Structural Forensic Engineering Case Studies
DISCLAIMER
Before undertaking any on-demand effort, you should review the rules of your licensing/certifying entity.
It’s your responsibility to determine whether this on-demand course meets your continuing education requirements.
You must take and pass a quiz to receive credit. You can take the quiz as many times as needed and there is no time limit on the quiz.
Once the quiz is completed, you will be asked to download your certificate.
**Any on-demand programs that qualify for AIA or LACES credit will require an additional 2 business weeks for processing.
**AIA credit is not available in USB format.
Streamable MP4/PDF
You will receive an automated email letting you know when your On-Demand package is available approximately 3 business days after the date of the live event or the date of your order, whichever is later. This email will contain links to the video recording, materials, and program quiz.
To track your purchase, you will need to create an account on the website using the email address used for your registration.
For AIA requirements only, the on-demand recording will have occasional question prompts that will not allow the video to progress unless they are answered, and you will not be able to skip forward while watching the video.
Please note, if you attempt to resume watching the video on a separate device, your progress will not be saved.
Click the link which appears at the end of the video to be taken to the course quiz.
You will have unlimited access to the on-demand video recording, and it will never expire.
**Any streamable on-demand programs that qualify for AIA or LACES credit will require an additional 2 business weeks for processing.
USB MP4/PDF
HalfMoon will mail these materials via USPS.
USB orders ship approximately 3 business days after the program takes place or after the order is placed, whichever date is later. Please allow an additional 7-10 business days for shipping.
The link to the quiz will be available in a PDF in your USB drive marked QUIZ.
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Please contact HalfMoon Education if you have any questions during the process of taking this course. (715) 835-5900 or qchapman@halfmoonseminars.org
**Any USB on-demand programs that qualify for LACES credit will require an additional 2 business weeks for processing.
**AIA credit is not available in USB format.
Agenda
Webinar instructions will be emailed before the date of the webinar.
Please log into the webinar 15 – 30 minutes before start time.
Tuesday, March 28, 2023 | 9:00 am – 4:00 pm CDT (including a 30-min. break)
Learning from Catastrophe: The Importance of Studying Structural Failures
- Structural problems and failures throughout history
- Construction disasters
- Design flaws
- Construction flaws
- Damage, distress, deterioration
- Unusual loads
- The development and enforcement of building codes and standards
- Lessons learned from failures
- Historical failures
- 27 AD Fidenae, Italy Stadium Disaster 20,000 dead
- 140 AD Circus Maximus, Rome, Italy 13,000 dead
- 1860 Pemberton Mill Lawrence, MA 1860 88-145 dead
Forensic Case Studies
- 1907 Quebec River Bridge Construction Collapses
- Inadequate design; ignored evidence of problems
- 1919 Molasses Tank Failure, Boston, MA
- Development of material standards and building codes
- 1922 Knickerbocker Theater Collapse, Washington DC
- Heavy snow loading – high occupancy building
- 1968 Ronan Point Tower Collapse, East London, UK
- Progressive collapse
- 1973 Skyline Towers Construction Collapse, Fairfax County, VA
- Premature concrete shoring removal
- 1973 John Hancock Tower Window Failure, Boston, MA
- Wind-induced building flexure; thermal stresses
- 1978 Hartford Civic Center Roof Collapse, East Hartford, CT
- Flawed computer design approach
- 1978 Willow Island Cooling Tower Construction Collapse, WV
- Premature concrete shoring removal. Worst construction disaster in U.S.
- 1979 Kemper Arena Roof Collapse, Kansas City, MO
- Hanger failure; lack of three-dimensional analysis
- 1981 Kansas City Hyatt Regency Walkway Collapse, Kansas City, MO
- Flawed hanger connections modified during construction
- 1987 L’Ambience Plaza Construction Collapse, Bridgeport, CT
- Unstable lift-slab construction system
- 1989 East Coldenham Elementary School Cafetorium Wall Collapse, Newburgh, NY
- Wall not designed to resist wind loading
- 1994 Smith Road Elementary School Cafetorium Roof Collapse, North Syracuse, NY
- Low-capacity, undersized glued-laminated timber beam
- 1995 Sampoong Dept Store Collapse, South Korea
- Inadequate structural design; excessive loading; ignored warning signs
- 2003 Chicago Balcony Collapse, Chicago, IL
- Low-capacity, underdesigned wood framing
- 2007 Interstate 35W Bridge Collapse, Minneapolis, MN
- Undersized steel gusset plates
- 2013 Rana Plaza Building Collapse, Savar, Bangladesh
- Most fatal building collapse since 1st Century A.D. Warning signs ignored.
- 2015 Wilson Hospital Picciano Parking Garage Collapse, Johnson City, NY
- Inadequate structural design; construction flaws
- 2018 Florida International University Pedestrian Bridge construction collapse
- Inadequate design and shoring sequencing; inadequate peer review
- 2021 Champlain Towers South Collapse, Surfside, FL
- Theories of possible causation
Summary
- A concatenation of lessons learned
- Structural condition reviews and failure risk reduction
Webinar Instructions
All attendees must log-on through their own email – attendees may not watch together if they wish to earn continuing education credit. HalfMoon Education Inc. must be able to prove attendance if either the attendee or HalfMoon Education Inc. is audited.
Certificates of completion can be downloaded in PDF form upon passing a short quiz. A link to the quiz will be sent to each qualifying attendee immediately after the webinar. The certificate can be downloaded from the Results page of the quiz upon scoring 80% or higher.
Webinars are presented via GoToWebinar, an easy-to-use application that can be run on most systems and tablets. Instructions and login information will be provided in an email sent close to the date of the webinar. It is highly recommended that you download, install and test the application before the webinar begins by clicking on the link in the email.
GoToWebinar App requirements:
Windows 7 – 10 or Mac OSX Mavericks (10.9) – macOS Catalina (10.15)
Web Browser:
The two most recent version of the following browsers:
Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Microsoft Edge
Internet Explorer v11 (or later) with Flash enabled
Internet connection: Minimum of 1Mbps Hardware: 2GB RAM or more
For more information, visit the Support section at www.gotowebinar.com
Credits
Engineers
6.0 PDHs
Architects
6.0 HSW CE Hours
AIA
6.0 LU|HSWs
International Code Council
0.6 CEUs (Building)
Continuing Education Credit Information
This webinar is open to the public and is designed to qualify for 6.0 PDHs for professional engineers and 6.0 HSW continuing education hours for licensed architects in all states that allow this learning method. Please refer to specific state rules to determine eligibility.
HalfMoon Education is an approved continuing education sponsor for engineers in Florida (Provider No. 0004647), Indiana (License No. CE21700059), Maryland, New Jersey (Approval No. 24GP00000700) and North Carolina (S-0130). HalfMoon Education is deemed an approved continuing education sponsor for New York engineers and architects via its registration with the American Institute of Architects Continuing Education System (Regulations of the Commissioner §68.14(i)(2) and §69.6(i)(2)). Other states do not preapprove continuing education providers or courses.
The American Institute of Architects Continuing Education System has approved this course for 6.0 LU|HSW (Sponsor No. J885). Only full participation is reportable to the AIA CES.
The International Code Council has approved this event for .6 CEUs in the specialty area of Building (Preferred Provider No. 1232).
Attendance will be monitored, and attendance certificates will be available after the webinar for those who attend the entire course and score a minimum 80% on the quiz that follows the course (multiple attempts allowed). .
On-Demand Credits
The above pre-approval(s) only apply to the live presentation. This course in an on-demand format may not be eligible for the same credits as the live presentation; please consult your licensing board(s) to ensure that a structured, asynchronous learning format is appropriate. The following pre-approvals may be available for the on-demand format upon request:
6.0 HSW LUs (AIA)
Speakers
James A. D’Aloisio , P.E. LEED AP
Principal with Klepper, Hahn & Hyatt in Syracuse
Mr. D’Aloisio is a principal with Klepper, Hahn & Hyatt, a structural engineering, landscape architecture, and building envelope services firm in East Syracuse, New York. A graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and is a registered professional engineer in New York and Massachusetts. He is a member and past president (1997 – 1998) of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Syracuse Section, and a member of the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), the American Concrete Institute (ACI), the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), and the Structural Engineers Association of New York State (SEAoNY). Mr. D’Aloisio is a member of ASCE/SEI’s Frost-Protected Shallow Foundations Committee, the Structural Condition Assessment of Existing Buildings Committee, and the Sustainability Committee. Mr. D’Aloisio received the Order of the Engineer at Syracuse University in 1997. His 30-plus years’ experience as a consulting structural engineer has primarily involved the design of new building structures, additions, and modifications, and analyses, assessments, and investigations of structures and facades. Mr. D’Aloisio has performed structural condition reviews of over 15 million square feet of buildings and he has performed over 150 structural forensic investigations. He has presented over 300 times.
AIA Info
AIA Provider Statement:
HalfMoon Education Inc. is a registered provider of AIA-approved continuing education under Provider Number J885. All registered AIA/CES Providers must comply with the AIA Standards for Continuing Education Programs. Any questions or concerns about this provider of learning program may be sent to AIA/CES (cesupport@aia.org or (800) AIA 3837, Option 3).
This learning program is registered with AIA/CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product.
AIA continuing education credit has been reviewed and approved by AIA/CES. Learners must complete the entire learning program to receive continuing education credit. AIA continuing education Learning Units earned upon completion of this course will be reported to AIA/CES for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for both AIA members and non-AIA members are available upon request.
Course Title: Structural Forensic Engineering Case Studies
Delivery Method: Live Online
Course Description: This course begins with an explanation of the importance of studying structural failures, the main causes of failures throughout history, the lessons learned and subsequent development and enforcement of building codes. The main focus of the course are the 20 different case studies that will be closely examined and analyzed. From unusual loading to faulty materials, the selection case studies include a wide range of causes.
Learning Objectives:
Learning Objective 1: Learners will be able to discuss the most common structural problems and failures, including design flaws, construction flaws, unusual loads, damage, distress and deterioration, and responsive development and enforcement of building codes and standards, and lessons learned from history.
Learning Objective 2: Learners will be able to analyze case studies in which heavy snow loads in a high occupancy building caused a collapse and case studies in which premature concrete shoring removal was the cause of failure.
Learning Objective 3: Learners will be able to examine case studies in which a flawed computer design approach was the cause for a roof collapse, and case studies focusing on wind-induced building flexure.
Learning Objective 4: Learners will be able to explore case studies in which a glued-laminated timber beam failed, and case studies in which undersized steel gusset plates contributed to the collapse of an interstate bridge.
LUs: 6.0 LU Type: LU|HSWs.
Prerequisites: Knowledge of structural design
Advance Preparation: None
Program Level: Intermediate
Course Expiration Date: 02/01/2026
Complaint Resolution Policy:
Complaints regarding this course can be emailed to fchapman@halfmoonseminars.org or by calling (715) 835-5900. A HalfMoon Education representative will respond within 72 hours to resolve the complaint, which will include, but not limited to, access to another CE activity at no or reduced cost or a full or partial refund. Each instance will be resolved on a case-by-case situation.