Construction is under way on a large tornado-proof dome in Smithville, the first of its kind in the state of Mississippi, two years after a powerful tornado wiped out much of the town.
WCBI-TV reported Thursday (April 4) that the tornado-proof dome will double as a gymnasium and rec complex and storm shelter on the campus of Smithville High School in Monroe County.
"We put the insulation on the inside and then we tie a rebar grid on the inside of that," adds Randy South, president of South Industries. "It will look like a big bird cage for a little while, and then we spray concrete, which is called shotcrete, on the inside," WTVA-TV reported.
"We embed that rebar and when the rebar is all embedded, we let the concrete cure for a little while, turn the fans off and you got a concrete building," South added.
Once the dome is fully outfitted and constructed, it is expected to meet the FEMA 361 required standards for a storm-ready shelter.
"The wind has a hard time getting a hold of them in the first place because of the shape," South said. "The other thing, the dynamics of the compound curve of the dome and the fact that the concrete is about three times harder than regular concrete [make them] extremely strong buildings."
The Smithville school campus along with about 80 percent of the town were destroyed by an EF-5 tornado with winds over 200 mph on April 27, 2011. Seventeen people were killed as a result of the tornado before it tracked into northwestern Alabama.
State and federal officials decided to replace the old gym with the new shelter to increase safety. The dome is expected to hold more than 800 people.
A similar dome project is being planned for East Webster High School in Webster County, which was also destroyed by a tornado during the same major tornado outbreak. Other domes are being considered for the Hatley and Hamilton school campuses in Monroe County, near Smithville.
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