Surfside, Florida Condo Building Collapse

[Busy Bee]

New thread for all discussion regarding the tragic condominium tower collapse in Surfside, Florida on June 24, 2021.

If thread should be located in Buildings & Architecture sub-section, mods please move.

[Coldrsx]

I rekon it is an engineering post.

Also, check out this footage... insane.

Let's hope for a miracle here.

https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2021/0...llapse-vpx.cnn

[aaron38]

A boy was pulled (looks unhurt) from the rubble. This is crazy to watch.

• Video Link

[aaron38]

If the part that collapsed matches the other side, then what collapsed was supported by only 3 columns over an open parking garage area. If one of those columns failed, then the remaining columns overloaded failed, then there was absolutely nothing to hold up all those floors.
That entire building has to come down now.

Edit: Guys, this is really bad. From the initial reports, it looked like only a small side of the building collapsed, one edge. But looking at the streetview here, the ENTIRE building along the length of the pool is straight up gone and pancaked. And that wasn't just 3 columns. This is a massive structural failure.
https://www.google.com/maps/@25.8725...2!8i6656?hl=en

"More than 130 units and about half of those have collapsed".

[aaron38]

It collapsed in the middle first and then a part that was left standing collapsed. It all fell into its own footprint, like a controlled demolition. I don't know how this could have happened with the safety factor a building should have.

• Video Link

[Busy Bee]

My first thought was sinkhole.

If it's geologic, the consequences for South Florida will be incomprehensible.

[Randomguy34]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

My first thought was sinkhole.

If it's geologic, the consequences for South Florida will be incomprehensible.

There was a research paper published last year about the building sinking since the 90s. Now a USA Today article has been published interviewing the researchers about the study. Still need confirmation before drawing conclusions, but it's a very likely possibility

Original paper: https://faculty.fiu.edu/~swdowins/pu...i-OCM-2020.pdf

Article: https://news.yahoo.com/collapsed-mia...181026431.html

Collapsed Miami condo had been sinking into Earth as early as the 1990s, researchers say

A Florida high rise that collapsed Wednesday night was determined to be unstable a year ago, according to a researcher at Florida International University.

The building, which was constructed in 1981 on reclaimed wetlands, has been sinking at an alarming rate since the 1990s, according to a 2020 study conducted by Shimon Wdowinski, a professor in the Department of Earth and Environment at Florida International University.

When he heard the news that a condo had collapsed, he immediately knew which building it was, Wdowinski said.

“I looked at this morning and said ‘Oh my god.’ We did detect that,” he said.

Workers continued to sort through the rubble Thursday afternoon. Officials have said 35 people were rescued and confirmed at least two deaths, saying they expect the death toll to rise. At least 99 people remained unaccounted for.

Wdowinski said his research is not meant to suggest any certainty about what caused the collapse of the condominium. The building was sinking at a rate of about 2 millimeters a year in the 1990s, and the sinking could have slowed or accelerated in the time since.

[pdxtex]

Go three buildings north and there is another one of theses buildings. Same terraces and building footprint. You can see the same roofline on Google aerial view.

[ardecila]

The limited evidence we have points to a geological problem at the site rather than a design flaw. The sister building may not necessarily be in danger.

That said, the building stood for 40 years with no significant issues, so there must have been some kind of triggering event.

[Coldrsx]

Exactly.

I suspect a geotechnical/soils/water table issue.

[Randomguy34]

Should this thread be moved to City Discussions then?

[Coldrsx]

It's very much appropriate here.

[Zepfancouver]

After we pause for the missing and lost of life, this is a geotechnical or/and a structural engineering discussion for the armchair engineers.
Maybe even some professional observations. I am definitely interested in knowing what happen here.

[Go7SD]

It's very tragic what happen for those who were trapped inside. I hope they find more survivors. Many years ago I once worked and lived in some of the highrise buildings further north of there. It was part of my job to report any maintenance issues while walking the floors and garage levels (they have to be checked daily using a check list system). Some of these buildings are pretty old and will have to be maintained on a consistent basis (from electrical to structural issues). Every structure is different and will have their own unique issues. My heart really goes out to the victims and their families.

[pdxtex]

I always thought concrete was pretty impervious. Wiki sez all sorts of junk can cause it to degrade, especially sea water and rusty rebar....huh....

[Zepfancouver]

The construction site here is today a completed project. Here's a slow motion of the collapse https://youtu.be/xbaCbyQeu8s
A tik Tok 'er mentioned that the residents where concern about the pile driving going on during construction next door.
In most old buildings including my building, cracks in walls and ceilings are quickly blamed on new development in there area, which might not be the case or deserved.

https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Sur...!4d-80.1256007

[Zepfancouver]

Engineer raised concerns about structural damage at Surfside condominium in 2018 report
https://www.townofsurfsidefl.gov/doc...rsn=882a1194_2

[harryc]

In Chicago the concerns about pile driving next to towers ( or townhomes ) is sometimes addressed with secant walls - the drilling being much less disruptive.

To get approval for the project ( but alas not funding ) the Spire project did a secant wall next to the townhomes.


A secant wall was also used when working next to the subway station at Chicago/State

[deja vu]

This has been so sad to watch & read about. There's some new info about structural deficiencies that were unearthed in 2018 -

‘Major error’ was flagged in 2018 inspection report of collapsed building near Miami Beach
Sarah Blaskey and Aaron Leibowitz | Miami Herald
June 26, 2021

This is pretty significant spalling, on one of the balconies, from the same 2018 report -


Source: CNN | Morabito Consultants

[Zepfancouver]

You can see in the photo the tower under construction next door.
If those cracks were there during pile driving I understand the concern and anxiety residents with that knowledge would have had.
I wonder if any condo owners asked city hall to revoke the pile driving permit. To get that pile driving permit (or any permit) do you need an integrity report on surrounding structures?