If certain parts of U.S.A. are plagued with tornadoes, why not build homes to withstand those forces?

Question

Homes could be built out of something other than plasterboard and thin wood frame etc.

Answer 1

Someone once suggested, facetiously, that we should build dummy trailer parks on the outskirts of town so the tornadoes would go there.

  The current suggestions for tornado country, beside anchoring the house down as much as possible, are building a closet or other moderate room centrally in the house with heavy plywood reinforced  walls to keep out flying debris so that if the house disintegrates around one, one is protected, yet one has a useful dry storage space for all the years one isn't hit, unlike traditional storm cellars in the ground which are usually damp and musty and spider laden.  

  2x4's driven by tornado winds will penetrate brick and other structures easily.   Solid concrete is possible, but hard to integrate into a house.   Most houses in the south do not have cellars/basements, because the ground swells when wet and they are very expensive to build having to be reinforced  concrete, unlike the stacked walls used up north.

Answer 2

Tornado forces are so strong.  I think a better choice would be to build underground where basements are allowed.  You can make on look very nice and use natural lights so it feels like the daylight is coming in.

Answer 3

same reason they don't build stronger buildings in louisianna and alabama. they don't want to or it costs too much

Answer 4

I think a lot of it is simply the cost versus risk.  Even in "tornado alley" the chance of a particular spot being struck by a tornado in any one year is very very small, though not zero.  It would add considerable cost to construct a house with enough structural strength and reinforcement to withstand even moderate tornadoes.  Strong and violent tornadoes can sweep even reinforced brick houses right off their foundations.  It is easier and usually much less expensive to maybe add a reinforced safe room or better yet, and underground shelter.