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Understand how urban planning errors and inadequate foundations, combined with the type of soil, resulted in one of the greatest engineering challenges on the coast of São Paulo
The famous buildings of Santos are known not only for their beautiful sea views, but also for a “detail” that draws a lot of attention: they are crooked! Yes, you read that right, and if you think that’s an exaggeration, know that we’re not talking about small deviations. The explanation for this phenomenon, incredible as it may seem, lies in the engineering itself and the type of soil on which these buildings were constructed. But before you imagine buildings falling down across the city, let's understand what really happens and why this has even become a tourist attraction!
In the 1940s, Santos went through a big real estate boom, especially in the coastal region. The problem? No one paid much attention to the type of soil where they were building. The city is on a sedimentary plain composed of a thin layer of sand over a thick layer of soft clay, which, for any civil engineer, is a nightmare.. These two types of soil are terrible for supporting heavy structures, such as the tall buildings that began to appear at the time.
Engineering explains, shallow foundation and settlement
Most of the buildings in Santos were built with shallow foundations, meaning they did not have a deep enough base to reach more stable soil layers. This, combined with the weight of the buildings and their proximity to each other, created a situation of “stress bulbs.” When two buildings are too close together, the ground between them experiences more pressure, causing both to begin to lean. This phenomenon is known as settlement, and it is one of the biggest headaches in engineering.
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What can (or cannot) engineering do to fix this?
For many of the buildings in Santos, trying to correct these inclinations was a big challenge of engineering. Some techniques, such as bleeding sand under the foundations and injecting concrete to reinforce the structure, have managed to stabilize some buildings. However, not everyone was so lucky. One of the most famous examples is the Lúcio Malzoni Building, which has suffered from subsidence since its construction in the 1960s. Several interventions were carried out, but only block A of the building was stabilized – block B, due to lack of funds, remains tilted to this day.
The curious side of the problem: tourism and the devaluation of Santos buildings
While for residents the problem of Santos' buildings is a real nightmare, for tourists it has become an attraction. Despite the crooked engineering, people take photos next to the crooked buildings, often playing with the perspective, as if they were “holding up” the buildings. On the other hand, the devaluation of these properties is brutal. Apartments that, under normal conditions, could be worth hundreds of thousands of reais, are sold at prices well below market value. One example of this was an apartment with a sea view that, due to the slope of the building, was sold for only 40 thousand reais, when the real price would be around 350 thousand.
Lessons for the future of construction
This phenomenon is not exclusive to Brazil. The famous Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy was also a victim of unstable soil and engineering errors. In the case of Santos, the definitive solution for crooked buildings would be extremely expensive and complex. However, the case serves as a lesson for construction companies around the world: it is essential to invest in geological studies and adequate foundations before building any large structure.
So, did you already know this curious story about the buildings in Santos? Leave your opinion in the comments!
The poop tree here in my backyard is also a little crooked, it's about twenty years old, will it fall?
Hahahaha