FIU civil engineering expert discusses key lessons from Surfside

A year after the unprecedented collapse of the 12-story oceanfront condominium that killed 98 people in Surfside, Florida, a complex investigation continues in search of answers and lessons from that tragedy.

Florida International University (FIU) infrastructure expert Atorod Azizinamini - a Vasant Surti professor at the Moss School of Construction, Infrastructure and Sustainability at FIU's College of Engineering and Computing- says some clear takeaways have emerged:  

• The identification of a series of “red flags” that must be prioritized in building maintenance and remediation efforts.
• The need for enhancement to construction methodologies and philosophy, especially along coastal areas. 
• Needed improvements to building inspection and maintenance practices, including the use of advanced technologies that can monitor buildings as they shift and age.

“The days of relying solely on visual building inspections are in the past. We must take advantage of existing technologies already being effectively used in other industries to monitor these inhabited structures so we may properly enhance building safety in our community and beyond,” said Azizinamini.

Azizinamini directs FIU’s Preeminent Program for Resilient and Sustainable Coastal Infrastructure. He also serves as director of FIU’s Infrastructure, Research and Innovation Coordination program within the Office of Research and Economic Development. Azizinamini has worked on technologies for the construction of high-rise buildings in seismic regions and has developed advanced methods to detect corrosion in steel embedded in concrete.