F. W. Gayle, NIST, Gaithersburg, MD
In September 2002 the National Institute of Standards and Technology became the lead agency in an investigation of the World Trade Center (WTC)disaster. The investigation addresses many aspects of the catastrophe, from occupant egress to factors affecting how long the Twin Towers stood after being hit by the airplanes, with the goal of gaining valuable information for the future. A major part of the investigation is the metallurgical analysis of structural steel from the Twin Towers. The analysis includes characterization of mechanical properties, failure modes, and temperature excursions seen by the steel. This talk on the metallurgical investigation will describe the structure of the towers, steel recovered from the site, and special issues faced in the analysis of the steel.
Summary: In September 2002 the National Institute of Standards and Technology became the lead agency in an investigation of the World Trade Center (WTC)disaster. The investigation addresses many aspects of the catastrophe, from occupant egress to factors affecting how long the Twin Towers stood after being hit by the airplanes, with the goal of gaining valuable information for the future. A major part of the investigation is the metallurgical analysis of structural steel from the Twin Towers. The analysis includes characterization of mechanical properties, failure modes, and temperature excursions seen by the steel. This talk on the metallurgical investigation will describe the structure of the towers, steel recovered from the site, and special issues faced in the analysis of the steel.
