Behind The Florida Condo Collapse: Rampant Corner-Cutting

[Zorro]

Inadequate waterproofing, thin columns and faulty concrete emerge as leading possibilities in Champlain Towers South tragedy

SURFSIDE, Fla.—A startling discovery awaited an engineer who drilled into the ground-level concrete slab at Champlain Towers South last year. He could find no waterproofing in two separate sections, the engineer wrote in a letter to the condominium board.

Without that essential layer for a high rise facing the punishing Atlantic Ocean, rainwater and salty sea spray likely had seeped in for decades, slowly weakening the steel rebar and concrete holding up the condo building. Indeed, the engineer reported at the time seeing significant concrete deterioration.

Less than a year later, in the early hours of June 24, part of that slab dropped into the parking garage below. Within minutes, the east wing of the 13-story tower collapsed, killing 98 people in a disaster without modern precedent in the U.S.

Since then, a picture has emerged of a tower that was hobbled from the start. The people who oversaw its planning and construction some 40 years ago made cost-saving choices that generally met the building codes of that era but may have created long-term safety risks, a Wall Street Journal investigation found.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/behind-the-florida-condo-collapse-rampant-corner-cutting-11629816205

Paywall. Sorry.

[zuul]

1. "generally met the building codes of that era but may have created long-term safety risks"

Yikes!

[keithbvadu2]

2. Built deliberately short-changing long-term maintenance for quick profits.

https://democraticunderground.com/100215585760

How The Reagan Revolution Collapsed America & the Florida Condo

condo fees


https://hartmannreport.com/p/how-the-reagan-revolution-collapsed
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https://www.democraticunderground.com/100215598501

Built deliberately short-changing long-term maintenance for quick profits.
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[Under The Radar]

3. Unbelievable

[Backseat Driver]

6. Nah - why is it any less believeable than

what George Washington needed to be done in the Southern colonies to gain and retain enough Army/Navy "cannon foder" to fight King George and win independence from Britain's monarchy, courts, social pecking order of alliances by marriage, and taxes on commodities/resources in the colonies? Didn't want to rock the boat on slavery right at the get go of a new nation! Open the door to dreams of opportunity for many, but keep land and crop maintenance up to snuff!

When was it not the ideal/daydream and/or principal by honor in combat to be rich and do what needs done to retain that wealth of leadership or at least one's finest horse? It was a long ladder from serf, peasant, landowner, or knight to entitled "good family name" duke titles. But, of course, there could be no hierarchical KING who had divine rights, might have mental deficiencies, and/or despotic tendencies. Then, ambition and faith was still a thing, no? Breaking social rules seems to have been the quickest way down at that time. Now it's seems to be a badge to be worn proudly and it's a rare individual who has risen politically (meaning where two or more are gathered) without rule-breaking of one kind (criminal) or (social) or another.

[Under The Radar]

8. What is unbelievable...

…is that from the large number of people that must of had knowledge were required to sweep the truth under the rug and no one would emerge as the outspoken hero. The day of the collapse the Mayor appeared to be the person who demanded answers but he quickly fell into line. Then after a few days, we all lost interest and no one will be held accountable.

[brush]

4. That of course means many other buildings were constructed in the same way.

Florida condo owners are stuck as only an idiot would buy them now.

When will be the next collapse?

[The Unmitigated Gall]

5. "I've got mine, go F yourself" is not a recipe...

...for a strong and growing society.

It’s a harbinger of collapse.

[BigmanPigman]

7. This happens a lot. It happened to me 30 years ago.

A family member is knowledgeable about this stuff (lawyer for builders). My condo was built using copper pipes which were buried under the concrete slab, running through large rocks (about 6-9 inches). At the time it was built they used the thinnest copper pipes that were allowed by code. Over the years the vibration of the pipe against the rocks created pin holes that leaked throughout the complex. All the pipes for the whole complex had to be put outside of the building"s walls. Currently that thickness of copper is no longer legal.

I can barely get flood insurance (in Southern CA too!) due to the history of this place.

[Under The Radar]

9. If this building structure can stand the test of time and the elements...

For 2000 years….without steel reinforcement and building codes.