Rivermist retaining wall collapse

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By HomeownersOfTexas.org Welcome to The Hills of Rivermist - San Antonio, Texas This beautiful community can be your home. BEFORE RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE On January 24, 2010, more than 90 San Antonio homeowners in The Hills of RiverMist subdivision were displaced when a 40-foot tall retaining wall collapsed. For many, their lives have been ruined. The culprit is both the builder and developer - AFTER

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Over 90 homeowners were displaced when a 40' tall retaining wall collapsed in the Centex-Pulte community of The Hills of Rivermist in San Antonio, Texas.

Transcript of Rivermist retaining wall collapse

Page 1: Rivermist retaining wall collapse

By HomeownersOfTexas.org

Welcome to The Hills of Rivermist - San Antonio, Texas This beautiful community can be your home.

B E F O R E

RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE

On January 24, 2010, more than 90 San Antonio homeowners in The Hills of RiverMist subdivision were displaced when a 40-foot tall retaining wall collapsed. For many, their lives have been ruined. The culprit is both the builder and developer - Centex Homes.

A F T E R

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By HomeownersOfTexas.org

RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE

Tons of fill dirt on over 8’ of expansive clay soil got saturated with heavy rain and pushed the wall outward from the bottom.

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By HomeownersOfTexas.org

RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE

Was it an Act of God, a landslide, slope failure or earthquake? What about shoddy construction? Where’s the rebar?

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By HomeownersOfTexas.org

RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE

Was it an Act of God, a landslide, slope failure or earthquake? What about shoddy construction? Where’s the rebar?

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By HomeownersOfTexas.org

RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE

Was it an Act of God, a landslide, slope failure or earthquake? What about shoddy construction? Where’s the rebar?

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By HomeownersOfTexas.org

OTHER CRACKS ALONG THE WALLBad fill dirt on expansive soil with shoddy wall design & construction, no reinforcement, and no City permitting or inspection.

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The wall had none of these design elements

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RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE

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RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE

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By HomeownersOfTexas.org

RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE

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RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE

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RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE

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By HomeownersOfTexas.org

RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE

Notice the roof as the soil moves, the foundation cracks, and the house torques.

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By HomeownersOfTexas.org

RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE

Notice the roof as the soil moves, the foundation cracks, and the house torques.

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By HomeownersOfTexas.org

RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE

Over 90 residents were evacuated. 27 had their Certificate of Occupancy suspended and received Buy-Back offers. Others worry about foundations and a stigma that affects home values.

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RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE

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RIVERMIST Aerial Photos

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RIVERMIST Aerial Photos

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By HomeownersOfTexas.org

RIVERMIST Aerial Photos

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By HomeownersOfTexas.org

RIVERMIST Aerial Photos

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By HomeownersOfTexas.org

RIVERMIST Aerial Photos

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By HomeownersOfTexas.org

RIVERMIST Aerial Photos

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By HomeownersOfTexas.org

RIVERMIST Aerial Photos

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By HomeownersOfTexas.org

RIVERMIST Aerial Photos

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By HomeownersOfTexas.org

RIVERMIST Aerial Photos

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By HomeownersOfTexas.org

RIVERMIST Aerial Photos

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By HomeownersOfTexas.org

RIVERMIST Aerial Photos

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By HomeownersOfTexas.org

RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE

The rains came as workers spread tarps & security guards limited access to the site.

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RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE

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RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE

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RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE

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RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE

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RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE

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RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE

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RIVERMIST BUYBACKSResidents protest and want MORE homes bought back.

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By HomeownersOfTexas.org

RIVERMIST BUYBACKSResidents protest and want MORE homes bought back.

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RIVERMIST BUYBACKSSome dressed as Lemons to protest shoddy construction.

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RIVERMIST BUYBACKSSome protested at the Pulte Group shareholder’s meeting in Michigan.

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RIVERMIST BUYBACKSSome protested at the Pulte Group shareholder’s meeting in Michigan.

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By HomeownersOfTexas.org

RIVERMIST BUYBACKSSome protested at the Pulte Group shareholder’s meeting in Michigan.

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By HomeownersOfTexas.org

CRIME SCENE – Where was Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott? He got over $1 million in campaign contributions from Texas builders. Is that why he didn’t investigate?

NO PERMITS – TX Rep. David Leibowitz voiced concern about fill dirt & construction quality in 2007 before the first wall collapsed. Still, Centex got no permit for the new wall.

DESTRUCTION OF EVIDENCE - Immediately after the latest collapse, Centex brought in heavy equipment to haul off fill dirt and used City police and private security to limit access to and independent inspection of the site.

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By HomeownersOfTexas.org

LOCATED IN NW SAN ANTONIO

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Clear-cut Grading & Terracing

Rather than keep the trees and terrain, Centex clear-cut and graded the land to create premium-priced lots with views.

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Clear-cut Grading & Terracing

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Clear-cut Grading & Terracing

Builders often hold off selling premium lots to drive up demand & price.

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Clear-cut Grading & Terracing

From the Contour Lines, we can see how much fill dirt was added.

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A r e a o f I n te r e s t

Highly Expansive Soil – “Very Limited” for Building

USDA Web Soil Survey Analysis

The City and builder knew, or should have known that the soil conditions were poorly suited for home construction.

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USDA Web Soil Survey Analysis

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USDA Web Soil Survey Analysis

Expansive Clay Soilwith High Shrink-Swell

“Very Limited” for Dwellings on Concrete Slab Foundation

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WATER BALLONTHEORY

This is why the proposed Centex design won’t work.

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APPLYING THE WATER BALLOON THEORY

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Analysis of UK landslide expert

This photo shows evidence that tons of fill can simply squish underneath a wall.