Surfside Collapse - Structural Engineer Explains Why Only Half the Building Collapsed

Engineering is not my field, but your explanations are easy to grasp. If you’re not a teacher—trade school, college, job training—you should be. You’re a natural. Thanks for helping us understand.

I would not be surprised if your explanation inspires a young person to want to pursue Structural Engineering.

As a retired elementary teacher, I’ve studied and practiced teaching methodologies my entire adult life. You, sir, are a gifted teacher. You’ve taught me more than I thought I ever wanted to know about big building structures.

Where I live they are in the process of a 400 apartment high rise. When I drive by it I am looking at it more closely. I am thinking how are they building it. Are they pouring concrete on one floor before moving to the next. I look at the rebar sticking up to see how it is woven together. I never would have been interested in this before watching your videos on the condo collapse in FL. You explain things so easily to those of us who don't have an engineering background. I find this totally fascinating. THANK YOU for taking time out of your day to explain various aspects of the collapse in your videos.

You have found your mission in life, Josh. Educating.

Josh - from the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for taking time to do these videos. Many people purport to do what you're doing, but you're one of the very few who is more concerned with delivering truthful information than he is about gaming the YouTube algorithm. It's really amazing to me what you do.

Thank you for resisting the urge to rush to judgement and providing a step by step example of how the final forensic analysis will likely come together.

You’re literally teaching stuff that’s thought in engineering university classes. Props man!

These videos must be a ton of work. Thanks, you've really educated me on a subject I know nothing about.

What a pleasure to listen to well-reasoned, organized, grammatically correct, and educational information presented in a way that listeners at any level are enriched in the process. It's nice to know there are professionals of this caliber doing this work. If YouTube University had an awards ceremony, you'd be my nominee..

YouTube audience willingly sitting through a lecture on structural engineering. Who knew that would happen!!

Dude you are killing it with easy to grasp explanations. I have retired a couple years ago from 41 years of construction. Mostly single family homes, but for a year or two high rise construction and condo buildings. I do not have any extensive engineering knowledge, man you lay it all out for anyone to grasp very complex building science. You are a born teacher. Thank you.

Who would have thought that I would look forward to an engineering video??!! You are a great teacher!! :)

Another great video 27 minutes felt like five and I didn't want it to end I appreciate the time and effort it takes for you to do this you're a great teacher

This channel is my go-to source for understanding what happened.

I’m a black woman with zero interest in buildings and concrete 🤣 yet I watch almost every video you upland about the Champlain building collapse. I find myself looking around parking garages and buildings now. I had no idea about the structural engineering field. You are a wonderful teacher!

I watch many YouTube videos and I’m not exaggerating when I say that you deserve an Emmy Award for your videos on this incident. Your channel deserves to have several million subscribers (and hopefully one day will). I look forward to these videos like someone waiting for the next season of a hit TV show. You are truly a gem and I thank you for putting these incredible videos out. Your integrity shines through. I would feel very comfortable living in a building you designed.

Josh, you are a natural, brilliant lecturer. Respect. 😎👍

Excellent explanation and teaching! It is like a zipper… the leading edge starts the “unzipping” aka punch through of the slab. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and putting together these high quality videos to help explain and learn from this tragic event. Take care.

I'm an architect - and YOU are the living embodiment of Mario Salvadori, my friend! =)