What could have caused the condo building near Miami to collapse?
Engineering and architectural experts said it may take a long time to piece together what caused the partial collapse of the condo building near Miami, but there are a few areas that investigators will want to look for: corroded components, an undermined foundation, or defects in the construction or design. When a building falls downward on itself its more likely that there was a loss of support somewhere, said Abieyuwa Aghayere, a professor of civil, architectural and environmental engineering at Drexel University. The Champlain Towers South complex in Surfside, Fla., was about to undergo extensive repairs for corrosion and concrete spalling as part of a required structural recertification for buildings when they reach 40 years of age. Ocean salts can penetrate structures to begin rusting steel components, in particular rebar that may be improperly protected. But there are other factors that could make a building vulnerable to collapse. Charlie Danger, who retired as Miami-Dade Countys building chief seven years ago, said unpermitted remodeling could result in someone eliminating a structural support column.