The effect of storm surge on foundations

Shallow foundation damage causes building collapse in Alabama after Hurricane Ivan in 2004

Shallow foundation damage causes building collapse in Alabama after Hurricane Ivan in 2004

Super Storm Sandy was the most recent reminder of the dangers posed to building foundations by storm surge, waves, scour and erosion. The January 2013 issue of Civil Engineering Magazine by the ASCE has a nice article describing some of the mechanisms for damaging shallow foundations and deep foundations and how design codes need to be used to mitigate those problems. [Source: Civil Engineering Magazine. Image: CE Mag]