Partial Parking Deck Collapse

[Jimaz]

Parking deck collapse in Downtown Detroit: 8 cars fall, no injuries at 1400 Woodbridge Street.

How is that even possible?

[DetroitSoldier]

I was at Rivard Plaza as this was going down. I didn't realize what had happened but there were a dozen emergency vehicles and a helicopter circling above. Thank goodness nobody was injured. It's going to be a mess to get the remaining vehicles out of there!

[Jimaz]

Google Maps Satellite View shows a conspicuous dark line on the pavement behind those cars. It looks like it's on the seam between slabs. I'm trying to imagine how that could affect the other side of the slab though. Maybe ice expanded in a crack there and nudged the whole slab off its supports?

I wouldn't want to park anywhere else there until someone inspects the structure!

[hybridy]

excessive loading, rebar failure, lack of maintenance...take your pick

http://www.structuremag.org/?p=11558

parking structures typically have the lowest factor of safety built into their design. They fail much more often than other building types because a) they’re so cheaply constructed, b) the loading is so much lighter than other types of structures that factoring doesn’t increase the loading by as many tons, and c) failure rarely results in loss of life

http://swamplot.com/comment-of-the-d...es/2014-06-04/