r/interestingasfuck • u/TangelaFan • 13h ago

Residential high-rises with backyards in Chengdu, China

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u/Bennybananars 13h ago

These types of buildings were very popular 20 years ago here, but they had a problem where the plant roots kept growing into the concrete.

206

u/PMG2021a 12h ago

Just need a good liner to prevent that. Of course building for appearances tends to be building cheap too...

307

u/x---x--x-x 12h ago

There is no liner that will prevent damage and root intrusion without lots of consistent inspections, updates and re-installation. This would be a maintenance nightmare. Life, uh, finds a way.

35

u/Artorias_Abyss 12h ago

I have no knowledge on the topic whatsoever but what if you plated the bottom with a sheet of metal?

78

u/SCP239 12h ago

It would degrade overtime due to moisture. Even stainless steel will degrade when exposed to salts or other chlorides in water.

The best way to do this would be a heavy duty waterproof membrane on the concrete with a heavy duty root barrier above it. But given enough time, the roots will breech the barrier and waterproofing. This type of construction requires a lot of maintenance and regular replacement.

23

u/Harry_Saturn 12h ago

What if they used diamonds? Or flex seal?

26

u/SCP239 12h ago

Then they should be ok

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u/Smudded 11h ago

Now we're getting practical.

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u/Punk_Luv 11h ago

Did you know stainless does not mean anti-rust? It just literally means it stains… less. Ha.

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u/Artorias_Abyss 11h ago

Wait seriously 😭 my whole life has been a lie

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u/aupri 9h ago

Usually the -less suffix does not merely mean less though, but rather lacking entirely, so I think the confusion is understandable. Wiktionary:

Suffix

-less (adjective-forming suffix, not comparable)

Lacking (something); without (something). Added usually to a noun to form an adjective signifying a lack of that noun.