The United States Department of Labor, Occupational Safety & Health Administration defines a structural collapse as occurring when an internal load bearing structural element fails, resulting in a building collapsing either into itself or outward. A structure can collapse for a variety of reasons, with faulty construction or design being major causes. Earthquakes, fire and weather can also contribute to a structural collapse, although in those instances construction flaws could represent the underlying cause of a collapse.
The owners of buildings, dams, bridges, stadiums, or other structures have an incentive to prevent structural collapse to avoid liability. In general, property owners have a duty to keep their property safe. Builders also have a duty to construct safe buildings that conform to existing building codes and rules, such as the extensive earthquake preparedness building codes in California or building codes in Florida designed to face hurricanes.
Causes of Structural Collapse
Bridges represent a regularly used structure susceptible to structural collapse. According to a study by the American Society of Civil Engineers’ (ASCE), of the 500 bridge failures that occurred in the United States between 1989 and 2000, more than 20% of all failures were attributed to defects in design, detailing, construction, material, and/or maintenance. ASCE also reported that in 2003 more than a quarter of all United States bridges were "structurally deficient or functionally obsolete." For example, ASCE determined that 17% of Illinois bridges in Illinois were also found to be "structurally deficient or functionally obsolete." Based on these statistics, the threat of a bridge collapse remains an unfortunate, but real, possibility.
Similarly, the Dam Safety Coalition (DSC) indicates that there are more than 3,500 dams which states report as having deficiencies that leave them susceptible to failure. The DSC also notes that a few states have large numbers of unsafe dams, including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New Hampshire.
Overall, any structure, big or small, runs the risk of a structural collapse because of the multitude of stresses that any structure undergoes on a regular basis. The following are common reasons for a structural collapse:
- Faulty construction
- Poor design
- Foundation failure
- Structural defect
- Safety deficiency
- Extraordinary loads which a foundation was not designed to support
- Inadequate pier design or construction
- Poor workmanship
Examples of Structural Collapse
Structural collapse can affect some of the following common structures:
- Porch
- Deck
- Stairway
- Balcony
- Ceiling
- Walls
- Bridges
- Dams
- Skyscrapers
- Overpasses
Regardless of the type of structural collapse, however, this event can be very costly to the victims and survivors affected by such an incident. In addition, a structural collapse also can be very financially costly to parties that are found liable for a collapse.
For example, the January 17, 1994 Northridge Earthquake in the Los Angeles area caused extensive property loss but because of California building code regulations, less than 60 people died in the quake overall. However, 16 of the fatalities occurred all in the Northridge Meadows Apartment Building because of structural collapse, according to the Consortium for Universities for Research in Earthquake Engineering.
A major structural collapse occurred in Minneapolis, Minnesota, when the I-35 Mississippi River Bridge collapsed in 2007. According to State of Minnesota, a panel in St. Paul, Minnesota, is currently deciding how to divide $36.6 million among the 179 victims who have submitted claims. In comparison, a dam collapse at Silver Lake Dam in Michigan in 2003 resulted in more than $100 million in damages, according to the DSC.
While high profile structural collapses receive a great deal of attention, smaller structural collapses occur on more regular basis. In Los Angeles, an apartment building recently collapsed. Its owner had been convicted of health and safety violations the previous year. The Los Angeles Times reports that the collapse is still under investigation, although the building’s age and construction are considered as possible causes.
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If you have a comment or question, please feel free to reply to this posting, or send us an e-mail. Keep in mind that your comments will not be confidential. If you are a victim or a loved one has been a victim of a structural collapse, please feel free to contact us at the National Justice Coalition to find a qualified lawyer in your area.
