Thankyou for this article. While we must await the results from the NIST’s investigation of the collapse concerning causation, contribution factors and response to prevent recurrence I would say it’s a fair assumption now that this will become a textbook example in years to come of progressive / disproportionate collapse. It vastly exceeds the scope of that previously much-cited example familiar to structural engineers of the Ronan Point building (UK) in May 1968.
This article mentions several times the notion of a cause or trigger for the collapse. The NIST investigation will be needed to determine this. However, I am interested in the origin & liability for the potential progressive collapse and the enormous scope of the damage, which is inherent in the design regardless of construction quality.
Considering the history of structural failures involving disproportionate collapse can anyone cite an example where a designer has been held liable for the scope of damage – NOT for the triggering of localised failure which initiates the collapse??
Another significant example in recent years is the Sasago Tunnel in Japan (Dec 2012). 180m of concrete panel ceiling collapsed after failure of a suspension anchor, killing 9 people & very lucky not to have been more. The framing design was guaranteed to lead to progressive collapse (but I don’t expect any designer liability for damage scope was pursued).
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Thankyou for this article. While we must await the results from the NIST’s investigation of the collapse concerning causation, contribution factors and response to prevent recurrence I would say it’s a fair assumption now that this will become a textbook example in years to come of progressive / disproportionate collapse. It vastly exceeds the scope of that previously much-cited example familiar to structural engineers of the Ronan Point building (UK) in May 1968.
This article mentions several times the notion of a cause or trigger for the collapse. The NIST investigation will be needed to determine this. However, I am interested in the origin & liability for the potential progressive collapse and the enormous scope of the damage, which is inherent in the design regardless of construction quality.
Considering the history of structural failures involving disproportionate collapse can anyone cite an example where a designer has been held liable for the scope of damage – NOT for the triggering of localised failure which initiates the collapse??
Another significant example in recent years is the Sasago Tunnel in Japan (Dec 2012). 180m of concrete panel ceiling collapsed after failure of a suspension anchor, killing 9 people & very lucky not to have been more. The framing design was guaranteed to lead to progressive collapse (but I don’t expect any designer liability for damage scope was pursued).