Disasters and Collapses - How and Why Buildings Fall Down
Despite the best laid plans of architects and engineers, great buildings can fall. Some are destroyed by earthquakes, fires, floods, and other natural disasters. Some structures are destroyed by deliberate acts such as the terrorist attacks on New York's World Trade Center. Finally, faulty design can lead to structural collapse. Explore these links to explore how and why some buildings fall.
This page is your starting place for finding facts and photos for buildings impacted by the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States. In this index you'll find information about the design of the World Trade Center towers, the Pentagon, and other damaged buildings. Also find facts about the structure of damaged buildings, photographic records of the destruction, plans and models…
Engineers who studied the World Trade Center after the September 11 attacks tell why the Twin Towers stood as long as they did, and why the World Trade Center Twin Towers eventually collapsed.
A comprehensive study from a professor working under a grant from the National Science Foundation suggests that the design of the World Trade Center buildings may have lead to their collapse during the September 2001 terrorist attacks.
Many historic buildings were destroyed by the record-breaking Hurricane Katrina. Here's an inventory of the losses with links to before and after photos.
Hit by terrorist bombs in July, 2005, the London Underground Railway has a long and respected history in the field of civil engineering. Affectionately known as the "Tube," it's the world's oldest passenger subway line. Here are facts and photos.
List of recent civil engineering failures and collapses.
When it opened in 2003, many people praised the futuristic structure, calling it both beautiful and practical. Since there were no internal roof supports, passengers could move easily through the terminal. Was the innovative design partly responsible for the terminal's fatal collapse?
Engineers who studied the World Trade Center after the September 11 attacks explain why the Twin Towers stood as long as they did, and why they eventually collapsed.
From "How Stuff Works," a discussion of the design techniques that allow tall buildings to stand up, and the reasons why some fall down.
This nifty site designed for younger readers will let you design a structure with beams and joints and then test the load it can support. Also share your creation with others and see their designs.
Defininition of the term "levee" with examples, links, and resources.
