Water, weather likely factors in recent local building collapses, engineer says
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As reported on News Center 7 at 6:00, three buildings in Downtown Dayton have collapsed since March 15.
News Center 7′s Mike Campbell spoke with a structural engineer about what we are seeing and why it keeps happening.
The engineer said it's a matter of water getting into the walls and the roof. You must keep the water out.
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John Norton is a structural engineer and owns an engineering company.
He said water, combined with the Miami Valley weather patterns is a strong weapon.
'They had a leak in the roof, it got down in the walls and it kept freezing and thawing. The cracks just get bigger and bigger and bigger and then something like that happened,' Norton told Campbell.
Norton believes that was the most obvious culprit in the wall collapse off East Fifth Street in the Oregon District.
It also likely severely weakened the Valley Street building, which then could not stand up to Sunday night's severe storms.
Campbell asked Norton if it was different from the façade that fell off the building near the Stratacache Tower on Main Street.
'Well, yes, they're more exposed to the weather, I guess I would say,' he answered.
Campbell then asked him if making repairs often means taking down even more weak spots in the buildings that we've seen crumble.
'So, you have to take it back to strong members, wood or steel, and then rebuild it,' said Norton.
He told Campbell that buildings need a strong, leak-free roof, and sealers.
'There are all kinds of sealers that you can buy and spray on and they soak right into the brick and then they keep the water from getting in,' said Norton.
He also told Campbell that many people only think of the freeze-thaw cycle when they see a water lake on the roads. But it's the same principle.
Over time, water leaks will weaken brick walls, not just large buildings, but homes, which also need to be protected.
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