Pool Deck Failure Cited as Starting Point in Surfside Condo Collapse
The collapse of the Surfside Condo building was a tragedy and we are only now seeing some actual answers published about what went wrong. There is a great deal of information to digest in this short article. A slab column connection being the point of failure is not that surprising, but the details make it all the more evident that this should have been able to be seen in a structural investigation that should have occurred as a regular part of building maintenance. Also not surprising is that they cited the addition of heavy landscape planters that added unaccounted for loads to the deck. This can be seen in many older buildings.
The real issue here is how this gets solved and avoided in the future. I have always questioned what happens to a mid or high rise condominium when it gets turned over to the condo owners. There is often no one on the board that is knowledgeable enough to understand the critical importance of regular structural investigation and maintenance, and even if there is they are not likely to be listened to. The management companies they hire are also not often savvy enough to manage this, and even if they are, the owners don't want to hear about expensive repairs that need to be done. There are examples in Florida where the cost of the repairs made it more feasible to sell out, tear down, and rebuild.
I am not a big fan of excess government control, but legislative regulation may be the only answer here to protect the condo owners from their own inaction. There are still many structures built in this same time period that need investigation when they are built in these corrosive environments. If structural repairs are needed, will the condo owners be able to come up with the money to pay for them?
#alwaysbelearning #constructionishard
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Pool Deck Failure Cited as Starting Point in Surfside Condo Collapse | Engineering News-Record