BCT 100
Overview of the
Construction Industry
Structural Failure (continued)
• Strength of Materials Failure
• Engineering / Design Error
• Poor Construction
• Unauthorized Substitution
• Loadings Applied that were not
Considered
Three Examples
• John Hancock Tower, Boston
• Hyatt Regency Hotel, Kansas City
• Citicorp Tower, New York City
• John Hancock Tower, Boston Pei Cobb Freed
Associates, Architects
• Hyatt Regency Hotel, Kansas City
• Citicorp
Tower,
• New York
City
• Photo with plywood for windows
• Kansas City Hyatt Regency, 1981
• Kansas City Hyatt Regency, 1981
• Kansas City Hyatt Regency, 1981
• Kansas City Hyatt Regency, 1981
• 1. Undersized Structural Members
• Kansas City Hyatt Regency, 1981
• 2. Substitution of Design without Check
• Citicorp Tower in NYC
• Citicorp Tower in NYC sits on four huge
columns that are not at the corners
• Citicorp Tower in NYC. Every eight floors
is supported by a huge truss.
• Citicorp Tower
• Under
Construction
• Note the Truss
Construction on
the Tower Shaft
• The Engineer, William LeMessurier
• Catastrophic Structural Failure
• Catastrophic Structural Failure
• Tacoma Narrows
Bridge, Tacoma,
WA
• Galloping Gertie
• Tacoma Narrows Bridge, Tacoma, WA
• Opening Day Ceremony
• Tacoma Narrows Bridge, Tacoma, WA
• High Winds Cause Oscillation in the Bridge Deck
• Tacoma Narrows Bridge, Tacoma, WA
• High Winds Cause Oscillation in the Bridge Deck
• Tacoma Narrows Bridge, Tacoma, WA
• Bridge Design Magnifies Oscillation.
• Bridge Tears Itself Apart
• Charles de Gaulle International Airport
• Paris, France
• Reinforced Concrete ‘Tube’ Structure
• Charles de Gaulle International Airport
• Paris, France
• Exterior Glass Cladding
•
•
•
•
Charles de Gaulle International Airport
Paris, France
Reinforced Concrete ‘Tube’ Structure
Section thru Terminal Building
• Charles de Gaulle International Airport
• Paris, France
• Reinforced Concrete ‘Tube’ Structure
• Charles de Gaulle International Airport
• Paris, France
• Reinforced Concrete ‘Tube’ Structure
• Charles de Gaulle International Airport
• Paris, France
• Reinforced Concrete ‘Tube’ Structure
• Charles de Gaulle
International Airport
• Paris, France
• Reinforced Concrete
‘Tube’ Structure
• Charles de Gaulle International Airport
• Paris, France
• Reinforced Concrete ‘Tube’ Structure
• L’Ambiance Plaza, Bridgeport, CT
• L’Ambiance
Plaza,
Bridgeport,
CT
• Structural
Failure
usually
occurs
surprisingly
quickly
• Slight changes in design or installation can mean
the difference between success and….
• Structural Collapse
• Hartford Coliseum, Hartford CT
• Roof Collapse
• Hartford Coliseum, Hartford CT
• Roof Collapse
• B and O Railway Roundhouse
• Roof Collapse due to snow load
• Understanding prevailing winds and snow
loading
• Understanding prevailing winds and snow
loading
• Understanding prevailing winds and snow
loading
• Ice Accumulation on a telecommunications tower
in Kansas
• Snow and Ice Damage on a smaller scale
• Water Infiltration as a demolition tool
• Minneapolis MI Freeway Bridge
• Minneapolis
MI Freeway
Bridge
• Minneapolis MI Freeway Bridge
• Adequate
Consideration
Prior to Work
Being Done Can
Prevent This
• Adequate
Consideration
Prior to Work
Being Done Can
Prevent This
• Who said “Just
Put it Up There”
• Adequate
Consideration
Prior to Work
Being Done Can
Prevent This
• Demolition
Workers Caused
This
• Adequate
Consideration
Prior to Work
Being Done
Can Prevent
This
• Demolition
Workers
Caused This
• If Given Options, Consider Where You Build
• Don’t Be Afraid to
Second Guess your
Design Team and
Ask Questions
• MGM Grand Hotel,
Las Vegas, Nevada
• No Sprinkler System
Installed. 85 Dead,
Hundreds Injured
• Don’t Be Afraid to
Second Guess your
Design Team and
Ask Questions
• MGM Grand Hotel,
Las Vegas, Nevada
• No Sprinkler System
Installed. 85 Dead,
Hundreds Injured
• Some Building Collapses are intentionally
engineered
• Las Vegas Seems to Do This on a Regular
Basis
• Desert Inn Hotel, Las Vegas Nevada
• The Sands Hotel, Las Vegas Nevada
• The Stardust Hotel, Las Vegas Nevada
• Intentional Demolition is also used as a
weapon
• Oklahoma
City, OK 1995
• Alfred P.
Murrah
Federal
Building
destroyed by
Terrorists
• World Trade Center, NYC
• Light Weight
Steel Trusses
and Decking
Supported the
Floors in the
World Trade
Center, NYC
• Light Weight Steel Trusses and Decking
Supported the Floors in the World Trade Center,
NYC
• Earthquake Damage, San Francisco, CA
1906
• Earthquake Damage, San Francisco, CA
1906
• Mind the Gap
• San Francisco, CA Earthquake 1906. Piles
of Bricks are from Cornice Collapse
• Earthquake Damage, San Francisco, CA
• Earthquake Damage, San Francisco, CA
• Earthquake Damage, San Francisco, CA
• Earthquake Damage, San Francisco, CA
• Earthquake Damage, San Francisco, CA