Has the OB ever built one? Weld something together and bolt to garage floor? Reinforce under stairwell?

Know of plans for something like that?

If you're looking for plans, check FEMA online. The feds have a guidance document available with many types of storm shelter arrangements.

In to see what the OB has done.

Check out the TTU Debris Impact Facility for plans, specifications, and testing information.

Link to the FEMA info

This month is the 20th anniversary of the Jarrell tornado.

I built this 5x stronger than FEMA guidelines, converterd my 7th bedroom. /MFBarnes

Get you an In Floor Garage Storm Shelter... You can use it to change your oil when it's not tornado season.

Serious question, not an engineer. I am interested in the type of system pictured above, but is it a good idea to cut the post tension cables in the slab?

Is there any type of exterior marking, yard sign, registration, etc. that would tell emergency responders to move your home or garage off of that door to get you out? Or are you counting on being able too slide that lid and call out? Do you get cell service inside of it?

PooDoo said:

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Get you an In Floor Garage Storm Shelter... You can use it to change your oil when it's not tornado season.

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So do you:

- Wait for a tornado to approach and then move your car outside the garage so you can access the shelter
- Every time there's a big storm, go ahead and move it outside ahead of time and have it hailed on

Don't know... These guys might be able to tell you https://texasstormshelter.com/types-of-shelters/infloor/

That's not my house. I don't want a shelter to take up square footage in the house. Plus, I don't want to have to move my car out of the garage in an emergency.

I'm holding out for an underground bunker in the back yard.

After many years experience with my own garage, if I bought one of those and put it in my garage that would be the last time I ever saw it.

With most professional installs, the company will keep coordinates of the in-ground shelters they put in. They will contact authorities if one was in the damage path.

No idea how you would handle it if you put one in yourself.

saltgap said:

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Serious question, not an engineer. I am interested in the type of system pictured above, but is it a good idea to cut the post tension cables in the slab?

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That didn't look like a post tension slab... I think getting through a post tension slab would require additional work/design.

MGS said:

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PooDoo said:

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Get you an In Floor Garage Storm Shelter... You can use it to change your oil when it's not tornado season.

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So do you:

- Wait for a tornado to approach and then move your car outside the garage so you can access the shelter
- Every time there's a big storm, go ahead and move it outside ahead of time and have it hailed on

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Move your car? Don't you mean move your kids bikes and the lawnmower and jugs of herbicide and bagscc of fertilizer and saw horses, etc.?

Kidding aside that's really cool for the dual-use, but yeah getting trapped would be a concern.

Todd 02 said:

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Check out the TTU Debris Impact Facility for plans, specifications, and testing information.

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There's a joke about Tceh chicks and debris impact and testing something something somewhere in there...

I would just buy and bury a shipping container. Tornado shelter and SHTF room

I think this has been tried and the sides buckle from the weight of the soil if not heavily reinforced.

Get a small container, bury it 2/3 or more, put door in top. Might have to pump it out some. If you use a LOT of metal strapping and brackets and bracing on an internal room it may also suffice.

My plan would be a rebar reinforced block/concrete structure 1/2 buried, just minimal to sit in, then use the excavated dirt to fill in around the sides to a shallow slope, and build a strong door in the top, and keep a big hydraulic jack inside to push it open if necessary.

aggie_2010 said:

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I think this has been tried and the sides buckle from the weight of the soil if not heavily reinforced.

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Do not underestimate the strength of compacted soil. A shipping container most likely will not support the weight.

Friend in Oklahoma had a garage shelter installed as the house was being built. The access door for theirs is in front of where vehicles park. Their local police department keeps a list of where the shelters are in case of emergency.