Harbor Cay Condominium

The Harbor Cay Condominium was a five-story flat plate residential development project in Cocoa Beach (Brevard County, Florida, United States) that collapsed during construction on March 27, 1981. Eleven workers were killed and 27 injured.cite web | last = Delatte
first = Norbert, P.E., Ph.D., Assistant Professor
title = Harbor Cay Condominium, Florida
work = Case Studies in Failures and Ethics for Engineering Educators
publisher = The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The University of Alabama at Birmingham
month = July | year = 2003
url = http://www.eng.uab.edu/cee/faculty/ndelatte/case_studies_project/Harbor.htm
format = html
accessdate = March 2008]

The building, being constructed by the Univel Corporation of Cocoa Beach, collapsed as workers were completing its framework by pouring concrete for the roof. [ cite news
last = Montgomery
first = Paul
title = Two still missing in condominium collapse
publisher = New York Times
date = March 29, 1981
url = http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0DE5DF1039F93AA15750C0A967948260&n=Top%2fClassifieds%2fReal%20Estate%2fLocations%2fFlorida ] The accident led to more rigorous enforcement of engineering and construction codes in Florida and elsewhere.

Cause

The collapse was due to numerous errors in design and construction. The concrete slabs were only 200 mm (eight inches) thick and should have been 280 mm (eleven inches) thick to satisfy the American Concrete Institute's Building Code minimum. The plastic chair spacers used to support the slab steel were 108 mm (4 ¼ inches) high, which coupled with the thin slabs led to a very small effective depth.

Charges

Two engineers, an architect and two contractors were charged with negligence, misconduct and failing to conform to state and local building laws. At least one of the engineers surrendered his license, paid a fine, and said he would never practice again. [ cite news |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B06E1DF1739F930A2575AC0A967948260&scp=3&sq=Harbor+Cay+Condominium&st=cse |title=Engineer in Building Collapse Gives Up His Florida License |publisher=New York Times |date=September 18, 1981 ]

References

*cite book
last = Lew
first = H.W.
title = Investigation of construction failure of Harbour Cay Condominium in Cocoa Beach, Florida
publisher = U.S. Department of Commerce, National Bureau of Standards
year = 1982
location = Washington D.C.