Technical Bulletin 9, Design and Construction Guidance for Breakaway Walls Below Elevated Coastal Buildings

The NFIP Technical Bulletin 9 from September 2021 provides detailed guidance on the National Flood Insurance Program requirements for the design and construction of breakaway walls below elevated buildings in Coastal High Hazard Areas. It outlines the necessity, design methods, and compliance measures for breakaway walls to enhance building resilience against flooding and coastal hazards. The bulletin emphasizes the importance of elevating structures to or above the base flood elevation and utilizing breakaway walls that can collapse under specified lateral loading forces without causing structural damage.