ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Engineers are on-site at the Rialto apartment complex to determine the cause of structural damage that forced the evacuation of more than 350 people last Thursday. The property is located near Sand Lake Road and Turkey Lake Road in Orange County. It was deemed unsafe last week after cracks appeared in the structure and residents reported popping and creaking inside the building.
All 200 units are currently under evaluation as experts work to determine the source of the damage. Civil and environmental engineering professor Kamal Tawfiq, with the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, has participated in similar assessments several times over the course of his career.
While he is not associated with the Rialto case, he explained the process typically begins with understanding conditions underground and at the building’s base, especially in a region like Central Florida, where widespread limestone geology increases the risk for sinkholes.
“The civil engineers, they’re gonna come and start to inspect the structure, but they start usually with the foundations,” Tawfiq said, “That is usually the starting point for any investigation is to look at how did they handle the foundations, design, analysis, and geotechnical information.”
According to the property owner, structural engineers are evaluating all 200 apartment units and are currently opening sections of walls, flooring, and ceilings.
Tawfiq noted this step is a necessary part of the process, which allows engineers to look for corrosion of metal, deterioration of wood, or cracking of concrete in the structure hidden behind drywall.
The investigation follows reports from residents who heard sudden loud noises and noticed doors jamming before the evacuation on Thursday. Tawfiq said these occurrences are specific indicators that a sudden structural failure may have taken place.
According to Tawfiq, an engineering report should be submitted to Orange County within 45 days. This document will include onsite observations, the full extent of the damage, and a list of possible fixes.
According to Orange County, “Once the engineering report becomes available, the Orange County Division of Building Safety will assess any engineering requirements to verify that all life-safety requirements are in place, in hopes of people being able to return to their homes as soon as possible.” ,
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