What type of house will withstand a volcanic eruption?

Question

In school, I have to create and 'sell' a house that will withstand a natural disaster. I got the natural disaster Volcanoes. So I was wondering, will a granite wall melt because of the heat? I was also wondering what other specifications Iwould need to create such a house.

PS I was also wondering if fire resistant paint would keep a house from burning from the heat.

Answer 1

Depends on how big the eruption is and how far from it you are.

As a rule of thumb, no house will withstand one of these. The house will get either buried, burnt or blown apart (alliteration, fancy that). Suggest you find another disaster or specify some factors you want considered.

Answer 2

I would create a house that is deep inside the ground since there is no mineral or building material to withstand the heat and force of a volcano.

Answer 3

uhh there is no such thing....

Answer 4

Wow, were you unlucky, getting to design a house to withstand a volcanic eruption!

Considering all the possible effects of different eruptions, that is practically impossible.  If you got to choose your volcanic effects, this would be possible.  You have:

Explosions,

Lava flows,

Lava shooting up in the air,

Lava bombs,

Pyroclastic flows,

Mud flows,

Ash falls

The best way to design a house to withstand volcanoes would be to place it far from them.  Fire resistant paint would not help with the temperatures we are talking about.  You need to figure out ways to keep the output of the volcano off the house.

A house could be designed to withstand an ash fall, but it might be buried a la Pompeii.  Assuming that the fall was not so heavy that you couldn't dig out or the roof didn't fall in, you and the house would survive.

I couldn't find the melting range of granite, but I found a lot of references that talked about granitic magma.  That would seem to indicate that it would be melted.

For pyroclastic flows, the house would probably withstand it if made of concrete or stone, but you wouldn't unless you included an underground shelter.  Also, you have the problem of the roof.  It would have to be made of something that wouldn't burn.

I know of nothing except perhaps concrete for a time, that will withstand lava.  Lava is around 1800-2000 degrees.  Your house would have to be positioned so that a lava flow would go around, rather than to the house.

So, perhaps a stone or concrete dome house, with a partial moat to guide a lava flow around and on down the hill without contacting the house.  It will have to be deep and wide enough to handle a heavy flow, with a high, thick concrete wall on the side toward the house, and be far enough from the house to keep the worst of the heat out.

the house would have to positioned so that it is not in a channel down from the peak to avoid pyroclastic flows, and the windows and doors facing away from the volcano in case the pyroclastic flow came toward you anyway.  

Also, put in an underground shelter that you could enter from inside the house.  The dome shape should prevent collection of much ash on the house.  If you included all these features, you and the house might survive.  I think that's the best I can do

But, your moat may not be enough to stop mud flows with trees like they had at Mt. St. Helens.

If it is an explosive type of volcano (like Mt St. Helens) and you are building your house on the flank, I think your only option will be to bend over, place your head between your knees, and kiss your bum goodbye.

Good luck