New studies have shown that up to 35 luxury high-rise buildings on the coast of Miami, Florida, are sinking at a greater rate than expected, and the exact reason behind the 'settlement' is unknown.
The Earth's natural state can cause some rather unusual effects, whether that be on the extreme end of sinkholes that eat up entire houses to minor rotations in the planet's axis that contribute to climate change.
Areas close to water are often more vulnerable to these natural shifts, so news that tall buildings are indeed sinking into the ground isn't too much of a shock for many scientists.
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What remains confusing though is the rate at which they're sinking, as around 35 high-rise apartments on Miami's Barrier islands are continuing to sink beyond a point that was expected, leaving many confused at why such an occurrence is happening.
In a study published in Earth and Space Science, lead author Farzaneh Aziz Zanjani revealed that: "The discovery of the extend of subsidence hotspots along the South Florida coastline was unexpected," continuing to argue that "the study underscores the need for ongoing monitoring and a deeper understanding of the long-term implications for these structures."
It is understood that the 35 luxury condos along a 12-mile stretch have sunk by around 2-8 centimeters, and while it is expected that high-rises of a similar structure can settle into the ground by 'several tens of centimeters', as reported by the New York Post, they are expected to stop after a certain period of time which has not happened here.
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One of the study's senior authors, Falk Amelung, outlined that "in some cases [subsidence] continues at a steady rate," and that this occurance "suggests that subsidence could persist for an extended period."
This is, of course, rather worrying for anyone living in the buildings as while centimeters might seem inconsequential at this point in time, it can eventually get to a point where it'll damage the structural integrity of the buildings.
On top of this, it isn't quite clear at the moment what exactly is causing the sinking to continue, with theories split between construction vibrations, storm water injection, and general tidal flow every single day.
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With the cause unclear it is difficult for anyone to diagnose and deal with the problem on a construction side, leaving anyone living in the buildings helpless to the slow change.
It's certainly something that scientists and researchers will keep a keen eye on in the coming years, as studies like this will likely only serve as the foundation when it comes to understanding why this is happening.