Name Assigned: CMU commercial structure, complete wall failure

Coordinates: N30d24’06.7”/W088d58’46.5”

Structure Description: CMU’s had reinforcing at about 15’ oc. Each cell was grouted at about every 4’ oc, but grouting often time did not correspond to reinforcing. The roof was a plywood roof consisting of wood trusses and standing seam roofs.

Failure Description: The most significant issue with this structure was the CMU wall, with parapet, had absolutely no tie back to wood framed walls. The west side of building was single story, which collapsed. The east side of building was two stories. The CMU walls in the area of the roof gable also collapsed. It’s possible that the wall was tied better to the top of the second story, but clearly given the collapse in the area of the gable, there was little-to-no tie back to the wood roof.

Additional Information:

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