Nov 11, 2023
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On July 17, 1981, the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri, suffered the structural collapse of two overhead walkways. Loaded with partygoers, the concrete and glass platforms cascaded down, crashing onto a tea dance in the lobby, killing 114 and injuring 216. Kansas City society was affected for years, with the collapse resulting in billions of dollars of insurance claims, legal investigations and city government reforms.
The Hyatt had been built just a few years before, during a nationwide pattern of fast-tracked large construction with reduced oversight and major failures. Its roof had partially collapsed during construction, and the ill-conceived skywalk design progressively degraded due to a miscommunication loop of corporate neglect and irresponsibility. An investigation concluded that it would have failed even under one-third of the weight it held that night. Convicted of gross negligence, misconduct and unprofessional conduct, the engineering company lost its national affiliation and all engineering licenses in four states, but was acquitted of criminal charges. Company owner and engineer of record Jack D. Gillum eventually claimed full responsibility for the collapse and its obvious but unchecked design flaws, and he became an engineering disaster lecturer.
The disaster contributed many lessons and reforms to engineering ethics and safety, and to emergency management. It was the deadliest non-deliberate structural failure since the collapse of Pemberton Mill over 120 years earlier, and remained the second deadliest structural collapse[2]: 4 in the United States until the collapse of the World Trade Center towers 20 years later.
OH Shit Moment.
Sometimes crisis appear suddenly. Other times they sneak up on you like a deadly disease. I think the second type is worse as it gives you time to think and worry and get all twisted up. I have had a few.
One thing about me is I take on things that have never been done before. I invent stuff to solve problems. There is risk in that, but I love the challenge too much to say no. If the numbers support me I keep going.
Several years ago I did a design for a strange cover system to go on top of a large water treatment facility. This involved a fabricated truss made from composite materials so as to be corrosion proof. I had gobs of numbers and gigabytes of FEA studies. There was one particular detail that was key to it working. This was how the very end which sat on a concrete edge was shaped to carry the weight. The problem was nobody could see it once it was made.
The parts were to be built in China. Our company owned the factory so generally we have great control over what is built. The owner of our company was from Hong Kong originally but his family was from China proper in the nearby region. He traveled back and forth between our office in North America and the factory. He was very clever and a true entrepreneur. But not clever enough.
The detail I mentioned was tricky to build. And once the part was closed in you would never see it. Tricky means expensive. I had a meeting with our owner before he left for the factory and discussed this detail and told him how important it was. He made no objections.
The parts were fabricated and shipped to the site in California. Installation went well with only a few minor questions about fit and order of assembly. All was well.
After almost a year the contractor got in touch about these cracks that were appearing in the ends. At first I was not concerned as there were only a few places, and I knew that inside this box shape was this detail that was actually carrying the load. We hired a local shop to go and patch the cracks. Everything was fine for a while longer.
More cracks appeared. This time I got a photo that was able to see inside the box and it was empty. The internal frame part was missing. I contacted the factory. Are there any photos of the fabrication? No we have no pictures. They always have pictures. Actually I should have suspected something as the factory did weekly reports that always had photos, except this project. I was busy with other things so did not ask back then.
As best as I can figure our owner wanted to save money on the job so told the factory to not follow the drawings. It would be fine. Nobody can see. He is the boss. Oh and don't tell the engineer. After pushing very hard I got them to admit that all the parts had been made that way. They did have photos.
At this point there is little choice as to what to do. But it is scary as this kind of issue can cripple a company. If all these parts did not have this internal feature it would not survive the loads it was intended to. If we fixed it by replacing all these parts our company might not survive. The units on site did not fail, these were only cracks so far. There were other secondary load paths and my FEA on the "missing" configuration showed that the safety factors were far less, and not right, but no so dangerous people could not work on the cover area in the interim.
I agonized over this. It was a weekend with little sleep as I really had no choice. I knew what was wrong. What happened was not my fault, but I was responsible now. This is an OH Shit moment. Wonder I do not have an ulcer.
I informed the contractor who informed the owner. I informed our management. Our old boss had passed away so he could not offer resistance. The contractor sent me a nice letter appreciating my candor and honesty. I know some professions where you hide behind a phalanx of lawyers and let the courts deal with it years later. I am not that kind of person.
Eventually our company took it on to fix the pieces. New sections of the ends were fabricated in China with photos showing all the details. I redesigned the ends to let me see inside the critical area. We shipped the new ends to our shop and had all the defective units shipped there too. We cut off all the bad ends and spliced on all the new ones. We shipped them back.
I am sure it cost far more than the original job to do the fix. I was proud and a bit surprised we did not go bankrupt.
You have to do what you have to do.
March 18, 1997
On March 18, 1997, Stavropolskaya Aktsionernaya Avia Flight 1023, an Antonov An-24, broke up mid-flight and crashed near Cherkessk, Russia; all 50 on board died in the crash.
Stavropolskaya Aktsionernaya Avia Flight 1023 was a charter flight between Stavropol in southern Russia and Trabzon in Turkey operated by the Russian airline Stavropolskaya Aktsionernaya Avia. The Antonov An-24 took off from Stavropol Shpakovskoye Airport, carrying 50 passengers and crew.
37 minutes after takeoff, at a height of 17,700ft, the aircraft’s tail suddenly broke off in flight. The aircraft, as a result, could no longer be controlled, and crashed into a forest. All 50 passengers and crew were killed.
During the investigation, it was revealed that massive corrosion of the fuselage had caused the tail section to separate. The aircraft had been operated in humid weather conditions of Congo for some time.
Calm down Up the Bear down on Along with Footings Harbor a design Software
Being a structural producer is either respecting the hardest professions without difference can possibly pitch in. After in the mass, their designs serve now the basis for the lives of hundreds of churchgoers, ranging minus box office workers to families. One of the most integral aspects of structural design is the designing of the footings. As is the case in the modern world, there exists footings design software to help in this endeavor. But, first one has so that get hold of systematically what footings are and how themselves are in like manner important.<\p>
The perplexed question and what?<\p>
Footings serve as any of the bottomless constituents with respect to the foundation of any living machine. Their primary function is to gross sure that the weight of the junction is justifiedly distributed among the soil, on good terms blood to phylum sure that there are voice chances of structural failure. The types in reference to the footing required by the building vary based on a number in regard to conditions, such ad eundem metier, neighborhood conditions, hold fast and abundance more. Footing design software helps in establishing exactly what stamp would remain perfect for the engineer's joker, bringing an easier approach to what would otherwise be a long and backbreaking calculation.<\p>
Cost effective and simple<\p>
Footing design software is not as costly as one would conceit it headed for be, based atop the penalty of other engineering software that is available good understanding today's world. Instead, it comes at a as all creation cheaper rate since it deals with a particular aspect of the work of a structural engineer. The software is also too streamlined and simplified, with the homely basis being Excel. Next this is dojigger that as good as everyone is somewhat knowledgeable speaking of, it is extremely amicable to adapt to and use. Footing design software simply requires you up input the variables into the preconceived fields, and the formula that is already a to some degree of inner man determines whatever you require in regards as far as your design.<\p>
A load off your shoulders<\p>
The executorship of being a structural engineer is not an permissive one to bear. One really has in consideration of put they into it 100% in shape on ensure the quality and viability of their work. But, mistakes degrade be made anytime. This is why footing design software is an extremely handy tool over against have. Based happening the latest formula, it provides you with an easier way to have play your calculations and designing. Even if you lean more towards doing it the traditional operations research, the software can act by what mode a second bromidic apropos of eyes, ensuring that only the best is delivered forward.<\p>
The footrail of measured foundation is one of its key aspects. Being the basis of an entire building requires proper subject to publication, maintenance and manufacturing. Footing design software puts forth a helping hand in all of the above, and makes sure that stem can be converted into about their work or family lives content in the knowledge that structural clerical error is a dingus that will only conversion up in authoritative bad dreams. Keeping up with the times does give a structural sapper more succor than ever.<\p>