The collapse of the 12-story condo tower north of Miami Beach last week could be the most fatal building accident in American history. On Tuesday morning, 11 people were confirmed dead and 150 still missing.Officials and journalists continue to search the rubble for clues. This is a matter of public concern, but it's also an urgent concern for the neighbors living in high-rise buildings on South Florida's barrier islands. Every crack in the wall now has a new, ominous meaning.AdvertisementWhat caused Champlain Towers South to collapse? Who might be to blame? Although a thorough investigation might not provide a definitive answer, the events of recent years may offer clues. These are just a few possibilities.Potential CausesThe pool slab: An inspection report by Frank Morabito in 2018 revealed a serious error in the building's design. The slab that ran between the pool and the garage was not sloped. This caused water to pool and corrode concrete below. Failure to waterproof is causing severe structural damage. Failure to replace the waterproofing within the next few years will result in concrete deterioration that is exponentially greater.AdvertisementAdvertisementAccording to The Miami Herald, a pool contractor surveyed the building before the collapse and photographed concrete that was severely degraded in the pool equipment room. There also was a large puddle of water beneath the pool.AdvertisementThis would be consistent with Michael Stratton's testimony about Champlain Towers South unit owners. He said that Cassie (now gone) had told him via phone that she could see a hole close to the pool from their fourth-floor unit. The line then went dead.Damage caused by rain, ocean water and salty air: A retired maintenance manager at the property was identified by CBS. He said that ocean water regularly accumulated in the garage, and the pumps could not keep up with it.Morabitos also found significant damage to concrete above the ground, such balconies. Concrete can interact with water, but reinforced concrete is threaded with rebar. Concrete's internal steel web gives it new structural capabilities, but these powers are lost when the rebar corrodes, gets wet or rusts and weakens. The Morandi Bridge in Genoa, Italy in 2018, was also plagued by corrosion steel in the concrete.AdvertisementHowever, salty air and saltwater are common characteristics of every American coast. There is no reason Champlain Towers South should have been any worse than any other building.AdvertisementProblems underground: Another possibility is that water caused the collapse in a less direct manner, by altering the integrity of earth beneath the building.USA Today found research originally published by Simone Fiaschi in Italy that showed that the building was slowly sinking into the ground. Although sinkholes are common on the barrier island, they are not uncommon in South Florida.Donna DiMaggio Berger is a lawyer representing the Champlain condo association. She stated to the Washington Post that the collapse was likely due to a structural problem below the surface. She said that the building was built on pilings, which were buffeted by the Atlantic Ocean's current and the Intracoastal Waterway. This thing is getting water from both directions.The Possible PlayersWilliam M. Friedman & Associates Architects Inc., Breiterman Jurado & Associates Consulting Engineers: This is the team that designed the buildings 40 years ago. Their idea was the flat pool slab. These were the boom years of Miami and poor construction practices were common.AdvertisementMorabito Consultants - Did Frank Morabito understand and accurately communicate the extent of damage to Champlain Towers South? Although his October 2018 report advised the board to address major structural damage within the next few months, it didn't suggest that the building was at risk of falling apart. Berger, a condo lawyer suggested to the New York Times, that condo boards' failure to address the pool deck by the middle of 2021 could be read as a response. She said that boards cannot rely on the advice from the professionals they have engaged.AdvertisementMorabito issued a statement on Saturday stating that among other things, the report found significant cracks in concrete and required repairs to ensure safety for the residents.AdvertisementSurfside, Florida: Mara Chouela, a condo board member, sent Morabitos' report to Ross Prieto from Surfside. He made a guest appearance at Condo Board Meeting the next month and stated that based upon the report, it seemed the building was in very good condition, according to meeting notes. (Prieto stated to the New York Post that he doesn't recall ever reviewing the report.The Champlain Towers South Condominium Association. Even though it didn't warn of imminent collapse Morabitos report is alarming. It took the condo board over 18 months to contact Morabito for a 40-year Building Repair and Restoration Plan. It could have been due to the fact that repairs required a $15 million investment divided among the associations 136 units. This is in addition to the maintenance cost of more than $100,000 per unit in a building where apartment have recently sold for the mid-six figure. The condo board president tried to sell owners on high-priced repairs as recently as April, two and a half years after Morabitos' report. In the aftermath of the collapse, two residents filed suit against condo association.AdvertisementMorabito may have been right to maintain a moderate tone. The board also had to delay the inspection because conditions rapidly deteriorated after the inspection. Eliana Salzhauer, Surfside Town Commissioner, stated that Champlain Towers residents had complained about vibrations caused by cracks in a larger building being built this year. She said that some of these things could have been contributing factors.Miami-Dade County. To get Miami-Dades recertification of multi-unit buildings older than 40 years, property owners must hire an engineer or architect to evaluate the building's structural integrity, emergency lighting and other important features. Although engineers are required to adhere to professional codes of conduct there is plenty of room for error and the possibility of requiring tens of thousands of dollars in repairs. Engineers hired to inspect buildings by county regulations may have simply given owners the facts. It is not difficult to understand why. Buildings are rarely in danger and inspectors with poor reputations for nitpicking will be a rare hire. Is there a flaw in Miami-Dades's system? Its engineers are paid by the buildings they are supposed be assessing for the public.Climate change: It is possible to link the structural damage and the changing climate to flooding in the garage, heavy rains, and Miamis King Tides. Salzhauer, Surfside commissioner, had a dark message for the town Thursday morning. He said that he believed this was all related to sea-level rising and our overdevelopment. Mother Earth returns, and the ocean returns, and takes it.
