Surfside Collapse - Structural Engineer Answers Your Questions About Shear and Shear Walls

As an aeronautical engineer by training and patent lawyer by trade, I can say that these are the best videos out there on the Surfside condo collapse. Josh's precise use of concepts and terminology is masterful. Thank you very much for awesome work.

My husband (tradesman) and I here in New Zealand look forward to your videos, looking out for them each day and learning much about engineering, construction and forensic engineering. I am an adult education consultant, Masters qualified in education and eLearning, and also Masters qualified in Emergency Management, and have to say, your ability to articulate concepts in simplistic terms across a virtual medium, in an emergency context, is just stunning. Well done!

Who'd've thought the collapse of a building in Surfside, FL would lead me to watching YT videos about shear walls, columns, slabs, etc?! And, despite zero previous interest in anything related to this, am now actually thrilled to see a new 'BI' video. Come away from each feeling educated, so much so might even be able to share what I've learned with someone else and perhaps sound like I know what I'm talking about! LOL Thank you for the well-explained and detailed explanations, theories, etc. (Yes, sometimes difficult to see what's being drawn, especially when little contrast... such as red on dark image.)

As far as I am concerned these "Building Integrity" video posts are, by far, the best & most comprehensive ones I have seen. The information offered is easily understood and structured very professionally. Thanks again for your mindful & respectful presentations.

He makes highly technical and relevant issues understandable without throwing around judgements and blame.

I get it now.. that cardboard panel on the back of my Ikea furniture is the "shear wall" makes total sense. Thanks JP..

I've been an engineering drafter for over 30 years. Those drawings are what I do. Everyone thinks that architects design buildings. I'd love to share these videos and talk about these things to friends and family but they can't get past, "Isn't that what architects do?" Two things: Who was the architect for this building? I suspect no one cares. Who was the engineer? I'm sure everyone cares. Final question, who was the engineer for the Sydney Opera House? There's hardly an Australian who knows the answer to that question but they all know who the architect was because it was taught at school and in the news media. I think there's a problem in the way that we're taught at school and by the news media. I enjoy the videos and it's why I watch. I've even had some engineering colleagues say, "Yeah, he's good!"

I’m not an engineer, but I’m a mechanic. I love learning how things work and what they are designed to do. This particular catastrophe has sparked an interest. This man explains it the best from all the channels I’ve researched. Thank you for the education.

You guys are still the best on the Web for breaking this tragedy down from an engineering POV. Keep up the amazing work.

Not only do you make this interesting, you do it in such a way that an ‘’average Joe’’ can understand it. Thanks for doing this.

Every time I watch one of your videos, it feels as if five minutes have gone by. You are an incredible teacher. Thank you.

You explain things very well and very clearly. I've learned a lot from watching and listening to your videos. Good job Sir!!!

Youngsters interested in engineering will benefit from watching Josh. Nothing dull or boring, just clarity, great explanation, passion and making complex engineering understandable. Great content!

Why am I so fascinated with this when it’s not a topic that previously I could’ve cared less about. It’s because you do such a great job teaching in a way we understand. Thank you for your research and hard work to clearly teach all these new followers who just want to understand the WHY and the HOW.

Hey, I just discovered your videos on the topic a few days ago. And I was particularly shocked by the extend of the concrete damage in the parking garage. The only time I have seen so much damage to a bottom slab like that was in industrial ruins that have been abandoned for 30+ years. Great job on the videos, you explain everything very well.

I am not an engineer. Your videos are fascinating and highly educating. You are an excellent communicator and teacher. Thanks!

The only shear walls acting in the east-west direction are next to the elevators, so when the center portion fell the remaining east portion was no longer braced by the walls around the elevator. The short shear wall beside the stair would only act in the north-south direction, it would offer no strength in the east-west direction. The east part of the building could only rely on rigid frame action which it wasn't designed for, but the rigid frame action inherent in a cast in place building did give it temporary stability. After it started to lean a bit to the west then it would start failing all of the beam/column joints and that was the end of it.

Thank you so much! I have been recommending this channel as a very good way to get educated on structural engineering. No guessing, no conspiracies, but actual education. Thank you.

Shear webs prevent a rectangle from becoming a parallelogram. The load of an aircraft is supported by the top and bottom spars separated by the shear web. This building only had them in one direction if you don’t count the block walls in the apartments. Great video.

JP paid attention in school.