Shipping Containers and Tornadoes

[Believer]

If I place a shipping container, say a 20' one, what will happen to it if a tornado drops down on it? I'm guessing the weight vs area isn't enough for it to stay on the ground. Let me ask it this way: would you get inside one during a tornado?

 

[woodlandfarms]

Raw Video: Tornadoes pick up semi-trucks in Texas - The Norfolk Daily News : Onlineextras

It could be secured, but I would be worried the walls would collapse easier than wood but I don't know.

 

[jonyyuma]

If I place a shipping container, say a 20' one, what will happen to it if a tornado drops down on it? I'm guessing the weight vs area isn't enough for it to stay on the ground. Let me ask it this way: would you get inside one during a tornado?

Definitely need to bury it in the ground to the top...Look at the okla. video of the semi trailers being launched into the air..Cargo Containers aren't that heavy..

 

[smalltown]

Never "thank God" I've never been anywhere near a tornado, but after watching the trailer truck bodies being tossed in the air (quite high) on the news. I would not rely on a shipping container.

Wouldn't a cement vault in the basement or just outside the home underground be safer. You would think this would be a good business to startup in tornado prone areas.

 

[kf4uda]

I have a 40' container and was looking at it one day thinking the same thing. The first problem that came to mind was how to latch the doors from the outside. I figure that the container could hold up fairly good while being tossed about by the tornado but doubt that the occupants would. Therefore it could become a large casket. Now if you were to bury it and install a hatch and ladder I think it would be a great storm shelter.

 

[bcp]

Containers are strong but not heavy.

A video:
Bahamas Prime Minister views tornado damage at Freeport Container Port and surrounding areas on Vimeo


Another disaster photo showing containers, but looks more like a tsunami to me:

 

[jinman]

I have a 24x24 portable building that sits on four 4x6 skids. It's been converted to living quarters inside. I put trailer tie-downs into the ground in concrete, but never completely finished the tie-down job before my house was built. The portable building has been sitting on the skids for over 12 years in all kinds of wind and weather, but no direct tornado hit. I think a container would make an excellent shelter if it were partially buried just a foot or two and stapped over the top into posts or buried tie-downs.

What makes semi-trailers so vulnerable is the space beneath and only wheels at the rear. Once the air gets under that trailer, it rocks over on its side and becomes a sail. Keeping air from getting under the structure is one advantage and holding the structure so it doesn't roll is the also advantageous. Completely buried would be the best, but the logistics of burying the container would drive the cost above buying and installing a small fiberglass underground room designed as a shelter. BTW, a 40' container weighs about 10k lb when empty. A 20' container would be around 7k lb and that's not a lot of security. If I knew a tornado was coming, I'd take an interior bathroom/closet or basement over the container any day.

 

[Combustix]

If I place a shipping container, say a 20' one, what will happen to it if a tornado drops down on it? I'm guessing the weight vs area isn't enough for it to stay on the ground. Let me ask it this way: would you get inside one during a tornado?

Bury it five feet underground then I would get in it

 

[jonyyuma]

Ive seen a bunch of school buses buried, with the emergency door sticking out of the hills..I would think that is very light metal compared to shipper??The hatch and ladder might work?

 

[Cat_Driver]

With tornadoes the only safe place is under ground. Ask Dorothy's and, Toto.

 

[Raspy]

If you bury it, it won't fly away, but it can fill up with water and it can rust through in a few years. Plus, you still need a door on top, and one that won't let water in.

Containers are EXTREMELY durable. Much, much stronger than trailers and not likely to collapse during a tornado, but a twenty foot one probably only weighs about 4,000 lbs. and has a lot of surface area, so they could get blown around. Remember, they get filled with thousands of pounds of cargo and stacked many high on ships that take a pounding all the way across the Pacific. Sometimes a large storm will tear off a stack and they'll float around at sea for a long time. Yours would definitely need to be anchored down and the mounting system provided at each corner is more than strong enough for any assault by weather. You'd need to fix some anchors into a concrete slab. This could easily be done with heavy steel embedded in concrete and sticking out next to each corner where it could simply be welded or bolted to the brackets on the box.

In my area, permanently mounted containers are considered real property and are taxable , but, if just sitting there, are not.

The door latches/dogging system on them can't be beat for strength, but must be worked from the outside. If I wanted to weather a storm "in" one, I'd make a steel hatch that I could reach through to release the door dogs, or squeeze through in an emergency. Probably 16 or 24 inches across and released from inside.

Set up in this way, anchored sufficiently and with a hatch, it would be the first place I'd go in a tornado. And it would last indefinitely outside. Especially if you coat the roof with trailer top coating and paint the sides to prevent rust. If you still think that's not enough you could wrap retaining wall/corrugated plastic material around it and backfill a berm all around it. That would let the surface breath and still lock it in place like burying it. If there is any chance that water could rise in your area, keep the hatch up high so you don't get trapped, or put it on top. Something like a ship hatch with dogs. Maybe a periscope so you can watch the proceedings. :laughing:

 

[rsewill]

Bury it, tile around it and install a sump pump to handle water. Put a hatch in the roof. You could even pour a patio slab on the roof for everyday use. I suppose if you bury it right next to your home you could put a full size door in the side, in addition to the roof, so you could enter it from inside your home so it could be used for other purposes. But tile and a sump pump are essential in most places. Remember that '57 Plymouth that was buried in a concrete vault and was deep in water:

http://www.allpar.com/history/auto-shows/time-capsule.html

 

[RJD2516]

Oh, I don't know about that. Here are the problems I see. 1) Containers have thin walls. If it is above ground, the wood and other junk flying around would go through those walls like they were made of paper. 2) Burying a container would be cool. For about 3 years. Then the metal walls will start falling apart. The containers hold up pretty well to salt water spray because they are coated and painted. But that only lasts a short time. I have seen some fairly new containers (less than 5 years old) that look in pretty bad shape. It usually means they have spent a lot of time on a ship. Bury one and the ground will just eat that metal away. 3) I think you could make it work. But you would need to bury it, so it won't blow away. Then have it coated with something (I wonder if Rhino lining would work). And I mean you would have to coat every square inch, top-bottom-sides. Then you would have to work out the entrance/Exit. Then some type of air vent system (pretty easy). Then a bilge set-up for the water.

Kinda seems like buying one of those plastic ones would be cheaper.

I want one of those safe-rooms. Soon as my lottery ticket comes in........

 

[woodlandfarms]

With tornadoes the only safe place is under ground. Ask Dorothy's and, Toto.

Well the witch didn't fair very well, did she?

 

[Redneck in training]

Containers can be easily penetrated by flying objects. They are made from thin sheet metal. You would have to bury it or reinforce it with metal plates or concrete panels. You would have to also modify the door so it opens inside.

 

[RxRatedZ71]

There was a recent story about a trailer park in Alabama that bought a schoolbus and buried it with a backhoe. They vented it out the top and ran lectricity to it and used it as a community storm cellar for nearly 50 people but lass than $500.

Personally, we live in oklahoma and have a steel safe room. It made with 2in square tubing and 1/4in steel skin. Its bolted to our slab foundation with 3/4in diameter bolts and covered by our brick veneer. The door has 4 hinges and then 3-1 inch round-bar slides as locks. My wife still doesnt trust it and wants to hide in the 36" tinhorn in our driveway if a big one comes.

 

[Combustix]

I think OZ was safer than Kansas

 

[Gary Fowler]

A friend of mine said that lots of folk around him are using them to make under ground shelters. The dig them in or mound the dirt up around them leaving the door facing East. Then they leave one of the doors buckled from the outside so it is very secure and just close the other one from the inside and secure it with 3 or so of the old fashioned dead drop board or pipe just like the old castle doors from the inside. They also go inside and make another wall and door as a double safety. They stock it with all the necessities or a bedroom including couch and television and even bathrooms, including an HVAC unit . Whenever they have tornado warnings at night, they just go out and sleep in their shelter.with all the comforts of home. To prevent rusting, they put on a thick bitumastic coating prior to mounding the dirt. They should work really well for folks who have a hill and can bury it at least 3/4 of the way to the top and leave an east facing door.

 

[Raspy]

Gary,

That makes a lot of sense. Too bad they have to live with that threat!