When buildings fall flat

[schwap23]

a building in Shanghai falls flatThe building was under construction, and was therefore unoccupied (except for the one worker that was killed, but I suppose workers don't count as occupants. somehow.), and the whole thing fell over. Not collapsed, fell. The pictures are amazing, but I really wish I could show this to some building construction

Comments

[heronymus_waat]

Looking at the separation site, I'm guessing it's a problem with improper foundation construction. Likely because proper foundation construction is both difficult to do and expensive, and since no one actually sees it done, it's the place where the most cost- and time-cutting measures can be taken. So if the building shifts, even a little bit, off it's foundation, it basically breaks the structure at ground level. My guess is that the building itself was relatively stable and well-constructed above-ground -- buildings generally hang together relatively well at that point in construction.

But I'm not an engineer (though, like you, I enjoy reading safety reports).