“The Sampoong Department Store Collapse was a structural

failure that occurred on June 29, 1995 in the Seocho-gu

District of Seoul, South Korea. The collapse is the largest
peace time disaster in South Korean history –501 people died
and 937 were injured.”
 The Sampoong Department Store collapse was a structural
failure that occurred on June 29, 1995 in the Seocho-gu
District of Seoul, South Korea. This event is documented as
the largest peacetime disaster in South Korean history. On
the morning of June 29, just after 8:00 AM, the Sampoong
Department Store facilities manager discovered a note on his
desk left by the night guard.
The guard stated that he had heard strange noises coming
from the roof. Upon investigation, the manager noticed large
cracks in the rooftop, well aware that they had been caused
by the improper removal of three air conditioning units two
years prior.
 Approximately two hours later, the manager’s
presence was requested in a restaurant on the fifth floor.
Workers had noticed a large crack and sinking of the
floor around the base of one of the columns. The
manager instructed the workers to keep this information
classified for now, as to not start any gossip that would
negatively affect the reputation of the store.

As noon approached, individuals on the 5 th floor

heard a disturbing sound and the rest of the building
underwent mild vibrations.
 At 12:30 PM, the facilities manager decided to turn
off the air conditioning unit, thinking that that was the
source of the vibrations. By 4:00 PM, the cracks in the
restaurant had widened to four inches and the facilities
manager called a meeting between himself, the store
owner and the structural engineer.

The engineer recommended that the store be closed

for repairs but the owner refused so that shopping
would continue. At 5:40 PM, a loud bang was heard
from the top floor and the ceiling shifted.
 At 5:47 PM, an even louder bang roared from
the top floor. Finally, at 5:52 PM, a massive
shock wave rocked the entire building and the
five-storey building began to crumble.

In less than twenty seconds, the entire building

had collapsed to the ground. Approximately
1500people were trapped inside. By the end of the
rescue efforts, it was determined that 501 people
died and 937 were injured.
Location Seocho-gu district of Seoul, South Korea (previously a landfill)

Completed 1989

Open to the Public July 7, 1990

Visitor flow Approx. 40,000 per day

Steel Reinforced Concrete

Originally an office building (supports had to be removed for escalators)
Spec. North Wing and South Wing connected by atrium
5 stories tall
8 restaurants on 5th floor with heated flooring

Collapsed June 29, 1995

210 billion won

Damages (in dollars)
(216 million U.S.D.)

Injured 937

Death toll 502

Timeline of Events
Leading to Sampoong
Department Store Collapse
August 29, 1976: The region was assigned as residential apartments area.

April 29, 1977: Basic development plan for the apartment area was approved.

March 24, 1986: Basic development for the apartment are was changed to a
district's center area from a residential area.

July 21, 1987: The construction was permitted after the business plan was
approved by the administrative office of Seoul City (2,531,246.5 ft^2).

November 27, 1989: Change of the business plan was approved by the

administrative office in Seocho District. This was later ratification about the
change in design and service after the change was accomplished. The building
area was enlarged as much as 73,621.6 ft^2.
November 30, 1989: 1st temporary operation was approved for the period from
December 1, 1989 to February 27, 1990.

1989: Construction is completed.

December 1, 1989: The department was open. There was no a review process

July 7, 1990: The store is open to the public.

1993: The department store's three air-conditioning units are repositioned. They are
put on rollers and dragged across the roof. The main support columns
of the structure are forced downward. Column 5E receives damage. Cracks occur
where Column 5E meets the 5th floor.

June 29 1995:

8:05 AM: Store facility manager investigates note left by night-shift security guard.
The security guard heard strange noises on the roof during the night.

10:02 AM: Store facility manager finds large cracks around one of the department
stores columns (Column 5E) 
 Restaurant where column is
located is closed.
Column 5E Breaking Point (image courtesy of Science Direct- Cement and Concrete: Lessons from Sampoong Department Store Collapse
Midday: Customers hear strange sounds, the structure starts to
have small vibrations.

12:30 PM: Store facility manager thinks air conditioning units

are to blame for vibrations. He shuts them off.

4:00 PM: The store facility manager explains to the head

manager that the cracks around Column 5E have increased to 4
inches since the morning. The
structural engineer who built the store complex is present at
this meeting. He recommends closing the store immediately
for urgent repairs.
The head manager refuses.
5:40 PM: Customers hear a loud noise from the top floor, the
ceiling shifts.

5:47 PM: Customers hear an even louder disturbance from the

top floor.

5:52 PM: Entire building vibrates violently. Building

progressively collapses in less than 20 seconds.
Immediate Cause

The immediate cause is the structural degradation of Column 5E. Two

years before the collapse of the building, the management received noise
complaints regarding working air conditioning (A/C) units. In response, the
A/C units were moved using rollers instead of cranes, which in turn, caused
visible cracks on the roof. Due to each A/C unit weighing 15 tons, the roof
experienced more stress, which propagated to each of the columns.
Additionally, when the new A/C units were turned on, vibrations were sent
along the roof and the supporting columns, whereby Column 5E seemed to be
affected the most. Eventually, cracks around Column 5E widened until the
column could no longer withstand the stress incurred, thus causing the fifth
floor concrete slab to crumble and the entire building to collapse.
 Basic Causes
1. One of the basic causes includes the approval of the extra fifth floor
and then the approval of using restaurants to fill that extra fifth floor.

Originally, the building was intended to have only four floors.

However, management wanted to have more space, and
therefore concluded on adding an additional 5th floor. The floor's initial
plan was mainly comprised of a roller skating rink, but later changed to
include eight restaurants. Incorporating the eight restaurants required a
thicker concrete slab to accommodate floor heating.
When the contracting construction company was informed of this
change, they informed management that this change was not feasible
due to the structure not designed to support the extra
weight. Consequently, management fired and replaced the contractor.
2. Another basic cause is the use of poor construction materials and poor
building designs. 

It was determined that the concrete used for the columns and floor
slabs was of substandard quality. Furthermore, the building designs did
not reflect engineering load-bearing calculations, possibly due to time
and budget constraints. Nevertheless, management was well informed of
these inadequate materials and designs, but continued with the
construction of the building.

Design changes, poor materials, and incompetent designs ultimately

relate to the basic cause of an ineffective safety program. It appears as
though the safety program was non existent for the fact that any person
or company that reported any flaws in design or materials was quickly
removed and replaced with ones who complied.
 Diagram of forces of
moving air conditioning
units

How column 5E was

damaged
Vibrations from AC units cause further damage to
Column 5E
 The public outcry was extraordinary. A government survey of
high-rise construction in South Korea revealed that 14% of all
high-rise structures in
the country were unsafe, 84% needed repair work, and only 2%
met government safety standards. (Wearne, 2000)

In the end, Joon Lee, chairman of Sampoong,

was found guilty of criminal negligence and jailed for 10 years.
His son, Han-Sang Lee, was jailed for 7 years for corruption and
accidental homicide.
The Sampoong collapse was the largest loss of life in a single
construction disaster. (Seconds from Disaster, 2006) Pitifully, it
was due to corporate corruption and greed.
 The Sampoong Department store collapsed due to
ignorance and punching shear failure. The flat-slab
construction allowed for the entire building to fall like a
house of cards after the roof collapsed.
In hind sight, this disaster should have been
prevented long before construction
was completed.
Diagram of Punching Shear on Coulmn 5E
3. Also, management failed to fully re evaluate potential
hazards for each change in design.

Accordingly, there was little priority placed on the

safety and wellbeing of not only current construction
workers, but also future patrons of the department store.
Management was driven solely by profit and
disregarded the building regulations that are in place to
prevent harm against society.
 Conclusions
• From the beginning, signs of danger were evident. The addition of the fifth floor was
completely unnecessary; greed lead the executives of Sampoong to hastily make decisions that
only benefited their business. Their oversights and stubbornness throughout construction
doomed the building before it was even completed. In addition to incorrect construction and
structural practices, executives refused to heed the advice of structural engineers repeatedly.

• Lax inspections, change of the engineers and architects plans without permission, and
miscalculated dead loads were the norm in Korea in the late 20th century. The Sampoong
collapse only made the public aware of a deadly problem that plagued their structures. Out of
the investigation, 14% of South Korean skyscrapers were unsafe, 84% needed repair, and only
2% met codes and government standards. Unfortunately, the Sampoong disaster could have
been avoided many different times throughout it's construction and lifespan.

• Luckily, the collapse made Korea aware of its backward business practices and sub-standard
construction. Structures are central to economy and life as we know it and are used for many
different things. In the future, however, those in
charge of what goes on inside the building don't necessarily control the building. Engineers
and architects plans and calculations are of the utmost importance and when altered, can lead
to large
losses of life.
 Recommendations
• Implement a coherent safety and loss management
program
This recommendation is crucial to the prosperity of
the Sampoong group. Implementing such a program
would allow for revenue to be made without sacrificing
the safety of people. Ultimately, by applying
this program, management is able to recognize that
essential notion that safety is much more valuable than
profit.
• Implement a safety culture in which safety is always
considered a greater priority than profits
• Punching Shear Failure - a type of failure of reinforced
concrete slabs subjected to high, localized forces.
• Flat-Slab Construction - a construction method that
employs concrete floor slabs without beams, using
diagonal and orthogonal patterns of reinforcing bars.
• Joon Lee - chairman of the Sampoong Department Store;
sentenced to 10 years of prison for criminal negligence.
• Hang-San Lee - son of Joon Lee and manager; sentenced
to 7 years for corruption and accidental homicide.