When Galveston was devastated by the 1906 hurricane, they jacked up the buildings that survived, pumped sand in under them, then built a seawall to protect the city. It can and has been done.
"It can and has been done."
And it will be done in New Orleans. No doubt about it.
That is all correct except the Galveston hurricane was in September 1900.
Galveston is built on a barrier island and not below sea level like New Orleans.
Galveston would not have survived Katrina in 2005.
I've lived on Seawall and worked at Pelican Island and I know
how high the seawalls are and at what elevation the island lies.
It would not have survived.
> When Galveston was devastated by the 1906 hurricane, they jacked up the buildings that survived, pumped sand in under them, then built a seawall to protect the city. It can and has been done.
There are some great photos of the Galveston project at
http://www.gthcenter.org/exhibits/graderaising/
Some think there was nothing left in Galveston, so that they just built anew after filling. But the truth is staggering in it its engineering complexity. They literally elevated all the buildings in the city, and then pumped in silt slurry for many months (years?) to create the 12 foot bump in elevation.
There were huge churches even raised for fill:
http://www.gthcenter.org/exhibits/graderaising/Buildings/G-59262FF3-7.htm
The Japanese have landfilled large sections of ocean side to make land for airports, oil refineries and industrial complexes. NO can do the same.
Actually, what happens now it the house is jacked up, then a lower story is built under it, raising the living area about ten feet.
The standards for this require that the new floor's use be restricted to laundry room and garage.
In reality, partitions and living space construction begins about five seconds after the last inspector leaves!
Cheap Gov. Org. loans and "Grants", quickly followed by illegal "Apartment for rent" ads.
Survived a flood several years, so I have seen it for myself.