On Thu, 30 Mar 2006 19:37:57 +0800, "Observer"
I'm glad you had your smilie face on when you said that! Did those buildings also have fire? Perhaps it was how the force was applied - for example 90 degree angle iron is extremely rigid and has immense strength when subjected to a lateral force, but it is pathetically weak when twisted.
I wonder if there is any structural similarity between the 3 buildings that collapsed, that is not shared by those that didn't (the company that supplied the steel, or the architects that designed them, for example).
A long shot perhaps - it may just mean that impact was simply a smaller part of the equation than one would expect. Why would they do that - Americans are sticklers for knowing the facts (take the space shuttles for example). They are rarely scared to admit they are wrong, and they take pride in fixing errors they have made. Also, they have no compunction about sharing their knowledge with anyone who will listen.
Getting rid of the steel without a complete investigation is just so out of character for the US.
Exactly correct.
If the steel was within spec the buildings would still be standing, and all of this would be irrelavent.
So do I.
But lets look at it this was.
If the cause of the collapse was through impact and heat, then the steel was below spec.
If the steel was to spec, either the original calculations were in error, in which case they would never have remained standing, or the collapse was caused by forces outside impact and heat.
If that is the case, what those forces might be, I have no idea.
But there is plenty of speculation.
Is this a thing that buildings are regularly checked for?
The steel was covered with sprayed on fire retardent - perhaps a check couldn't even be accomplished. I read that a check was carried out of the fire retardent a while before the collapse, and was found to be inadequate in areas.
Does high grade, high content carbon steel chip or crack? - I know its crystaline structure will fracture and even shatter under duress.
Perhaps the normal everyday stress was close to, but not adequate enough to cause visible damage, just enough to weaken the molecular bond of the metal.
Who knows - but this is really getting into the realms of speculation.
No steel - no investigation! It's just downright strange - it is not the way the US usually handles this type of investigation.
I know it was a very emotional time, due to the loss of life - but surely this would make America more stringent in its investigation, not less to the point of negligence.
I have always found the American people (not the government, the actual population) to be honest and forthwright, Those I have met were simply nice, decent folks.
It just does not add up that the general population would be happy with, or party to a cover-up or a poor investigation.
So what happened?
Artie...
