West Parking Garage Collapse Analysis

OWNER

University Health System

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Service: Litigation Support

West Parking Garage Collapse Analysis

San Antonio
Texas

When the University Health System West parking structure collapsed during construction, Walter P Moore investigated the collapse to determine the cause. A north portion of the garage was a seven-level, nine-bay section separated from the main structure by an expansion joint, thus making it separate both in terms of gravity load and lateral load systems. The failure was due to the lack of grout within the column baseplates and anchors, rendering it overall an unstable structure. Our forensics experts performed site visits, interviewed project staff, reviewed witness accounts, and analyzed construction photos and video of the collapse captured by a parking lot camera. We also tested extracted materials and analyzed models of the structure as it was constructed at the time of collapse. Our forensic work was well accepted by all project stakeholders and provided critical insight on the care necessary for the future construction.