VorTECH, located at Reese Technology Center, is designed to simulate tornadic winds in the mid-Enhanced Fujita Scale three (EF3) range or less, or about 150 miles per hour or less, the maximum speed of approximately 92 percent of all tornadoes.

How it works

• Eight large fans draw approximately 160,000 cubic feet of air through the chamber each minute
• Sixty-four strategically placed vanes surround the simulator to create rotation
• Dozens of pressure sensors applied to structural models measure the force of the wind
• Smoke and helium bubbles make the paths of the different winds visible to researchers

Why it matters

The data collected will contribute to understanding how tornadoes interact and damage a structure, which helps researchers develop building codes that improve the safety of structures.