Florida Condo Collapse

[AquariusRadar]

Florida Condo Collapse Disaster.

 Sightly acid rainwater trickles down through the porous limestone rock upon which many Florida condo towers are built. In some areas the limestone may be covered by a layer of dense clay. The Florida aquifer is like an under surface river. Some support pilings may simply be imbedded in the limestone from the get go at the surface-an engineering mistake. Most are supported by the heavier sand and clay above the limestone. Unlike the enormous towers of New York City, supported by granite, the buildings of Florida are limited in height by the lack of strong bedrock. In any case, the building support is subject to the erosion of the limestone by the acid rainwater. Over a long time, the cavities can be large. Many freshwater springs in Florida originate over 300 feet below the surface. In the modern urban environment that most condos are constructed, local urban flooding is persistent. Without wetlands or adequate drainage, the flood waters often go straight down below the condo tower- following the path provided by the pilings. Slow creep or sudden collapse are possible. A developing cavity in the limestone directly below the footing yet still separated by the clay will exhibit slow creep measured in millimeters over time. Engineering maintenance and repairs can be made to compensate for the creep. However, the sudden collapse of the limestone cavity can result in deformation of the clay layer such that the footing no longer has support and the building can collapse.

Oct 27,  2022 Another Florida condominium tower has been emergency evacuated. The evacuation location is only a few miles from the 2021 disaster. Engineers found problems that deteriorating support beams might create a collapse of the entire building. 

Edited October 28, 2022 by AquariusRadar
condo emergency evacuation