July 13, 2021
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by this author are their own and do not represent the official position of the Barbados TODAY Inc.
by Grenville Phillips II
The collapse of the 12-storey residential building in Miami is tragic – but instructive. Buildings collapse because they cannot support their loads.
Loads can be categorised as short-term and long-term.
Loads that are applied for a relatively short time include: hurricanes, earthquakes, collisions, and explosions.
Loads that are applied for a long time include furniture and appliances, and those from human activities, like sitting, walking and dancing.
An occupied building that collapses, without being impacted by short-term loads, likely weakened to the point where it could no longer support the long-term loads.
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