Failing Forward - Construction Failure Case Studies Series

Failures, including catastrophic collapses and deficient performance problems, may be caused by various issues including design errors, construction defects, material deficiencies, and others. Professionals from sectors of architecture, engineering and construction need learn from both successes and failures occurring in the built environment to improve design, engineering and construction practices. The Education Committee of Forensic Engineering Division has been tasked by American Society of Civil Engineers to publish failure case studies to promote failure literacy of professionals and to reduce risk to the general public. This presentation discusses twenty-four case studies including steel and concrete structure failures and failures due to ethical issues recently developed by the committee to supplement two editions of the Failure in Civil Engineering book since 1995. Interactive discussions will be made during the presentation on how to use the case studies to recognize root causes of failures, which often are a result of multiple factors. It concludes learning lessons from previous failures is an effective way to promote failure prevention.