Fixing the Foundation

The Chase Manhattan Bank building, a towering sixty-story skyscraper in Manhattan's financial district, faced a major crisis during its construction. Midway through the project, builders discovered a serious issue: instead of being anchored on solid rock as planned, the massive structure was being erected on quicksand. Without intervention, the building was at risk of sinking, collapsing, and causing significant damage to part of Manhattan.

To address this urgent problem, engineers considered dismantling the framework…