Archinect - News

NYT survey finds 309 bridges across the U.S. vulnerable to ship strikes following Baltimore disaster

2024-04-09T12:19:00-04:00

In the wake of last month’s fatal collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, the New York Times has published an assessment of other vulnerable spans across the country in danger of similar catastrophic failures due to the precarity of critical elements and various structural deficiencies.

According to the report, a total of 309 bridges are at risk of collapsing from a direct hit by an errant ship as was the case in Baltimore and nearly repeated in an incident last week at the Verrazzano Bridge in New York City.

Of those 309 surveyed, 193 bridges that service a significant number of motor vehicle traffic (10,000 or more cars per day) face dangers stemming from a lack of protective barriers at their pier supports and caissons. Among the largest are the Lewis and Clark Bridge in Washington state and the Crescent City Connection in New Orleans.

Recently on Archinect: Transportation Secretary Buttigieg admits ‘we don't fully know’ scope or extent of Francis Scott K...

Transportation Secretary Buttigieg admits ‘we don't fully know’ scope or extent of Francis Scott Key Bridge repairs in Baltimore

2024-04-01T13:02:00-04:00

"A lot goes into how that reconstruction will be designed, how the process is going to work," Buttigieg said on "Face the Nation" on Sunday. He noted that he didn't have an estimate on the rebuilding timeline, but the bridge itself took five years to initially construct. "Right now we don't fully know everything we need to know about the condition of the portions of the bridge that did not collapse."

Engineering News-Record reported that debris removal has already begun in haste at Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse site, where six people lost their lives last Tuesday, courtesy of the U.S. Navy, Army Corps of Engineers, and Coast Guard. The surviving portions of the bridge will first have to be removed piecemeal, although that work has no timeline.

Previously on Archinect: Major Baltimore bridge collapses after being struck by container ship

Speaking on CBS 'Face the Nation' on Sunday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Buttigieg said, “It’s a very complex process,” adding, “This is not going to happen overnight.” Maryland’s Governor Wes Moore told ENR, “To see this up close, you realize how daunting a task this is. You realize how difficult the work is ahead of us.”

The most recent reported costs for the bridge’s replacement are around $400 million.

The United States currently needs about $319 billion worth of repairs to bridges, according to an analysis that was released...

Major Baltimore bridge collapses after being struck by container ship

2024-03-26T11:04:00-04:00

A major bridge in Baltimore, MD has collapsed after being crashed into by a container ship. The Francis Scott Key Bridge, which spans 1.6 miles over the Patapsco River, was hit by the 1000-foot-long ship just before 01:30 ET.

Rescue efforts are ongoing for as many as seven people believed to be missing, while two people have already been pulled from the water alive. As the bridge was struck, contractors were working on the bridge to repair a concrete deck.

According to early reports, the container ship ‘Dali’ was leaving the port of Baltimore en route to Sri Lanka. On approach to the bridge, the ship deviated from its charted route, colliding with one of the bridge’s main concrete pillars. Upon impact, the bridge quickly crumbled into the river.

The bridge opened in 1977, designed as a steel arch continuous through truss bridge. At the time of its completion, the bridge’s main 1.6-mile span was the third longest of any continuous truss bridge in the world.

To maintain its structura...

Preliminary NIST report on Surfside condo investigation details key flaws that factored into building's collapse

2024-03-12T14:41:00-04:00

Preliminary details from the ongoing National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) investigation into the deadly 2021 collapse of the Champlain Towers South condominium building in Florida were shared recently, revealing evidence that supports theories about the precise source of its structural failure and other prevailing factors.

Among other findings, the report released last Thursday details the exact moment of the pool deck's collapse preceding the wider structural failure that killed 98 people. The report also outlines several critical lapses in standard design practices and failures to meet building codes that were present from the time of its construction. The findings could provide some clues for those questioning the soundness of its support columns, foundation, site, and steel reinforcements as well.

“It becomes clear that the design and construction did not meet all the safety standards of its day,” local Commissioner Marianne Meischeid told CNN of her concerns. “...

Over 100 schools close in the UK over concrete safety concerns

2023-09-08T11:41:00-04:00

More than one hundred schools and education settings in the United Kingdom have been closed due to concerns over the integrity of concrete roof panels. So far, 147 schools are known to contain reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac), with approximately one hundred fully or partially closed, impacting more than 100,000 students at the start of the new school year.

The latest developments began in August when a Raac panel collapsed in a school in England, prompting a wider government review. While 147 schools have been identified as containing Raac, education unions warn that “hundreds more” schools could be impacted. Meanwhile, thirteen universities have closed or partially closed, alongside a number of theaters and cultural venues that have closed as inspections continue. The Guardian additionally reports that the number of UK prisons containing Raac may take two years to identify.

Raac, also referred to as “aircrete,” was utilized from the 1950s to the 1990s in UK public buil...

Collapsed Surfside condo tower had ‘severe strength deficiency’ in pool deck, preliminary findings say

2023-06-15T14:43:00-04:00

Federal investigators have released their preliminary findings into the collapse of the Champlain Towers South condo building in Surfside, Florida. As reported by The New York Times, the building’s pool deck contained a “severe structural deficiency,” with construction in some areas failing to meet both building codes and its original design parameters.

The investigation is being led by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and has so far included witness interviews, a review of historical records, tests on building materials, and the analysis of models for structural performance. The original design and construction of the building have been examined, as have any renovations and repairs in the years since. The potential for corrosion, ground settlement, and vibrations from nearby construction to contribute to the collapse has also been examined.

“In summaries of their preliminary findings ahead of a hearing Thursday, the investigators wrote that the pool deck’s design ...

Concerns after high winds cause windows to shatter on San Francisco towers

2023-03-29T12:47:00-04:00

A city official in San Francisco is calling for extensive reports into the integrity of facades in the city’s downtown after a recent storm caused windows from multiple high-rises to be damaged.

According to the San Francisco Department of Buildings and Inspections, four buildings in downtown San Francisco suffered glass failure during a high-wind storm last week. The Millennium Tower suffered one broken window, as did 1400 Mission and 50 California, while the Salesforce East building suffered one broken window on every floor from floors 11 through 30.

As a result of the glazing failures, shards of glass were scattered across Mission Street, posing a hazard to pedestrians below. City officials have since directed building managers to secure impacted windows and commission professionals to ensure all buildings are safe, stable, and secure.

In the meantime, San Francisco supervisor Aaron Peskin told ABC7 ...

Devastating 7.8 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes hit Turkey and Syria

2023-02-06T18:25:00-05:00

Reactions are pouring in following the devastating 7.8 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria early Monday morning.

There are no estimates available yet as to the number of structures either collapsed or damaged across the region, but a minimum of 3,400 lives have been lost as a result of the quake and a wave of very powerful aftershocks as concerns grow about both governments' ability to organize civil response efforts in the most impacted regions.

Building collapses have been reported in almost every community near the epicenter. Infrastructure damage appears to be significant as well.

Seismologists say the tremors that rocked Turkey and Syria are likely to be some of the deadliest this decade. Here is what scientists say happened beneath the earth's surface and what to expect in the aftermath https://t.co/vf37HkXHxQ pic.twitter.com/Tu3Kl76wxG
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 6, 2023

Turkey’s largest professional organization for architects and engineers, Türk Mü...

Surviving Surfside: Documentary about Miami condo collapse announced

2022-07-07T14:04:00-04:00

The Miami Herald is partnering with 101 Studios and Grain Media on a documentary that will investigate the deadly 2021 collapse of Champlain Towers South in Surfside, Florida. Surviving Surfside will interrogate the failure of the 12-story building in the early morning of June 24, 2021 that left 98 people dead and is still under official investigation, the companies announced on Tuesday.

The Herald's in-depth breaking news coverage of the disastrous Champlain Towers South collapse one year ago recently won the paper a Pulitzer Prize and will be a primary source of information for the upcoming Surviving Surfside documentary.

Surfside condo collapse site purchased for $120 million to make way for luxury residential high-rise

2022-05-25T16:38:00-04:00

DAMAC Properties, a Dubai-based luxury real estate developer, has agreed to pay $120 million for the site where 98 people died in June when the Champlain Towers South residential tower collapsed in Surfside, Florida.

DAMAC, owned by Emirati billionaire Hussain Sajwani, reportedly known as the “Donald Trump of Dubai,” set the minimum price of $120 million for the 2-acre property in 2021. No competing bids were submitted by last Friday’s deadline, resulting in the cancelation of an auction scheduled for May 24th. DAMAC reportedly plans to build a high-end residential project on the site, which will likely be a for-sale condo project.

Previously on Archinect: 12-floor residential building collapses in Miami, leaving at least four dead and 159 missing

Whether building on the site is safe or not is up for debate. Despite geotechnical engineering reports on the site having not been released, some experts believe the site itself remains buildable and safe, claiming that the Champlain Tower South’s collapse was primarily due to the design and maintenance of the building.

Previously on Archinect: Several groups call for higher building safety standards after Surfside collapse

Others, however, believe the...

Busy Pittsburgh bridge collapses hours ahead of Biden's speech on infrastructure in the Steel City

2022-01-28T13:56:00-05:00

Ten people were injured Friday morning when a bridge that carries Forbes Avenue over Frick Park in Pittsburgh collapsed, officials said, with six vehicles including a Port Authority bus left stranded in the twisted mess of a bridge that had been listed in poor condition for the past decade.

President Biden is visiting the city today in a pre-planned visit to Carnegie Mellon University’s Mill 19 research hub, where, ironically, he is expected to deliver a speech on the dire need for infrastructure investment in Pittsburgh and the rest of the country. The Biden Administration recently added another $27 billion in federal funding earmarked especially for bridges to the $1 trillion infrastructure bill. Multiple investigations between 2011 and 2017 revealed the bridge to be in poor condition, according to the Pittburgh Post-Gazette.

“One man told me that the bridge he traveled on every day is a tragedy waiting to happen,” Biden said only a week ago while announcing the additional funding. “One woman wrote that a bridge near the center of her town had to be closed and now drivers and tourists bypass downtown, conjointly devastating local businesses. And one person wrote to me to say, quote, ‘This is your chance to show the people in my area that they matter to you.’ End of q...

A condominium in Waukesha, Wisconsin has been evacuated after structural deficiencies discovered

2021-12-10T17:10:00-05:00

A 48-unit condominium building in Waukesha, Wis., that was in imminent threat of collapse due to a rusted structural frame and columns has had its residents evacuated. The City of Waukesha, on Dec. 2, deemed that the Horizon West Condominium building at 315 N. West Ave. is unsafe for occupancy.

65 residents were ordered to immediately evacuate the building, which was originally constructed in 1966. McGuire Contractors, Inc. was called in to temporarily stabilize the structure with new steel bracing, however, the building is still not safe to be in. The company’s president, Steve McGuire, attributed the issues to the condo’s fireproofing, which soaked up water that migrated through the concrete balcony causing the gradual deterioration of the structural steel over the course of 55 years.

Since June of 2020, the city has reportedly known about the conditions of the balconies after a complaint was made. The fire department conducted inspections throughout 2020 and 2021, leading to the installation of fencing around the building due to the worsening condition of the balconies and falling debris. A month later, the condo association began removing the balconies, which revealed the state of the structural frame of the building and the columns.

Lawsuit alleges Florida condo collapse was triggered by Renzo Piano-designed building under construction next door

2021-12-03T14:38:00-05:00

A new lawsuit filed on behalf of victims and family members of the Champlain Towers South collapse alleges that the incident was caused by construction work on an adjacent property. 98 people were killed when the condominium tower in Surfside, Florida collapsed suddenly in the early morning of June 24th, 2021.

The neighboring tower, named Eighty Seven Park, was designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop and was completed in early 2020. Before the building was completed, it made headlines in 2018 when the 18th-floor, six-bedroom, 11-bathroom penthouse hit the market at a Florida record-setting asking price of $68 million.

The latest lawsuit alleges that excavation, pile-driving, and other works carried out at Eighty Seven Park between 2016 and 2019 caused vibrations that weakened the Champlain Towers building. The lawsuit also alleges that groundwater was funneled from the new building to the Champlain...

Questions surround the deadly collapse of a 21-story tower during construction in Lagos, Nigeria

2021-11-02T16:11:00-04:00

At least 16 people have been confirmed dead after the collapse of a 21-story apartment tower which was under construction in Lagos, Nigeria. The collapse occurred on Monday, November 1st in the city’s Ikoyi district, on a construction site for luxury apartments. As of Tuesday, November 2nd, nine people have been pulled alive from the rubble with over 100 people still feared missing, many of whom are construction workers.

The apartment building had been under construction for the past two years and is one of three towers being built on the site by a private developer named Fourscore Homes. The cheapest unit to be marketed in the now-ruined structure was selling for $1.2 million. According to Bloomberg, Nigerian authorities have now arrested the owner of the building on undisclosed charges.

In June of this year, the building site was temporarily sealed off for failing to meet structural integrity requirements and to allow for anomalies to be corrected before construction recommen...

How the New York Times' 3D model of the Surfside condo collapse came together

2021-09-09T12:23:00-04:00

But, it was a challenge, Ms. Singhvi said, to understand the architectural drawings without interviewing the original designers. So she and Mr. Baker spoke with experts including structural engineers, architects, geotechnical specialists, professors, lawyers and contractors, who answered questions about what the journalists were discovering and helped confirm they were reading the plans accurately.

The Times' 3D reconstruction of the collapse was very popular online as journalists and investigators dig over records of the original 1981 building by the now infamous William Friedman, who died in 2018.

"Being able to read the design drawings helps enormously,” graphics editor Mika Grondal, who trained as an architect, said. June 24th's collapse killed 98 people in total. The site is already being listed for sale, although a local judge has insisted the proceeds should go exclusively to the victims' families.

Digitizing old architectural plans into BIM or CAD software can be fairly time-consuming. The Times has more on its innovative new tool here.

Historic New Orleans jazz destination that helped launch Louis Armstrong to fame destroyed by Hurricane Ida

2021-08-30T17:41:00-04:00

Video shot Monday morning shows New Orleans’ historic Karnofsky Shop was destroyed by Hurricane Ida Sunday. [...] The site, located on South Rampart Street, is where Louis Armstrong played jazz music and briefly worked. It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The two-story brick building in New Orleans’ Central Business District has stood vacant for decades and was considered a hallmark of both Jazz history and Jewish culture within the Crescent City. The Karnofsky family, which purportedly loaned Louis Armstrong the money to buy his first cornet, later converted the one-time tailor shop into the city’s first jazz record store thanks to Armstrong’s childhood friend Morris Karnofsky. The building has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 2002.

This is the Karnofsky Shop - a historic place. Louis Armstrong worked here and bought his first trumpet here. Collapsed during #HurricaneIda. pic.twitter.com/FsL4B1LbI8
— Jack Royer (@JackRoyer) August 30, 2021

Previous attempts had been made to convert the disused building into a nightclub. The 400 block of South Rampart street also houses historic sites like the former Eagle Saloon and Iroquois Theatre. USA Today has more on the destroyed landmark here.

Poorly designed, even for the 1970s

2021-08-29T13:14:00-04:00

The Champlain Towers South design violated building codes at the time of original construction. On the northern side, under the portion of the tower that collapsed, the columns were too narrow to accommodate all of the vertical and horizontal rebar called for in the plans while maintaining clearance required by the code. The pool deck had narrow columns and inadequate load bearing capacity, engineers consulted by the Herald found. Only columns beneath the surviving structure were fully compliant

A team consisting of Sarah Blaskey, Aaron Leibowitz and Ben Conarck worked with four engineers and a general contractor to analyze the "Anatomy of Collapse" and explain the failure of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside, FL. One key factor in the collapse appears to have been "punching shear" failure in the first-floor slab.

Architect of collapsed Miami condo was suspended prior for toppled structures

2021-07-26T17:53:00-04:00

More than a decade before William Friedman designed the collapsed Surfside condominium, Florida’s board of architecture suspended him for six months for designing structures that toppled during Hurricane Betsy. Sign pylons that were “an integral part of the structure” of a Miami commercial building failed during the 1965 storm, according to documents from the Florida State Board of Architecture, obtained by The Real Deal.

In its order suspending Friedman, the Florida Board of Architecture wrote that the pylons were “insufficient and grossly inadequate” and were not in accordance “to accepted standards of architectural practice.” In 1966, the board found Friedman guilty of “gross incompetency, in that he negligently, improperly, and carelessly” designed the pylons. The architect’s suspension started on June 1, 1967 and ended on December 1 of that year.

This discovery adds to the list of controversies relating to the collapsed apartment complex, which includes a 2018 engineer’s report, warning of “major structural damage.” There currently isn’t evidence that Friedman’s design played a role in the collapse.

Previously on Archinect: 2018 report of collapsed Miami complex warned of “major structural damage” and error in design

According to The Real Deal, this wasn’t the first time Friedman was questioned by the Florida Board of Architecture. Records show that he was examined for alleged plan stamping, an ...

2018 report of collapsed Miami complex warned of “major structural damage” and error in design

2021-06-28T12:34:00-04:00

Almost one week after a Miami apartment complex partially collapsed, a 2018 report has resurfaced which warned of “major structural damage” to the base of the building. As reported by The Guardian and The New York Times, the 2018 survey identified a failing concrete slab on the pool deck and “abundant crackling and crumbling” to an underground parking garage. The report, prepared by engineers at Morabito Consultants, warned that “most of the concrete deterioration needs to be repaired in a timely fashion.”

The report highlighted a “major error” in the original design of the building’s lower levels. “The main issue with this building structure is that the entrance drive / pool deck / planter waterproofing is laid on a flat structure,” the report reads. “Since the reinforced concrete slab is not sloped to drain, the water sits on the waterproofing until it evaporates. This is a major error in the development of the original contract documents.”

The waterproofing below the pool dec...

12-floor residential building collapses in Miami, leaving at least four dead and 159 missing

2021-06-24T12:12:00-04:00

Author note: this article was published on June 24th, one day after the building collapsed. The final number of people who were killed, injured, or affected by the collapse may therefore be revised from the figures noted in this article.

A twelve-floor residential building in Miami, Florida has partially collapsed, killing at least one person and injuring ten others. Images circulated by national and international press show piles of rubble and debris at the foot of the back end of the apartment building, which collapsed at approximately 02:00 ET. Miami-Dade County Fire Department says that 55 units in the northeast sector of the building collapsed, with 35 survivors rescued thus far. The cause of the collapse is unknown.

More than 80 rescue units are aiding a search and rescue effort at the scene, situated at 8777 Collins Avenue, a few miles north of Miami Beach. During a news conference after the incident, Surfside mayor Charles Burkett confirmed one person had died, but that th...

Footage released of the Arecibo Telescope's dramatic cable failure and collapse

2020-12-07T11:12:00-05:00

The National Science Foundation (NSF), last week, released video of the Arecibo Telescope's cable failure and collapse. Part of the Arecibo Observatory, the telescope was completed in 1963, and was the largest single-aperture telescope until 2016. This year, NSF decommissioned the telescope following two cable breaks. On December 1st, the suspended receiver's supporting cables failed, resulting in the collapse of the entire assembly.

See the NSF-released video footage below:

Florida DOT plans to replace collapsed FIU pedestrian bridge

2020-05-13T14:44:00-04:00

The Florida DOT (FDOT) announced last week that it will build a replacement for the pedestrian bridge that collapsed in March 2018 while under construction on the Florida International University campus in Miami. [...] The department said that it will oversee and manage the construction of the new bridge and will incorporate the recommendations offered up by the National Transportation Safety Board [...].

The collapse of the pedestrian bridge on Florida International University's Miami campus killed six people in March 2018.

OSHA cites 11 firms in connection to Hard Rock New Orleans lethal collapse

2020-04-07T12:00:00-04:00

After a months-long investigation, OSHA has cited and fined 11 firms in connection with the October 2019 partial collapse of the Hard Rock Hotel in New Orleans. The agency has proposed fines totaling $315,536, and all companies have 15 days to contest the monetary fines and citations.

According to Construction Dive, the following firms have been cited by OSHA:

Heaslip Engineering LLC drew the largest fine, $154,214, and the only willful citation among the group.
Suncoast Projects LLC, dba Hub Steel, based in Groveland, Florida, had the second-highest total fines of $37,191.
OSHA also cited general contractor Citadel Builders LLC for not providing the temporary lighting necessary for safe egress; for not marking exits with visibly marked signage; and for not ensuring that drawings or plans for beam shoring were available at the jobsite, reports Construction Dive.
REY.CO Inc. ($23,697)
F. Mata Masonry LLC ($12,723)
King Company LLC ($12,145)
Hutco Inc. ($10,794)
Regional Mechanical Services LLC ($9.446)
Rush Masonry Inc. ($9.446)
Southern Services and Equipment Inc. ($9,446)
S&S Construction and Consulting LLC ($8,096).

All fines were in connection to various job-site deficiencies and alleged violations discovered in the investigation.

...

Amid Hard Rock collapse investigation, New Orleans mayor calls for more women in STEM roles

2019-11-13T12:22:00-05:00

Louise Blanchard Bethune is recognized as the first American woman who worked as an architect. Maybe there’s a Bethune among our young girls in the Crescent City, Baton Rouge, Lafayette or elsewhere in the state.

As the investigation into the deadly Hard Rock hotel collapse in New Orleans continues, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, who has been meeting with the expert architects and engineers studying the collapse made a stunning realization: “The majority of them were absolutely men.”

A staff editorial published by The Advocate highlights comments that Cantrell made at a recent Girl Scouts Louisiana Leadership Luncheon, where she commented on the gender disparities she observed among the experts who had been tasked with helping her administration navigate the aftermath of the collapse.

According to the article, Cantrell said, “there’s a great need to make sure that our women, our girls, are being groomed to take their rightful positions in the area of STEM, in the city of New Orleans and in the state of Louisiana.”

Underground construction site collapses in China, taking 8 lives

2019-10-30T14:27:00-04:00

An underground car park that was under construction in southwest China collapsed, killing eight people and injuring two others, official media said Tuesday. State broadcaster CCTV said the 10 people were trapped in the rubble when the collapse occurred Monday afternoon in Guizhou province's Guiyang city.

Three workers were able to escape the scene. The 10 trapped workers were rescued early on Tuesday local time, reports ABC.

FIU bridge collapse tied to flawed design and minimal project oversight

2019-10-24T12:24:00-04:00

The National Transportation Safety Board members that have been investigating a March 15, 2018 bridge collapse at Florida International University have concluded that the design firm FIGG Bridge Engineers, Inc. responsible for the project underestimated the loads created by the bridge's concrete structural system and overestimated the strength of their designs along a critical section that had shown signs of splintering, NBC News reports.

The bridge was, according to previous reports, designed under the Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) method that utilizes prefabricated components, a key reason the bridge was built out of concrete and not steel as is more often the case for similar spans.

Prior to the bridge's deadly collapse, investigators found that contractors had discovered large cracks 40-times larger than what is normally accepted for this type of application in a concrete section of the bridge. Despite the cracking, no one involved the project made an attempt to close th...

Cause of Hard Rock Hotel collapse in New Orleans remains unknown

2019-10-15T18:37:00-04:00

The priority remained on stabilizing the building, two days after the top floors collapsed on one another, sending debris to the street below and killing two people. One worker remained missing, and authorities have said they also want to find him before moving onto an investigation into what happened.

According to 4WWL the cause of the collapse isn't clear. Jean Mattei, former president of the American Society of Civil Engineers, said that it is currently too difficult to know what caused the failure, reports 4WWL. "From the videos and from what I've seen, it was something that started at the top and cascaded down," Mattei said to 4WWL.

Archinect user t a z has also started a discussion regarding the incident, click here to read it.

Genoa blows up remaining Morandi Bridge to make way for Renzo Piano's replacement

2019-06-28T14:10:00-04:00

Morandi Bridge in the Italian city of Genoa has been demolished almost a year after its partial collapse killed 43 people. Thousands of residents were evacuated before the operation, which was over within eight seconds. Water was sprayed over the scene to reduce the dust produced by the blast.

The partial collapse of Genoa's nearly mile-long Morandi highway bridge on August 14, 2018 killed 43 people trying to cross the bridge at the time. A controlled explosion brought down the last two pillars this morning while the rest of the old bridge is being removed.

Construction on the Renzo Piano-designed replacement bridge reportedly started this week as well.

Rendering of the replacement bridge. Image: Renzo Piano Building Workshop.

Watch the video of the dramatic controlled explosion below.

Notre Dame walls could collapse without immediate structural support, new report warns

2019-05-22T14:58:00-04:00

Notre Dame is not stable and urgently needs reinforcing. [...] The collapse of a part of the vaults has severely reduced the safety of its structural system, which, in the case of a Gothic cathedral, does not rely on the heavy mass of the walls, as in classical architecture, but on discharging weight through clustered columns, external flying buttresses and counter-supports—a structural “exoskeleton” that until now has been extremely effective and resilient.

A new assessment of the Gothic cathedral's structural system after the devastating April 15 fire shows that the stability has been severely weakened by various factors and warns that the walls could now fail to withstand strong wind gusts.

The morning after the incident: Notre Dame's spire is gone and the roof partially collapsed. Photo: Pierre Yves Beaudouin/Wikipedia.

"Paolo Vannucci, a mechanical engineer at the University of Versailles, has modelled the engineering of the structure," reports The Art Newspaper, "and shown that the walls of Notre Dame could collapse under the pressure of wind speeds higher than 90km per hour, while before the fire they could withstand winds of up to 220km per hour, so they urgently need temporary supports."

Collapsing crane kills four at new Seattle Google campus

2019-04-29T13:25:00-04:00

Seattle’s construction frenzy turned deadly Saturday afternoon when a tower crane working on a new Google campus fell like a thunderbolt from the roof of a South Lake Union building, smashing into six cars and killing four people.

"The four-building, 607,000-square-foot project will house a new Google Seattle campus, and also include about 150 new apartments," reports The Seattle Times about the tragic incident at a South Lake Union site at Fairview Avenue and Mercer Street. "Construction began in 2017 and is set to be finished this year. Google had put its name on the building in the last few days."

Washington state officials have launched an investigation.

Construction webcam shows before and after of the deadly crane collapse in Seattle this afternoon. At least 4 people are dead https://t.co/YIcT09LpNY pic.twitter.com/Ywoe9VH7Nv
— Mike Rosenberg (@ByRosenberg) April 28, 2019