Construction Deficiencies in Champlain Towers South Pool Deck Exacerbated Collapse, Federal Investigators Find

Edited by: TJVNews.com

Federal investigators have recently uncovered critical information shedding light on the tragic collapse of Champlain Towers South in Surfside, Florida, in June 2021, as was recently reported on The Real Deal web site. The latest findings that were presented on Thursday by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) reveal that construction deviations in the pool deck played a significant role in the deadly disaster, adding to a growing body of evidence suggesting that this area was the primary source of the catastrophe, TRD reported.

The collapse of Champlain Towers South, located on 8777 Collins Avenue, resulted in the tragic loss of 98 lives, making it one of the deadliest building collapses in recent memory.

According to Glenn Bell, the associate lead investigator for NIST, the investigation revealed that the pool deck’s construction did not align with design requirements, as was noted in The Real Deal report.  Specifically, the pool deck’s reinforcement was found to be significantly reduced, further weakening the already compromised connections between the slab and columns.

The design originally mandated that at least 25 percent of the slab reinforcement bars should be centered and pass over each column. However, the Real Deal also reported that in many instances, this crucial requirement was not met. For example, in one column, only 12.5 percent of the reinforcement bars were centered over it.

Additionally, investigators discovered that the spacing of slab reinforcement bars in some columns exceeded the design requirement of 20 percent to 40 percent, resulting in less reinforcement near the columns than what was initially intended, the Real Deal report added. These construction deviations were a significant departure from the approved plans and specifications.

“This means that there was less reinforcement in the vicinity of the columns than the design required,” Bell said, according to the Real Deal report.

This latest revelation comes after NIST’s presentation in June, which exposed deficiencies in the pool deck’s design, including issues with slab columns and fixtures. The Real Deal report also stated that it was found that slab reinforcements were placed too deep into the concrete slabs, failing to meet the required three-quarter inch depth.

As Bell emphasized, these construction deviations further weakened the already fragile connections between the slab and columns, reducing the margins of safety against failure to critically low levels, as was mentioned in the Real Deal report. The pool deck’s structural problems had been recognized even before the collapse, as a 2018 engineer’s report for the building’s 40-year recertification had identified significant concrete cracking, spalling, and failed waterproofing, all of which had caused major structural damage to the slab beneath the pool deck, the Real Deal report added.

“I had reported in June that shortcomings in the original design of CTS, misplacement of slab reinforcement, loads added over time and potentially corrosion of the steel reinforcement combined to create critically low margins of failure in the pool deck slab,” Bell said, according to the Real Deal report. The newly discovered construction deviations “further weakened those slab column connections, further reducing the critically low margins against failure.”

While NIST’s investigation is ongoing, it is also examining other potential factors, such as sinkholes or foundational shifts. Initial findings suggest minor foundation settlement of a quarter inch, which was determined not to have significantly impacted the structural integrity of Champlain Towers South.

“We are continuing to study these effects, and we are also continuing to evaluate other geotechnical effects such as the impact of the construction of Eighty Seven Park,” Bell said, according to the Real Deal report. He was referring to the condo tower immediately south of Champlain Towers South, which a Terra-led development team completed in 2019.

To aid in their investigation, NIST has enlisted an outside contractor to attempt to recover data from seven security video hard drives, with the hope of reconstructing collapse footage from various angles, as was reported by The Real Deal. Unfortunately, most of the camera hard drives recovered were damaged beyond repair, making this recovery effort particularly challenging.

NIST’s comprehensive investigation is expected to conclude by the fourth anniversary of the collapse in 2025. It’s important to note that the agency’s findings are still part of an ongoing investigation and have not yet reached definitive conclusions.

The tragic incident resulted in a class-action lawsuit that was settled last summer, with over $1 billion paid to survivors and victims’ families. The property, formerly Champlain Towers South, was sold for $120 million to Dubai developer Damac Properties, as was stated in The Real Deal report.  Controversy surrounds Damac’s plans to build a luxury condominium on the site, including the failed proposal to include a memorial on the property. The Real Deal reported that a memorial is currently planned for the street immediately north of the site, providing a place of remembrance for the victims of this heartbreaking tragedy.