrofit strategies, including tornado shelters and structural retrofits forbuildings, to minimize tornadoes' social and economic impacts. Under various potentialtornado events and budgetary constraints, optimal resilience enhancement strategies areevaluated, facilitating comparison of alternatives and investment prioritization to createtornado-resilient communities. As a case study, the model is run for the Joplin, Missouricommunity. The analysis demonstrates the tradeoffs of different retrofit strategies andquantifies their costs and benefits under various conditions, empowering decision makersto enhance resilience.
Citation
Resilient Cities and Structures
Pub Type
Journals

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.1080/23789689.2025.2597164
Local Download

Keywords

community resilience, tornado retrofit, Joplin tornado, adaptation optimization, tornado shelters, tornado casualties
Windstorm impact reduction, Structural engineering, Resilience economics, Community resilience, Building economics, Building damage and repair and Building codes and standards

Citation

Hughes, W. , Faiz, T. , Levitan, M. and Harrison, K. (2026), An Optimization Model to Inform Alternatives for Resilient Communities for Tornado Retrofits, Resilient Cities and Structures, [online], https://doi.org/10.1080/23789689.2025.2597164, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=958640 (Accessed January 10, 2026)

Issues

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Created January 6, 2026, Updated January 8, 2026
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