SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
Objective 1: Determine why and how WTC 1 and WTC 2 collapsed following the initial impacts of the aircraft.
The two aircraft hit the towers at high speed and did considerable damage to principal structural components (core columns, floors, and perimeter columns) that were directly impacted by the aircraft or associated debris. However, the towers withstood the impacts and would have remained standing were it not for the dislodged insulation (fireproofing) and the subsequent multi-floor fires. The robustness of the perimeter frame-tube system and the large size of the buildings helped the towers withstand the impact. The structural system redistributed loads from places of aircraft impact, avoiding larger scale damage upon impact. The hat truss, a feature atop each tower which was intended to support a television antenna, prevented earlier collapse of the building core. In each tower, a different combination of impact damage and heat-weakened structural components contributed to the abrupt structural collapse.
In WTC 1, the fires weakened the core columns and caused the floors on the south side of the building to sag. The floors pulled the heated south perimeter columns inward, reducing their capacity to support the building above. Their neighboring columns quickly became overloaded as columns on the south wall buckled. The top section of the building tilted to the south and began its descent. The time from aircraft impact to collapse initiation was largely determined by how long it took for the fires to weaken the building core and to reach the south side of the building and weaken the perimeter columns and floors.
In WTC 2, the core was damaged severely at the southeast corner and was restrained by the east and south walls via the hat truss and the floors. The steady burning fires on the east side of the building caused the floors there to sag. The floors pulled the heated east perimeter columns inward, reducing their capacity to support the building above. Their neighboring columns quickly became overloaded as columns on the east wall buckled. The top section of the building tilted to the east and to the south and began its descent. The time from aircraft impact to collapse initiation was largely determined by the time for the fires to weaken the perimeter columns and floor assemblies on the east and the south sides of the building. WTC2 collapsed more quickly than WTC 1 because there was more aircraft damage to the building core, including one of the heavily loaded corner columns, and there were early and persistent fires on the east side of the building, where the aircraft had extensively dislodged insulation from the structural steel.
The WTC towers likely would not have collapsed under the combined effects of aircraft impact damage and the extensive, multi-floor fires that were encountered on September11, 2001, if the thermal insulation had not been widely dislodged or had been only minimally dislodged by aircraft impact.
In the absence of structural and insulation damage, a conventional fire substantially similar to or less intense than the fires encountered on September 11, 2001, likely would not have led to the collapse of a WTC tower.
NIST found no corroborating evidence for alternative hypotheses suggesting that the WTC towers were brought down by controlled demolition using explosives planted prior to September 11, 2001. NIST also did not find any evidence that missiles were fired at or hit the towers. Instead, photographs and videos from several angles clearly showed that the collapse initiated at the fire and impact floors and that the collapse progressed from the initiating floors downward, until the dust clouds obscured the view.
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
Objective 1: Determine why and how WTC 1 and WTC 2 collapsed following the initial impacts of the aircraft.
The two aircraft hit the towers at high speed and did considerable damage to principal structural components (core columns, floors, and perimeter columns) that were directly impacted by the aircraft or associated debris. However, the towers withstood the impacts and would have remained standing were it not for the dislodged insulation (fireproofing) and the subsequent multi-floor fires. The robustness of the perimeter frame-tube system and the large size of the buildings helped the towers withstand the impact. The structural system redistributed loads from places of aircraft impact, avoiding larger scale damage upon impact. The hat truss, a feature atop each tower which was intended to support a television antenna, prevented earlier collapse of the building core. In each tower, a different combination of impact damage and heat-weakened structural components contributed to the abrupt structural collapse.
In WTC 1, the fires weakened the core columns and caused the floors on the south side of the building to sag. The floors pulled the heated south perimeter columns inward, reducing their capacity to support the building above. Their neighboring columns quickly became overloaded as columns on the south wall buckled. The top section of the building tilted to the south and began its descent. The time from aircraft impact to collapse initiation was largely determined by how long it took for the fires to weaken the building core and to reach the south side of the building and weaken the perimeter columns and floors.
In WTC 2, the core was damaged severely at the southeast corner and was restrained by the east and south walls via the hat truss and the floors. The steady burning fires on the east side of the building caused the floors there to sag. The floors pulled the heated east perimeter columns inward, reducing their capacity to support the building above. Their neighboring columns quickly became overloaded as columns on the east wall buckled. The top section of the building tilted to the east and to the south and began its descent. The time from aircraft impact to collapse initiation was largely determined by the time for the fires to weaken the perimeter columns and floor assemblies on the east and the south sides of the building. WTC2 collapsed more quickly than WTC 1 because there was more aircraft damage to the building core, including one of the heavily loaded corner columns, and there were early and persistent fires on the east side of the building, where the aircraft had extensively dislodged insulation from the structural steel.
The WTC towers likely would not have collapsed under the combined effects of aircraft impact damage and the extensive, multi-floor fires that were encountered on September11, 2001, if the thermal insulation had not been widely dislodged or had been only minimally dislodged by aircraft impact.
In the absence of structural and insulation damage, a conventional fire substantially similar to or less intense than the fires encountered on September 11, 2001, likely would not have led to the collapse of a WTC tower.
NIST found no corroborating evidence for alternative hypotheses suggesting that the WTC towers were brought down by controlled demolition using explosives planted prior to September 11, 2001. NIST also did not find any evidence that missiles were fired at or hit the towers. Instead, photographs and videos from several angles clearly showed that the collapse initiated at the fire and impact floors and that the collapse progressed from the initiating floors downward, until the dust clouds obscured the view.
This is not the first time that IVEY ran away from answering any questions.........
https://www.covers.com/postingforum/post01/showmessage.aspx?spt=87&sub=101050508&page=2
Still waiting on post #50 to get an answer. It's only been 4 months.
I don't log onto Covers just to run and check what Coldsnap has asked me
There IS footage
There is plenty of photos, including those of lightpoles knocked down by the wings
When a passenger jet flys into the ground/building at almost 500 mph, things disinegrate.........wreckage gets fucked up
This is not the first time that IVEY ran away from answering any questions.........
https://www.covers.com/postingforum/post01/showmessage.aspx?spt=87&sub=101050508&page=2
Still waiting on post #50 to get an answer. It's only been 4 months.
I don't log onto Covers just to run and check what Coldsnap has asked me
There IS footage
There is plenty of photos, including those of lightpoles knocked down by the wings
When a passenger jet flys into the ground/building at almost 500 mph, things disinegrate.........wreckage gets fucked up
Parts of 2 100 story buildings fell on it......they didn't plan for that
Parts of 2 100 story buildings fell on it......they didn't plan for that
I don't log onto Covers just to run and check what Coldsnap has asked me
There IS footage
There is plenty of photos, including those of lightpoles knocked down by the wings
When a passenger jet flys into the ground/building at almost 500 mph, things disinegrate.........wreckage gets fucked up
I don't log onto Covers just to run and check what Coldsnap has asked me
There IS footage
There is plenty of photos, including those of lightpoles knocked down by the wings
When a passenger jet flys into the ground/building at almost 500 mph, things disinegrate.........wreckage gets fucked up
Parts of 2 100 story buildings fell on it......they didn't plan for that
Parts of 2 100 story buildings fell on it......they didn't plan for that
I don't log onto Covers just to run and check what Coldsnap has asked me
There IS footage...BUT NOT FOR THE PUBLIC...RIGHT?
There is plenty of photos, including those of lightpoles knocked down by the wings... OF A PLANE?
When a passenger jet flys into the ground/building at almost 500 mph, things disinegrate.........wreckage gets fucked up....IS THIS SUPPOSED TO ANSWER MY QUESTION OF THE PILOTS ABILITY TO DO SOMETHING THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE?
That's OK.....I didn't expect any resonable answers from you.
I don't log onto Covers just to run and check what Coldsnap has asked me
There IS footage...BUT NOT FOR THE PUBLIC...RIGHT?
There is plenty of photos, including those of lightpoles knocked down by the wings... OF A PLANE?
When a passenger jet flys into the ground/building at almost 500 mph, things disinegrate.........wreckage gets fucked up....IS THIS SUPPOSED TO ANSWER MY QUESTION OF THE PILOTS ABILITY TO DO SOMETHING THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE?
That's OK.....I didn't expect any resonable answers from you.
World Traded Center Investigation Team Members
Project Leader, Project 4: Investigation of Active Fire Protection Systems | |
Analysis of Building and Fire Codes and Practices | |
Analysis of Building and Fire Codes and Practices | |
Baseline Structural Performance and Aircraft Impact Damage Prediction | |
Mechanical and Metallurgical Analysis of Structural Steel |
World Traded Center Investigation Team Members
Project Leader, Project 4: Investigation of Active Fire Protection Systems | |
Analysis of Building and Fire Codes and Practices | |
Analysis of Building and Fire Codes and Practices | |
Baseline Structural Performance and Aircraft Impact Damage Prediction | |
Mechanical and Metallurgical Analysis of Structural Steel |
Structural Fire Response and Collapse | |
Structural Fire Response and Collapse | |
Occupant Behavior, Egress, and Emergency Communications | |
Fire Service Technologies and Guidelines | |
continued
Structural Fire Response and Collapse | |
Structural Fire Response and Collapse | |
Occupant Behavior, Egress, and Emergency Communications | |
Fire Service Technologies and Guidelines | |
continued
Mr. Junker acted as the WTC Investigation team's liaison in New York charged with helping with the identification of relevant visual material, interfacing with copyright holders, receiving and forwarding to NIST photographs and videos to be used for investigative purposes, and obtaining necessary copyright releases. Mr. Junker was uniquely qualified for this position based on more than 15 years in the information technology field, with emphasis on digital workflow and image capture, storage, and reproduction technologies and extensive experience in the collection of visual material related to the World Trade Center disaster. As a volunteer, he worked extensively with the Here Is New York exhibition that chronicled the events of September 11th in a number of shows worldwide. His responsibilities included developing approaches for acquiring photos and videos, developing procedures for handling material, and specifying and setting up the computer systems used to digitize and archive various forms of photos and video. Through his efforts with Here Is New York, Mr. Junker became associated with the SEAoNY and FEMA World Trade Center Building Performance Study (BPS). Initially, he acted as the liaison between the Here Is New York exhibition and the BPS team, but ultimately his duties grew until he was the primary person responsible for the BPAT team's efforts to secure photo and videographic imagery and for establishing a database of images. He was instrumental in obtaining the necessary copyright releases for images published in the BPS team's final report.
Retired FDNY, Consultant, Educator, and Fire Service Writer, Building Construction and Fire Department Operations
Mr. Dunn has more than 40 years experience with the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) as a firefighter and fire officer in midtown New York City working with fire fighting operations and rescue of building occupants. His work included daily activities associated with the protection of occupants and safe fire service operations in high rise buildings. Mr. Dunn's fire service career includes responsibilities as a Battalion Chief, and Deputy Chief where he managed operations and personnel in Division 7 and Division 3 of FDNY. He has been involved with the firefighter training, fire safety directors, and New York City building codes. Mr. Dunn is a nationally recognized authority on fire fighting operations in tall buildings, the safety of firefighters related to structural fire fighting, and the collapse of structures. He is a member of NFPA and several other professional organizations. Mr. Dunn is a contributing editor for Firehouse Magazine, and holds a Masters Degree from Queens College, City University of New York.
Retired FDNY, Consultant, Fire Science and Fire Department Operations
Mr. Hodgens has more than 30 years experience as a career firefighter and officer in lower and midtown Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Staten Island in New York City. Mr. Hodgens was the FDNY Technology Manager and Chief of Fire Prevention and worked with World Trade Center fire fighting technology, fire prevention processes, fire safety directors, and operations. As a Citywide Tour Commander, Mr. Hodgens has extensive command level working knowledge of the New York City Fire Department. He was also a member of the New York City, World Trade Center Code Revision Committee following the terrorist attack on the Trade Center, in 1993. He has also worked closely with NFPA, Life Safety Codes. He has written journal articles on "Fire Command" and "Safe Use of Elevators During Fires." Mr. Hodgens is a graduate of New York City Community College of the City University of New York in Brooklyn, and John Jay College in Manhattan, New York City.
Retired FDNY, Fire Science Program Coordinator, Assistant Professor of Fire Science, New Jersey City University
Mr. Malley has more than 20 years experience as a career firefighter and fire officer in Manhattan, Harlem, and South Bronx. He has worked closely with the FDNY firefighter training program and was the Director of Human Performance for FDNY. He has extensive experience and knowledge related to the physical performance of firefighters, health and safety of firefighters, and the capabilities of firefighters and their equipment when operating in life saving and fire fighting environments. He worked with the NFPA Committee on Structural Fire Fighting Protective Clothing and Equipment and the NFPA Committee on Special Operations Protective Clothing and Equipment. Mr. Malley has also worked with the training of high-rise building Fire Safety Directors. He was a Guest Researcher for FDNY at NIST, in 1998. He has written numerous publications for the fire service concerning firefighter health and safety. Mr. Malley is a graduate of Columbia University and holds a Masters Degree from Queens College. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Fire Science at New Jersey City University.
Mr. Junker acted as the WTC Investigation team's liaison in New York charged with helping with the identification of relevant visual material, interfacing with copyright holders, receiving and forwarding to NIST photographs and videos to be used for investigative purposes, and obtaining necessary copyright releases. Mr. Junker was uniquely qualified for this position based on more than 15 years in the information technology field, with emphasis on digital workflow and image capture, storage, and reproduction technologies and extensive experience in the collection of visual material related to the World Trade Center disaster. As a volunteer, he worked extensively with the Here Is New York exhibition that chronicled the events of September 11th in a number of shows worldwide. His responsibilities included developing approaches for acquiring photos and videos, developing procedures for handling material, and specifying and setting up the computer systems used to digitize and archive various forms of photos and video. Through his efforts with Here Is New York, Mr. Junker became associated with the SEAoNY and FEMA World Trade Center Building Performance Study (BPS). Initially, he acted as the liaison between the Here Is New York exhibition and the BPS team, but ultimately his duties grew until he was the primary person responsible for the BPAT team's efforts to secure photo and videographic imagery and for establishing a database of images. He was instrumental in obtaining the necessary copyright releases for images published in the BPS team's final report.
Retired FDNY, Consultant, Educator, and Fire Service Writer, Building Construction and Fire Department Operations
Mr. Dunn has more than 40 years experience with the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) as a firefighter and fire officer in midtown New York City working with fire fighting operations and rescue of building occupants. His work included daily activities associated with the protection of occupants and safe fire service operations in high rise buildings. Mr. Dunn's fire service career includes responsibilities as a Battalion Chief, and Deputy Chief where he managed operations and personnel in Division 7 and Division 3 of FDNY. He has been involved with the firefighter training, fire safety directors, and New York City building codes. Mr. Dunn is a nationally recognized authority on fire fighting operations in tall buildings, the safety of firefighters related to structural fire fighting, and the collapse of structures. He is a member of NFPA and several other professional organizations. Mr. Dunn is a contributing editor for Firehouse Magazine, and holds a Masters Degree from Queens College, City University of New York.
Retired FDNY, Consultant, Fire Science and Fire Department Operations
Mr. Hodgens has more than 30 years experience as a career firefighter and officer in lower and midtown Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Staten Island in New York City. Mr. Hodgens was the FDNY Technology Manager and Chief of Fire Prevention and worked with World Trade Center fire fighting technology, fire prevention processes, fire safety directors, and operations. As a Citywide Tour Commander, Mr. Hodgens has extensive command level working knowledge of the New York City Fire Department. He was also a member of the New York City, World Trade Center Code Revision Committee following the terrorist attack on the Trade Center, in 1993. He has also worked closely with NFPA, Life Safety Codes. He has written journal articles on "Fire Command" and "Safe Use of Elevators During Fires." Mr. Hodgens is a graduate of New York City Community College of the City University of New York in Brooklyn, and John Jay College in Manhattan, New York City.
Retired FDNY, Fire Science Program Coordinator, Assistant Professor of Fire Science, New Jersey City University
Mr. Malley has more than 20 years experience as a career firefighter and fire officer in Manhattan, Harlem, and South Bronx. He has worked closely with the FDNY firefighter training program and was the Director of Human Performance for FDNY. He has extensive experience and knowledge related to the physical performance of firefighters, health and safety of firefighters, and the capabilities of firefighters and their equipment when operating in life saving and fire fighting environments. He worked with the NFPA Committee on Structural Fire Fighting Protective Clothing and Equipment and the NFPA Committee on Special Operations Protective Clothing and Equipment. Mr. Malley has also worked with the training of high-rise building Fire Safety Directors. He was a Guest Researcher for FDNY at NIST, in 1998. He has written numerous publications for the fire service concerning firefighter health and safety. Mr. Malley is a graduate of Columbia University and holds a Masters Degree from Queens College. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Fire Science at New Jersey City University.
Apparently, then, such distinguished Americans as these experts got together in some smoky back room and all of them agreed, for some ungodly reason, to do the most dishonourable deed imaginable-give organized crime, the CIA, the military-industrial complex, or whoever was behind the 9/11, a free pass in the murder of citizens of United States.
And in the process, not only risk destroying everything they had worked for-their reputation and legacy to their families-but expose themselves to prosecution for the crime of accessory after the fact to murder. Ask yourself this: would any of these investigators, for instance, risk being remembered as an accessory after the fact to the murder of this nation's citizens, one who disgraced himself his country.
The mere asking of the question demonstrates the absurdity of the thought.
Indeed, why would any of the members of the NIST and their staff stake their good reputation on a report they prepared which they knew to be fraudulent?
Apparently, then, such distinguished Americans as these experts got together in some smoky back room and all of them agreed, for some ungodly reason, to do the most dishonourable deed imaginable-give organized crime, the CIA, the military-industrial complex, or whoever was behind the 9/11, a free pass in the murder of citizens of United States.
And in the process, not only risk destroying everything they had worked for-their reputation and legacy to their families-but expose themselves to prosecution for the crime of accessory after the fact to murder. Ask yourself this: would any of these investigators, for instance, risk being remembered as an accessory after the fact to the murder of this nation's citizens, one who disgraced himself his country.
The mere asking of the question demonstrates the absurdity of the thought.
Indeed, why would any of the members of the NIST and their staff stake their good reputation on a report they prepared which they knew to be fraudulent?
I still to this day wonder why there isn't more Pentagon video........but look at that one shitty video they/we do have
look at the tail when you pause it.........its there and then it isn't......missiles don't have tails that high
I still to this day wonder why there isn't more Pentagon video........but look at that one shitty video they/we do have
look at the tail when you pause it.........its there and then it isn't......missiles don't have tails that high
Apparently, then, such distinguished Americans as these experts got together in some smoky back room and all of them agreed, for some ungodly reason, to do the most dishonourable deed imaginable-give organized crime, the CIA, the military-industrial complex, or whoever was behind the 9/11, a free pass in the murder of citizens of United States.
And in the process, not only risk destroying everything they had worked for-their reputation and legacy to their families-but expose themselves to prosecution for the crime of accessory after the fact to murder. Ask yourself this: would any of these investigators, for instance, risk being remembered as an accessory after the fact to the murder of this nation's citizens, one who disgraced himself his country.
The mere asking of the question demonstrates the absurdity of the thought.
Indeed, why would any of the members of the NIST and their staff stake their good reputation on a report they prepared which they knew to be fraudulent?
Apparently, then, such distinguished Americans as these experts got together in some smoky back room and all of them agreed, for some ungodly reason, to do the most dishonourable deed imaginable-give organized crime, the CIA, the military-industrial complex, or whoever was behind the 9/11, a free pass in the murder of citizens of United States. | |
Apparently, then, such distinguished Americans as these experts got together in some smoky back room and all of them agreed, for some ungodly reason, to do the most dishonourable deed imaginable-give organized crime, the CIA, the military-industrial complex, or whoever was behind the 9/11, a free pass in the murder of citizens of United States.
And in the process, not only risk destroying everything they had worked for-their reputation and legacy to their families-but expose themselves to prosecution for the crime of accessory after the fact to murder. Ask yourself this: would any of these investigators, for instance, risk being remembered as an accessory after the fact to the murder of this nation's citizens, one who disgraced himself his country.
The mere asking of the question demonstrates the absurdity of the thought.
Indeed, why would any of the members of the NIST and their staff stake their good reputation on a report they prepared which they knew to be fraudulent?
Apparently, then, such distinguished Americans as these experts got together in some smoky back room and all of them agreed, for some ungodly reason, to do the most dishonourable deed imaginable-give organized crime, the CIA, the military-industrial complex, or whoever was behind the 9/11, a free pass in the murder of citizens of United States. | |
Progressive collapse is defined as the spread of local damage from a single initiating event, from structural element to element, eventually resulting in the collapse of an entire structure or a disproportionately large part of it. The failure of WTC 7 was an example of a fire-induced progressive collapse.
Progressive collapse did NOT occur in the WTC towers, for two reasons. First, the collapse of each tower was not triggered by a local damage or a single initiating event. Second, the structures were able to redistribute loads from the impact and fire-damaged structural components and subsystems to undamaged components and to keep the building standing until a sudden, global collapse occurred. Had a hat truss that connected the core columns to the exterior frame not been installed to support a TV antenna atop each WTC tower after the structure had been fully designed, it is likely that the core of the WTC towers would have collapsed sooner, triggering a global collapse. Such a collapse would have some features similar to that of a progressive collapse.
WTC 7 was unlike the WTC towers in many respects. WTC 7 was a more typical tall building in the design of its structural system. It was not struck by an aircraft. The collapse of WTC 7 was caused by a single initiating event-the failure of a northeast building column brought on by fire-induced damage to the adjacent flooring system and connections-which stands in contrast to the WTC 1 and WTC 2 failures, which were brought on by multiple factors, including structural damage caused by the aircraft impact, extensive dislodgement of the sprayed fire-resistive materials or fireproofing in the impacted region, and a weakening of the steel structures created by the fires.
The fires in WTC 7 were quite different from the fires in the WTC towers. Since WTC 7 was not doused with thousands of gallons of jet fuel, large areas of any floor were not ignited simultaneously as they were in the WTC towers. Instead, separate fires in WTC 7 broke out on different floors, most notably on Floors 7 to 9 and 11 to 13. The WTC 7 fires were similar to building contents fires that have occurred in several tall buildings where the automatic sprinklers did not function or were not present.
Progressive collapse is defined as the spread of local damage from a single initiating event, from structural element to element, eventually resulting in the collapse of an entire structure or a disproportionately large part of it. The failure of WTC 7 was an example of a fire-induced progressive collapse.
Progressive collapse did NOT occur in the WTC towers, for two reasons. First, the collapse of each tower was not triggered by a local damage or a single initiating event. Second, the structures were able to redistribute loads from the impact and fire-damaged structural components and subsystems to undamaged components and to keep the building standing until a sudden, global collapse occurred. Had a hat truss that connected the core columns to the exterior frame not been installed to support a TV antenna atop each WTC tower after the structure had been fully designed, it is likely that the core of the WTC towers would have collapsed sooner, triggering a global collapse. Such a collapse would have some features similar to that of a progressive collapse.
WTC 7 was unlike the WTC towers in many respects. WTC 7 was a more typical tall building in the design of its structural system. It was not struck by an aircraft. The collapse of WTC 7 was caused by a single initiating event-the failure of a northeast building column brought on by fire-induced damage to the adjacent flooring system and connections-which stands in contrast to the WTC 1 and WTC 2 failures, which were brought on by multiple factors, including structural damage caused by the aircraft impact, extensive dislodgement of the sprayed fire-resistive materials or fireproofing in the impacted region, and a weakening of the steel structures created by the fires.
The fires in WTC 7 were quite different from the fires in the WTC towers. Since WTC 7 was not doused with thousands of gallons of jet fuel, large areas of any floor were not ignited simultaneously as they were in the WTC towers. Instead, separate fires in WTC 7 broke out on different floors, most notably on Floors 7 to 9 and 11 to 13. The WTC 7 fires were similar to building contents fires that have occurred in several tall buildings where the automatic sprinklers did not function or were not present.
The collapse of WTC 7 is the first known instance of a tall building brought down primarily by uncontrolled fires. The fires in WTC 7 were similar to those that have occurred in several tall buildings where the automatic sprinklers did not function or were not present. These other buildings, including Philadelphia's One Meridian Plaza, a 38-story skyscraper that burned for 18 hours in 1991, did not collapse due to differences in the design of the structural system.
Factors contributing to WTC 7's collapse included: the thermal expansion of building elements such as floor beams and girders, which occurred at temperatures hundreds of degrees below those typically considered in current practice for fire-resistance ratings; significant magnification of thermal expansion effects due to the long-span floors in the building; connections between structural elements that were designed to resist the vertical forces of gravity, not the thermally induced horizontal or lateral loads; and an overall structural system not designed to prevent fire-induced progressive collapse.
There are more similarities than differences between the uncontrolled fires that burned in WTC 7 and those that occurred in the following buildings: First Interstate Bank Building (1988), One Meridian Plaza Building (1981), One New York Plaza (1970), and WTC 51 (2001).
The following factors describe the fire events that occurred in both WTC 7 and the referenced buildings: 1) the fuel for the fires was ordinary office combustibles at ordinary combustible load levels; 2) there was no use of accelerants; 3) the spread of fire from combustible to combustible was governed by ordinary fire physics; 4) fire-induced window breakage provided ventilation for continued fire spread and growth; 5) there were simultaneous fires on multiple floors; 6) the fires on each floor occupied a substantial portion of the floor; 7) the fires on each floor had passed the point of flashover and the structure was subjected to typical post-flashover temperatures; 8) the sprinklers were inoperative or ineffective; and 9) the fires burned for sufficient time to cause significant distortion and/or failure to the building structure.
There were some differences between the fires in WTC 7 and those in the referenced buildings, but these differences were secondary to the fire factors that led to the collapse of WTC 7: 1) Fires in high rise buildings typically have a single point of origin on a single floor, whereas the fires in WTC 7 likely had a single point of origin on multiple (10) floors; 2); fires in other high rise buildings were due to isolated events, whereas the fires in WTC 7 followed the collapse of WTC 1; 3) water was available to fight fires in the other high rise buildings, but the water supply to fight fires in WTC 7 was impaired; and 4) while the fires in the other buildings were actively fought by fire fighters to the extent possible, in WTC 7, no efforts were made to fight the fires.
The differences in the fires were not meaningful for the following reasons. By the time that WTC 7 collapsed, the fires in WTC 7 had advanced well beyond the likely points of origin on multiple floors (i.e., south and west faces) and originating points of fire origin had no bearing on the fire conditions when the building collapsed (i.e., in the northeast quadrant). Additionally, in each of the other referenced buildings, the fires burned out several floors, even with available water and fire fighting activities (except for WTC 5). Thus, whether the fire fighters fought the WTC 7 fires or not is not a meaningful point of dissimilarity from the other cited fires.
The collapse of WTC 7 is the first known instance of a tall building brought down primarily by uncontrolled fires. The fires in WTC 7 were similar to those that have occurred in several tall buildings where the automatic sprinklers did not function or were not present. These other buildings, including Philadelphia's One Meridian Plaza, a 38-story skyscraper that burned for 18 hours in 1991, did not collapse due to differences in the design of the structural system.
Factors contributing to WTC 7's collapse included: the thermal expansion of building elements such as floor beams and girders, which occurred at temperatures hundreds of degrees below those typically considered in current practice for fire-resistance ratings; significant magnification of thermal expansion effects due to the long-span floors in the building; connections between structural elements that were designed to resist the vertical forces of gravity, not the thermally induced horizontal or lateral loads; and an overall structural system not designed to prevent fire-induced progressive collapse.
There are more similarities than differences between the uncontrolled fires that burned in WTC 7 and those that occurred in the following buildings: First Interstate Bank Building (1988), One Meridian Plaza Building (1981), One New York Plaza (1970), and WTC 51 (2001).
The following factors describe the fire events that occurred in both WTC 7 and the referenced buildings: 1) the fuel for the fires was ordinary office combustibles at ordinary combustible load levels; 2) there was no use of accelerants; 3) the spread of fire from combustible to combustible was governed by ordinary fire physics; 4) fire-induced window breakage provided ventilation for continued fire spread and growth; 5) there were simultaneous fires on multiple floors; 6) the fires on each floor occupied a substantial portion of the floor; 7) the fires on each floor had passed the point of flashover and the structure was subjected to typical post-flashover temperatures; 8) the sprinklers were inoperative or ineffective; and 9) the fires burned for sufficient time to cause significant distortion and/or failure to the building structure.
There were some differences between the fires in WTC 7 and those in the referenced buildings, but these differences were secondary to the fire factors that led to the collapse of WTC 7: 1) Fires in high rise buildings typically have a single point of origin on a single floor, whereas the fires in WTC 7 likely had a single point of origin on multiple (10) floors; 2); fires in other high rise buildings were due to isolated events, whereas the fires in WTC 7 followed the collapse of WTC 1; 3) water was available to fight fires in the other high rise buildings, but the water supply to fight fires in WTC 7 was impaired; and 4) while the fires in the other buildings were actively fought by fire fighters to the extent possible, in WTC 7, no efforts were made to fight the fires.
The differences in the fires were not meaningful for the following reasons. By the time that WTC 7 collapsed, the fires in WTC 7 had advanced well beyond the likely points of origin on multiple floors (i.e., south and west faces) and originating points of fire origin had no bearing on the fire conditions when the building collapsed (i.e., in the northeast quadrant). Additionally, in each of the other referenced buildings, the fires burned out several floors, even with available water and fire fighting activities (except for WTC 5). Thus, whether the fire fighters fought the WTC 7 fires or not is not a meaningful point of dissimilarity from the other cited fires.
One of many links that has photos
An animation? Are you serious?
And you think a plane that big can stay a couple of feet that high for that long?
Your animation also shows damage from the wings. 4;00 mark....Yet reality shows a huge plane fit into a small round hole.
One of many links that has photos
An animation? Are you serious?
And you think a plane that big can stay a couple of feet that high for that long?
Your animation also shows damage from the wings. 4;00 mark....Yet reality shows a huge plane fit into a small round hole.
WTC 7's collapse, viewed from the exterior (most videos were taken from the north), did appear to fall almost uniformly as a single unit. This occurred because the interior failures that took place did not cause the exterior framing to fail until the final stages of the building collapse. The interior floor framing and columns collapsed downward and pulled away from the exterior frame. There were clues that internal damage was taking place, prior to the downward movement of the exterior frame, such as when the east penthouse fell downward into the building and windows broke out on the north face at the ends of the building core. The symmetric appearance of the downward fall of the WTC 7 was primarily due to the greater stiffness and strength of its exterior frame relative to the interior framing.
In the draft WTC 7 report (released Aug. 21, 2008; available at https://wtc.nist.gov/media/NIST_NCSTAR_1A_for_public_comment.pdf), NIST stated that the north face of the building descended 18 stories (the portion of the collapse visible in the video) in 5.4 seconds, based on video analysis of the building collapse. This time period is 40 percent longer than the 3.9 seconds this process would have taken if the north face of the building had descended solely under free fall conditions. During the public comment period on the draft report, NIST was asked to confirm this time difference and define the reasons for it in greater detail.
To further clarify the descent of the north face, NIST recorded the downward displacement of a point near the center of the roofline from first movement until the north face was no longer visible in the video. Numerical analyses were conducted to calculate the velocity and acceleration of the roofline point from the time-dependent displacement data. The instant at which vertical motion of the roofline first occurred was determined by tracking the numerical value of the brightness of a pixel (a single element in the video image) at the roofline. This pixel became brighter as the roofline began to descend because the color of the pixel started to change from that of the building façade to the lighter color of the sky.
The approach taken by NIST is summarized in Section 3.6 of the final summary report, NCSTAR 1A (released Nov. 20, 2008; available at https://wtc.nist.gov/NCSTAR1/PDF/NCSTAR%201A.pdf) and detailed in Section 12.5.3 of NIST NCSTAR 1-9 (available at https://wtc.nist.gov/NCSTAR1/PDF/NCSTAR%201-9%20Vol%202.pdf).
The analyses of the video (both the estimation of the instant the roofline began to descend and the calculated velocity and acceleration of a point on the roofline) revealed three distinct stages characterizing the 5.4 seconds of collapse:
This analysis showed that the 40 percent longer descent time—compared to the 3.9 second free fall time—was due primarily to Stage 1, which corresponded to the buckling of the exterior columns in the lower stories of the north face. During Stage 2, the north face descended essentially in free fall, indicating negligible support from the structure below. This is consistent with the structural analysis model which showed the exterior columns buckling and losing their capacity to support the loads from the structure above. In Stage 3, the acce
WTC 7's collapse, viewed from the exterior (most videos were taken from the north), did appear to fall almost uniformly as a single unit. This occurred because the interior failures that took place did not cause the exterior framing to fail until the final stages of the building collapse. The interior floor framing and columns collapsed downward and pulled away from the exterior frame. There were clues that internal damage was taking place, prior to the downward movement of the exterior frame, such as when the east penthouse fell downward into the building and windows broke out on the north face at the ends of the building core. The symmetric appearance of the downward fall of the WTC 7 was primarily due to the greater stiffness and strength of its exterior frame relative to the interior framing.
In the draft WTC 7 report (released Aug. 21, 2008; available at https://wtc.nist.gov/media/NIST_NCSTAR_1A_for_public_comment.pdf), NIST stated that the north face of the building descended 18 stories (the portion of the collapse visible in the video) in 5.4 seconds, based on video analysis of the building collapse. This time period is 40 percent longer than the 3.9 seconds this process would have taken if the north face of the building had descended solely under free fall conditions. During the public comment period on the draft report, NIST was asked to confirm this time difference and define the reasons for it in greater detail.
To further clarify the descent of the north face, NIST recorded the downward displacement of a point near the center of the roofline from first movement until the north face was no longer visible in the video. Numerical analyses were conducted to calculate the velocity and acceleration of the roofline point from the time-dependent displacement data. The instant at which vertical motion of the roofline first occurred was determined by tracking the numerical value of the brightness of a pixel (a single element in the video image) at the roofline. This pixel became brighter as the roofline began to descend because the color of the pixel started to change from that of the building façade to the lighter color of the sky.
The approach taken by NIST is summarized in Section 3.6 of the final summary report, NCSTAR 1A (released Nov. 20, 2008; available at https://wtc.nist.gov/NCSTAR1/PDF/NCSTAR%201A.pdf) and detailed in Section 12.5.3 of NIST NCSTAR 1-9 (available at https://wtc.nist.gov/NCSTAR1/PDF/NCSTAR%201-9%20Vol%202.pdf).
The analyses of the video (both the estimation of the instant the roofline began to descend and the calculated velocity and acceleration of a point on the roofline) revealed three distinct stages characterizing the 5.4 seconds of collapse:
This analysis showed that the 40 percent longer descent time—compared to the 3.9 second free fall time—was due primarily to Stage 1, which corresponded to the buckling of the exterior columns in the lower stories of the north face. During Stage 2, the north face descended essentially in free fall, indicating negligible support from the structure below. This is consistent with the structural analysis model which showed the exterior columns buckling and losing their capacity to support the loads from the structure above. In Stage 3, the acce
An animation? Are you serious?
And you think a plane that big can stay a couple of feet that high for that long?
Your animation also shows damage from the wings. 4;00 mark....Yet reality shows a huge plane fit into a small round hole.
By a pilot that could barely fly a 2 seater?
An animation? Are you serious?
And you think a plane that big can stay a couple of feet that high for that long?
Your animation also shows damage from the wings. 4;00 mark....Yet reality shows a huge plane fit into a small round hole.
By a pilot that could barely fly a 2 seater?
Yes, this possibility was investigated carefully. NIST concluded that blast events inside the building did not occur and found no evidence supporting the existence of a blast event.
In addition, no blast sounds were heard on the audio tracks of video recordings during the collapse of WTC 7 or reported by witnesses. According to calculations by the investigation team, the smallest blast capable of failing the building's critical column would have resulted in a sound level of 130 decibels (dB) to 140 dB at a distance of at least half a mile, if unobstructed by surrounding buildings. This sound level is consistent with a gunshot blast, standing next to a jet plane engine, and more than 10 times louder than being in front of the speakers at a rock concert.
For the building to have been prepared for intentional demolition, walls and/or column enclosures and fireproofing would have to be removed and replaced without being detected. Preparing a column includes steps such as cutting sections with torches, which produces noxious and odorous fumes. Intentional demolition usually requires applying explosive charges to most, if not all, interior columns, not just one or a limited set of columns in a building.
Yes, this possibility was investigated carefully. NIST concluded that blast events inside the building did not occur and found no evidence supporting the existence of a blast event.
In addition, no blast sounds were heard on the audio tracks of video recordings during the collapse of WTC 7 or reported by witnesses. According to calculations by the investigation team, the smallest blast capable of failing the building's critical column would have resulted in a sound level of 130 decibels (dB) to 140 dB at a distance of at least half a mile, if unobstructed by surrounding buildings. This sound level is consistent with a gunshot blast, standing next to a jet plane engine, and more than 10 times louder than being in front of the speakers at a rock concert.
For the building to have been prepared for intentional demolition, walls and/or column enclosures and fireproofing would have to be removed and replaced without being detected. Preparing a column includes steps such as cutting sections with torches, which produces noxious and odorous fumes. Intentional demolition usually requires applying explosive charges to most, if not all, interior columns, not just one or a limited set of columns in a building.
NIST has looked at the application and use of thermite and has determined that its use to sever columns in WTC 7 on 9/11/01 was unlikely.
Thermite is a combination of aluminum powder and a metal oxide that releases a tremendous amount of heat when ignited. It is typically used to weld railroad rails together by melting a small quantity of steel and pouring the melted steel into a form between the two rails.
To apply thermite to a large steel column, approximately 0.13 lb of thermite would be needed to heat and melt each pound of steel. For a steel column that weighs approximately 1,000 lbs. per foot, at least 100 lbs. of thermite would need to be placed around the column, ignited, and remain in contact with the vertical steel surface as the thermite reaction took place. This is for one column . presumably, more than one column would have been prepared with thermite, if this approach were to be used.
It is unlikely that 100 lbs. of thermite, or more, could have been carried into WTC 7 and placed around columns without being detected, either prior to Sept. 11 or during that day.
Given the fires that were observed that day, and the demonstrated structural response to the fires, NIST does not believe that thermite was used to fail any columns in WTC 7.
Analysis of the WTC steel for the elements in thermite/thermate would not necessarily have been conclusive. The metal compounds also would have been present in the construction materials making up the WTC buildings, and sulfur is present in the gypsum wallboard used for interior partitions.
NIST has looked at the application and use of thermite and has determined that its use to sever columns in WTC 7 on 9/11/01 was unlikely.
Thermite is a combination of aluminum powder and a metal oxide that releases a tremendous amount of heat when ignited. It is typically used to weld railroad rails together by melting a small quantity of steel and pouring the melted steel into a form between the two rails.
To apply thermite to a large steel column, approximately 0.13 lb of thermite would be needed to heat and melt each pound of steel. For a steel column that weighs approximately 1,000 lbs. per foot, at least 100 lbs. of thermite would need to be placed around the column, ignited, and remain in contact with the vertical steel surface as the thermite reaction took place. This is for one column . presumably, more than one column would have been prepared with thermite, if this approach were to be used.
It is unlikely that 100 lbs. of thermite, or more, could have been carried into WTC 7 and placed around columns without being detected, either prior to Sept. 11 or during that day.
Given the fires that were observed that day, and the demonstrated structural response to the fires, NIST does not believe that thermite was used to fail any columns in WTC 7.
Analysis of the WTC steel for the elements in thermite/thermate would not necessarily have been conclusive. The metal compounds also would have been present in the construction materials making up the WTC buildings, and sulfur is present in the gypsum wallboard used for interior partitions.
The sound levels reported by all witnesses do not match the sound level of an explosion that would have been required to cause the collapse of the building. If the two loud booms were due to explosions that were responsible for the collapse of WTC 7, the emergency responder-located somewhere between the 6th and 8th floors in WTC 7-would not have been able to survive the near immediate collapse and provide this witness account.
The video footage released under the FOIA request was copied from the original video exactly as it was received fro
The sound levels reported by all witnesses do not match the sound level of an explosion that would have been required to cause the collapse of the building. If the two loud booms were due to explosions that were responsible for the collapse of WTC 7, the emergency responder-located somewhere between the 6th and 8th floors in WTC 7-would not have been able to survive the near immediate collapse and provide this witness account.
The video footage released under the FOIA request was copied from the original video exactly as it was received fro
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