StructuralQ I live in NW Florida, Fort Walton Beach. In 1987 a previous owner gutted and substantially rebuilt my house. The exterior brick walls were covered with wire mesh and over 1 in. (25 mm) of coquina shell shotcrete. I bought the house in 1993. I am forever trying to reduce my bills. I would like to find any information I can use to reduce my home insurance. Do you have any links to anyone that has data about my siding being more fire resistant or wind resistant than ordinary masonry/brick veneers? Any guidance you can provide will be greatly appreciated.
“Coquina shell shotcrete” is not a well-defined concrete material. Though it may have been promoted to you as shotcrete, it may well have been a stucco-like application accomplished with low-velocity plastering equipment, and thus not high-velocity shotcrete placement. Without physical characteristics of the in-place material (strength, density, type, and amount of reinforcement), it is hard to delineate the structural enhancement the coating may provide. You could have an evaluation by an engineer or testing lab to ascertain the characteristics of the in-place material. Then refer to ACI 216.1-14, “Code Requirements for Determining Fire Resistance of Concrete and Masonry Construction Assemblies,” to see whether your composite system has enhanced fire resistance as compared to brick alone. Regarding wind resistance, you would need to have a structural engineer evaluate the composite system for any potential increase in strength against wind loadings.
