35 skyscrapers in South Florida are sinking

More than thirty residential skyscrapers and luxury hotels located along the beach in South Florida are sinking or settling in unexpected ways, in some cases due to nearby construction, says a new study.

The 35 buildings examined along a nearly 12-mile (19-kilometer) stretch from Miami Beach to Sunny Isles Beach have subsided or settled by 0.8 to 3.1 inches (2 to 8 cm). About half of the buildings are less than a decade old, according to scientists at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. The study was published on Friday.

“The discovery of the magnitude of the sinkholes along the South Florida coast was unexpected,” Farzaneh Aziz Zanjani, the lead author, said in a statement. “The study highlights the need for continued monitoring and a deeper understanding of the long-term implications for these structures.”

It is not uncommon for buildings to sag a little during and shortly after their construction, but the scientists called their discovery surprising since some of the changes occurred several years later.

The limestone subsoil beneath the South Florida beach is interspersed with layers of sand, which can shift under the weight of skyscrapers and as a result of vibrations from foundation construction. Changes in the tide and construction projects up to 320 meters (1,050 feet) away have contributed to the settlement, according to researchers.

The study used satellite images to capture the changes, with the most notable settlement being the buildings of Sunny Isles Beach. Scientists said preliminary data also suggests subsidence or settlement further north, along the beaches of Broward and Palm Beach counties.

The stretch of South Florida communities examined included Surfside, where the building Champlain Towers South collapsed in June 2021killing 98 people. However, that collapse is believed to have been caused by reinforced concrete that deteriorated due to poor maintenance and faulty design.

Still, the Surfside catastrophe highlighted the need to monitor building stability “especially in coastal areas with corrosive environmental conditions,” the scientists said.

Scientists said they want to further study whether different sections of the affected buildings are sinking at different rates, which could lead to cracks in their walls or burst pipes and long-term damage.

Another study conducted in January of this year showed that buildings in major cities along the Atlantic coast were sinking. Research by Virginia Tech and the United States Geological Survey (USGS) revealed that areas of New York City, Long Island, Baltimore and Virginia Beach were sinking at a rate faster than the rate of rise from sea level.

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