5-year-old Broward County, Florida Courthouse has floors evacuated due to cracks

[Roga50]

Florida again...

Broward officials continue work to get to bottom of courthouse issues after partial closure

I especially love the part saying "workers in the lower floors of the courthouse should have “no concern whatsoever” about their safety."

 

[dik]

hehehehehhe...

-----*****-----
So strange to see the singularity approaching while the entire planet is rapidly turning into a hellscape. -John Coates

-Dik

 

[TugboatEng]

They're not concerned because they're working from home, right?

 

[FacEngrPE]

Photos of the cracks

source

https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local...se-that-led-to-closure-of-top-floors/2957598/

Among other things rebar corrosion is likely, the cracks look more open on the top side.

 

[spsalso]

Here's a more distant view of that area with the cracking:

https://www.floridaconstructionnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/BCJC-New-Courthouse-Aerial.jpg

It looks like the cracks are in the beams that support the outer edge of the top of the building.

I think that the reason they are not worried about the workers on the lower floors is that, by the time the concrete pieces have fallen that far, they will be mostly clear of the building. The pieces will likely then just fall past the windows on their way down.

My theory will be confirmed if they put up barricades around the base of the building to keep pedestrians away.



spsalso

 

[hokie66]

They are diagonal tension cracks, and this beam needs some attention, probably reinforcement.

 

[dik]

I cannot tell what its supporting... looks like self weight only... and not heavily loaded.

-----*****-----
So strange to see the singularity approaching while the entire planet is rapidly turning into a hellscape. -John Coates

-Dik

 

[spsalso]

Stating the obvious: the outer "decorative trim" is being suspended on the end of a cantilever beam.

Ignore the metal grill work.


spsalso

 

[dold]

Looks like these are just supporting precast spandrels. Not sure which side but perhaps the east side? Or both sides?

 

[hokie66]

Just speculation, but the beam may have been broken during construction. Maybe they used it for hoisting other stuff? Is it just one beam, or more? Correction: there are at least two, from the photos above.

 

[spsalso]

What I find impressive as all Hell is that the concrete grid in dold's picture has no support columns for the entire interior of the grid. THAT is some pretty impressive design, I do think!

I can only wonder what their bridge designs look like.

spsalso

 

[SWComposites]

maybe like this bridge (legendary Bedspring Suspension Bridge near Port Renfrew, BC):

 

[spsalso]

I LOVE IT!


spsalso