L'Ambiance Plaza collapse explained

L'Ambiance Plaza collapse
Place:Bridgeport, Connecticut
Cause:Building collapse
Outcome:28 construction workers killed

The L'Ambiance Plaza collapse was one of the worst disasters in modern Connecticut history. L'Ambiance Plaza was a 16-story residential project under construction in Bridgeport, Connecticut, at the corner of Washington Avenue and Coleman Street. Its partially erect frame completely collapsed on April 23, 1987, killing 28 construction workers.[1] [2] [3] Failure was possibly due to high concrete stresses on the floor slabs by the placement process resulting in cracking, ending in a type of punch-through failure.[4] [5] [6] [7] [8] Several observers suggested the collapse was preventable and highlighted the deficiencies of the lift slab construction technique.[9] This collapse prompted a major nationwide federal investigation into lift slab construction as well as a temporary moratorium on its use in Connecticut.

In November 1988, less than two years after the disaster, a $41 million settlement of all legal claims arising from a disaster was achieved through mediation, avoiding years of potential litigation. Two judges  - Robert C. Zampano of U.S. District Court and Frank S. Meadow of Connecticut Superior Court - mediated the dispute "through informal conferences among nearly 100 lawyers representing the victims' families and 40 contractors and subcontractors".[10]

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Notes and References

  1. Architectural Board Accepts L'Ambiance Plaza Agreement. The New York Times. April 23, 1989. May 1, 2013.
  2. Book: Kaminetzky, Dov. Design and Construction Failures: Lessons from Forensic Investigations. 1991. New York. McGraw-Hill. 78–85. 0-07-033565-6. 90-46691.
  3. Book: Feld. Jacob. Carper. Kenneth L.. Construction Failure. second. 1997. New York. John Wiley & Sons. 311–315. 0-471-57477-5. 96-33425.
  4. Web site: ENGINEERING.com > L'Ambiance Plazza. Frank J.. Heger. May 14, 2013. October 19, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20081019022813/http://www.engineering.com/Library/ArticlesPage/tabid/85/PageID/182/ArticleID/168/articleType/ArticleView/Default.aspx. dead.
  5. Web site: L'Ambiance Plaza Collapse . Rachel . Martin . 2008-09-03 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070814001328/http://www.eng.uab.edu/cee/faculty/ndelatte/case_studies_project/L%27Ambiance%20Plaza/ambiance.htm . August 14, 2007 .
  6. Web site: L'Ambiance Plaza - Case Study. Donald O.. Dusenberry. May 14, 2013.
  7. Book: Levy , Mattys . Why Buildings Fall Down: How Structures Fail. Mario Salvadori. Kevin Woest. Illustrated by Kevin Woest. W. W. Norton & Company. 1992. 0-393-31152-X. 176. registration.
  8. Book: Zallen , Rubin M. . Engineering Considerations for Lift-slab Construction. David B. Peraza . ASCE Publications (American Society of Civil Engineers - Technical Council on Forensic Engineering). 2004. 0-7844-0705-3.
  9. News: 23 years later, L'Ambiance losses still sting. Barone. Meg. April 23, 2010. Connecticut Post. May 1, 2013.
  10. Sam Howe Verhovek, Pact Reached In Collapse of Building, New York Times (November 16, 1988).

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