Sinking Tall Buildings in South Florida: Faster Than Expected

• Ene 4, 2025 - 13:20

A team of engineers, geoscientists, and geoinformation specialists from the U.S. and Germany have discovered that many tall, heavy buildings along the coast of South Florida are sinking into the ground much quicker than anticipated.

Their study, published in Earth and Space Science, compared satellite images over several years to investigate ongoing subsidence along multiple beachfronts in the region. Previous research has shown that subsidence, the sinking of land, can be caused by both natural and manmade factors. Natural causes include water movement, earthquakes, and gravity, while human activities, such as large buildings, fracking, and landscaping, can also contribute.

In this new study, the team focused on the impact of heavy buildings along the South Florida coastline. They hypothesized that the weight of these tall structures might be accelerating subsidence. To test this, the researchers analyzed satellite imagery of several popular beaches in South Florida and tracked 35 buildings over time. The advanced satellite imagery can detect altitude changes as small as a few centimeters, allowing for precise measurements.

The results showed that all the buildings they measured were sinking, with the rate ranging from 2 to 8 cm between 2016 and 2023. Most of these buildings were sinking faster than expected. The team also observed varying rates of subsidence across different beach areas. The most significant sinking occurred at Sunny Isles Beach, followed by Surfside, the site of the tragic 2021 collapse of a 12-story building. Miami Beach, on the other hand, showed the least amount of subsidence.

Given the collapse at Surfside three years ago, the researchers examined whether subsidence could have been a contributing factor but found no evidence to suggest that it was. Even if the building had been sinking, they noted, it would not have caused structural damage unless the sinking was uneven, with one part of the ground sinking faster than another.

The researchers call for further investigation to determine whether uneven sinking is occurring beneath any of South Florida’s buildings and, if so, to alert property owners to potential risks.

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