Taking engineers seriously

摘要

The condominium building collapse in late June in Surfside, Florida, is as fascinating as it is devastating. The horror and death captured everyone s attention. And questions are being asked from every angle. Was saltwater and the seaside air to blame? Was the 12-story residence built on unstable ground, or did the ground change over time? Were there structural issues? The condo building was 40 years old, and undergoing an inspection by local code authorities. Florida has different requirements than other states, due in part to requirements for hurricane resiliency, saltwater corrosion and land restrictions.A team of government and private forensic scientists and engineers will be assembled, and it will likely take some time to gather evidence to finalize the cause of the disturbing collapse.