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team_2_hyatt_regency_hotel_.ppsxTechnical Miscommunication: Hyatt Regency Hotel
Team 2:
John Swarts
Laura McGimpsey
Elizabeth Anderson
[http://realitypod.com/]
Outline
Background
Investigation
Graphic Representation
Structural Cause of Failure
Failure in Communication
Clarity
Ethics
Video Case Study Providing Key Insights
[http://www.tallbridgeguy.com/]
Background
When? July 17th, 1981
Where? Hyatt Regency Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri
What? Collapse of the 2nd and 4th floor walkways in the mall’s atrium during a party hosted in the lobby
United States' most devastating structural failure to date: The walkways’ collapse resulted in 114 deaths and over 200 injuries.
[http://skywalk.kansascity.com/]
Investigation
“It wasn’t a matter of doing something wrong, they just never did it at all. Nobody ever did any calculations to figure out whether or not the particular connection that held the skywalks up would work. It got built without anybody ever figuring it out if it would be strong enough. It just slipped through the cracks.”
-Patrick Larney, attorney representing the State Licensing Board
https://books.google.com/books?id=ei8MBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA144&lpg=PA144&dq=It+wasn%27t+a+matter+of+doing+something+wrong,+they+just+never+did+it+at+all.+Nobody+ever+did+any+calculations%E2%80%A6.+It+got+built+without+anybody+figuring+out+if+it+would+be+strong+enough.&source=bl&ots=8xbhipJl-G&sig=XC7hbr4YGp_ITrJAVs6fA_e2oVw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwii1e3q87rOAhUDcRQKHaZzADoQ6AEIHDAA#v=onepage&q=It%20wasn't%20a%20matter%20of%20doing%20something%20wrong%2C%20they%20just%20never%20did%20it%20at%20all.%20Nobody%20ever%20did%20any%20calculations%E2%80%A6.%20It%20got%20built%20without%20anybody%20figuring%20out%20if%20it%20would%20be%20strong%20enough.&f=false
[commandsafety.com]
Graphic Representation - Before and After
Structural Cause of Failure
The design of the hanger rod connections was changed in a series of events and disputedcommunications between the fabricator (Havens Steel Company) and the engineering design team (G.C.E. International, Inc., a professional engineering firm). The fabricator changed the design from a one-rod to a two-rod system to simplify the assembly task, doubling the load on the connector, which ultimately resulted in the walkways collapse.
How it was built
How it should have been built
Structural Cause of Failure
Original design, set by engineering firm called for a single rod to connect the walkways to the ceiling
Puts strain on the rod (stronger option)
Steel manufacturer was unsure if a rod at the requested length was possible, so he suggested the two rod system
Engineers okay-ed the two rod design without running any tests. They thought it was the construction company’s design to clear the specifications
Puts strain on cross-beam section (only ⅓ of necessary strength)
Structural Cause of Failure
This stress on the cross-beam section was too much and the rod slipped through and both the 2nd and 4th floor walkways fell.
Failure in Communication
Clarity
Lack of communication about updates on revised designs
Uncertainty of individual roles in the team
Ethics
Accredited engineers failed to take responsibility for proper calculations
Neglected to follow professional code of ethics
Failure in Communication
When the steel fabricator received the plans from the engineers, he assumed that they had been “designed,” when in fact they were not.
To be designed means that the plans have been proven on paper to do the job that they’re intended to do. In this case, it was to support the forces and weight of the walkways itself and potential loads.
What that means is that no one actually ever did the math to check if it could hold the weight. No one checked the fabrication’s edited drawings
The engineers assumed the steel manufacturers would check the two-rod system
The steel manufacturer assumed the engineers would check the two-rod system
American Society of Civil Engineers Code of Ethics
Canon 3: “Engineers shall issue public statements only in an objective and truthful manner”
The engineers on the project failed to provide truthful accounts for their actions and, in so doing, failed to comply with professional code of ethics
“It was basically a lack of communication - it was the expectation of the professional engineer that all he had to do was come up with the basic design concept…”
Paul Spinden, Assistant Attorney General related to the case
ASCE Case Study Providing Key Insights
“Hyatt Regency Walkway Collapse: Ethics Case Study No. 4” Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98l3Us8IU-I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98l3Us8IU-I
