We blasted mobile homes with hurricane-force winds to test how they fail – and found clues for making affordable housing safer

Researchers conducted a first-of-its-kind experiment at Florida International University’s Wall of Wind facility to test how mobile homes fail under hurricane-force winds. The test involved simulating wind speeds equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane (110 miles per hour or 177 kilometers per hour) on a full-scale manufactured home. The experiment captured the moment when the home’s screws sheared off under the wind’s pressure, causing the entire unit to roll backward two full revolutions before stopping. This controlled environment allowed researchers to observe damage progression in real time, something rarely possible after actual disasters. The Wall of Wind is a test facility designed to reproduce extreme wind conditions for structural and wind engineering research.

Manufactured homes in the U.S. are regulated by a federal building code established in 1988, which has not been updated in 32 years. This code, known as HUD Code (from the Department of Housing and Urban Development), lacks guidance for withstanding earthquakes, wildfires, or tornadoes. It also creates cost and performance disparities between manufactured homes and site-built homes, which follow a separate, more frequently updated building code system revised every three years. The federal code sets minimum wind engineering standards that are outdated, contributing to safety risks for the 22 million people living in manufactured homes, which represent the most common type of unsubsidized affordable housing in the U.S.

The researchers aimed to identify ways to enhance the safety of manufactured homes without increasing costs, addressing the challenge of providing disaster-resilient and affordable housing. Their work combined structural engineering laboratory experiments, post-disaster field investigations, and community engagement. They examined how mobile and manufactured homes failed during disasters, focusing on weaknesses in anchoring systems and roof-to-wall connections. At the University of Kansas, they performed hundreds of experiments on load path connections, measuring stress on components like roof sheathing, rafters, and walls. The team also tested new designs using thicker straps, screws, and hardware to improve strength.

The research involved collaboration with multiple stakeholders, including residents, home and installation system manufacturers, installers, advocacy organizations, federal and state agencies, and fellow researchers. The team worked with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to update guidelines for using mobile and manufactured homes as post-disaster temporary housing, ensuring they are installed following best practices. They also developed templates to help state and local governments adopt improved installation requirements based on their findings.

In spring 2026, the researchers tested three manufactured homes provided by FEMA at the Wall of Wind. They examined seven installation systems commonly used in hurricane-, flood-, or earthquake-prone regions. The homes were installed by local experts on soil matching real-world conditions and tested at full scale against hurricane-force winds. High-speed video imagery and sensors tracked the homes’ movements and material stresses, documenting damage progression from initial failure to complete rollover. This approach allowed researchers to observe how different installation systems performed under extreme conditions, revealing that many common systems did not meet modern wind engineering standards.

The preliminary results showed that some installation practices permitted by states do not meet federal code minimum requirements. However, the most robust installation systems performed effectively, even at high wind speeds. The researchers also designed a wind load reduction device to attach to roof gutters, reducing wind pressures and helping roof shingles remain intact. Additionally, they collaborated with an industry team to test a new anchoring device that optimizes material use. The findings demonstrate that manufactured homes can be both affordable and resilient if built and installed correctly, though such practices are not yet the norm.