New research shows that luxury high-rises in Miami-Dade aren\u2019t just sinking more than expected; they\u2019re sinking unevenly, with parts of the building sinking faster than others. This so-called differential settlement, engineers say, can potentially create long-term structural damage and dramatically increase maintenance and insurance costs.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can see really well now how these buildings are internally deforming, that some are shrinking and tilting\u2026.and that there is differential settlement,\u201d said Falk Amelung, the University of Miami professor whose 2024 paper revealed that at least 35 buildings along Miami\u2019s barrier islands \u2014 from the Porsche Design Tower to the iconic Faena Hotel and several buildings named after Donald Trump \u2014 were sinking more than expected.<\/p>\n
High-rises are expected to settle as their enormous weight compresses the ground beneath them, but that settlement is expected to stop soon after construction. UM\u2019s research showed that the high-rises continued to sink into the sand and porous limestone they were built on years after they were constructed.<\/p>\n