What went wrong in the Hyatt Regency walkway collapse?
Investigators found that the collapse was the result of changes to the design of the walkway’s steel hanger rods. The two walkways were suspended from a set of 1.25-inch-diameter (32 mm) steel hanger rods, with the second-floor walkway hanging directly under the fourth-floor walkway.
Who was at fault for the Hyatt Regency walkway collapse?
Aftermath. One of the greatest errors made in the construction of the Hyatt Regency walkways was miscommunication. A lack of collaboration between the construction company and the steel contractors lead to faulty prefabrication, unstable design, and an overall shoddy structure.
Who is Daniel M Duncan?
Daniel M. Duncan was a 32-year old structural engineer at the Gillum firm who actually pre- pared or supervised the preparation of the project’s structural drawings. He report- edly designed the single rod concept and approved the fatal change to the two-rod connection, discussed below.
Are skyscrapers designed to sway?
In addition to the vertical force of gravity, skyscrapers also have to deal with the horizontal force of wind. Most skyscrapers can easily move several feet in either direction, like a swaying tree, without damaging their structural integrity.
Who was held primarily responsible for the collapse in the Duncan v Missouri Board for Architects case?
Gillum was found vicariously liable and responsible for the acts and omissions of Duncan which liability and responsibility he assumed by affixing his professional engineering seal on the structural drawings. Sec. 327.411, RSMo 1978.
Did the Hyatt Regency walkway collapse?
Among its conclusions was this: “Even if the now-notorious design shift in the hanger rod details had not been made, the entire design of a l three walkways, including the one which did not collapse, was a significant violation of the Kansas City Building Code.” The Kansas City Hyatt Regency Walkways Collapse.
What’s wrong with the Hyatt Skywalk design?
[The skywalk design] is one of the worst examples of people trying to push off their responsibilities to other parts of the team Since the Hyatt, there has been a lot of activity in the engineering profession to address quality, the final product and how you attain quality.
How did Hyatt Regency walkway design get past Kansas City Building Code?
It is still a mystery how the Hyatt Regency Hotel Walkway design got past the Kansas City Building Code. Surely these rules and regulations were put in place to protect the public from such disasters? The blame game between contractors and engineers began as soon as the walkway collapsed.
What can we learn from the Hyatt collapse?
The Hyatt collapse remains a classic model for the study of engineering ethics and errors, as well as disaster management. Jack D. Gillum (1928–2012) was an engineer of record for the Hyatt project, and he occasionally shared his experiences at engineering conferences in the hope of preventing future mistakes.