Richard Gage, AIA, architect for more than 23 years, uses only scientific and forensic principles to argue that the the three World Trade Center skyscrapers could not have collapsed on September 11th 2001, by plane impacts and jet fuel alone. — benzinga.com
15 Comments
cuckoo! cuckoo!
Finally!
Its sad that 1500 engineers and Architects dont understand the construction methods used to build these towers. They fell exactly the way a hollow tube would fall with internal lightweight floors collapsing on each other. This structure was incredibly strong and flexible in the lateral direction, but weak in the vertical. An accelerated mass allowed to fall 12 feet creates immense force and simply overwhelmed the dinky little clip angles that seated the light weight trusses. These idiots are probably AIA members too. They can tell all about contract law but fail at their professional body of knowledge. Shame on them and the editors for even giving them exposure.
As someone who has years of experience in architectural forensics, this is utter bullshit.
The fact that he is going on tour to talk about this and charging admission is another indication that he is just another hack architect trying to make a buck. Way to set your profession back.
it must be true if it's on benzinga
WTC 7 was the third building to completely collapse. It's structural system was not a "hollow tube" (the twin towers were not exactly hollow tubes either when you consider the massive central columns). WTC7 was 47 stories and was not hit by a plane. It suffered damage from falling debris and office fires. In my opinion this building deserves a new investigation to understand how it could have been saved. We over-design buildings for the safety of the occupants, but also to preserve the properties themselves. There are many examples of steel framed buildings where fire raged for longer and they did not collapse. I think most of us have to admit we were surprised to see complete collapse of the twin towers that day. You can accept the "pancake theory" for WTC 1 & 2, but not 7. Most people don't even know about 7 because it was dropped by the media immediately after initial reports.
I could understand 15 or even 150. You can always find that many kooks in any field. But at 1500, either someone is lying or stupidity is running rampant in our profession. This Richard Gage forgot the only scientific principal he needed. F = M x A. As "trenzetter" stated, approximately 20 floors falling 12 and in some cases 24, feet produces forces way beyond the carrying capacity of the vertical frame's ability to resist. What a putz.
Oh please. WTC 7 was a clusterfuck of engineering quick fixes for a building trying maximize floor space overcoming a serious ground floor easement. The entire weight of the building was shifted to a dozen cantilevers on the 5-7 floor who transferred the load to a relatively insufficient foundation. Up until the 5th floor, it's standard girder construction. Past the 7th floor, however, the building is a hollow tube. Not to mention, the building does have a floating granite facade (which probably weighs as much as the building interior). Videos of the building collapsing show no pressure differentials as most of the glass on the windows remained intact even as the building was falling.
There maybe steel-framed buildings where fires have burned hotter and longer but I doubt there's any fires that have burned in buildings with cantilevers that are shit is b-a-n-a-n-a-s.
Really, at this point... despite the horrible tragedy... all I can do is LOL over the entire situation because of the ridiculousness and outright perversion that's twisted a solemn day into a circus maximus.
Building Seven was not a hollow core above the 7th floor. The interior core columns extended through all floors. The granite facade was a relatively thin veneer and only a small part of the interior dead and live loads used for design. The building housed offices of the CIA, Secret Service, IRS, NY Office of Emergency Management, Securities and Exchange Commission among others, so it is unlikely these would be placed in a poorly engineered/unsafe building. Also, cantilever failure happens asymmetrically, not symmetrically at free fall speed into it's own footprint.
Looks hollow to me.
I see about 24 core columns. Hollow implies perimeter columns only. Spans, short and long, happen in every building - making space.
Paul and Archinect, why are you furthering something that does little but bring collective embarassment to the whole profession? There are literally hundreds of examples of bad buildings and good forensics work in our profession but you link to some no-name site covering a story that hasn't gone anywhere in 10 years? Come on. Do better.
Gobshite!
Who are these '1500' architects? Names, current licensing? Don't believe they exist.
If they do, then, are these 'Architects' so poisoned by their politics that they have suspend all the tools in their training, and common sense, risking professional credibility.
Why is this news or even a basis for discussion in this venue?
please do your research and wake up! it's disturbing to see so many colleagues holding on to the official story...
9/11 was an inside job!
the best way to find the truth is to do a mock-up
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