Construction Failure

First published in 1968, Jacob Feld's Construction Failure has longbeen considered the classic text on the subject. Retaining all ofthe key components of Feld's comprehensive exploration of the rootcauses of failure, this Second Edition addresses a multitude ofimportant industry developments to bring this landmark work up todate for a new generation of engineers, architects, andstudents.

In addition to detailed coverage of current design tools,techniques, materials, and construction methods, ConstructionFailure, Second Edition features an entire chapter on theburgeoning area of construction litigation, including a thoroughexamination of alternative dispute resolution techniques. Like theoriginal, this edition discusses technical and procedural failuresof many different types of structures, but is now supplemented withnew case studies to illustrate the dynamics of failure in actiontoday.

Jacob Feld knew thirty years ago that in order to learn from ourmistakes, we must first acknowledge and understand them. With thisrevised volume, Kenneth Carper has ensured that Feld'snow-posthumous message will continue to be heard for years tocome.

Jacob Feld's comprehensive work on failure analysis has now beenskillfully amended to address current design and constructiontools, materials, and practices. Building on the first edition'speerless examination of the causes and lessons of failure,Construction Failure, Second Edition provides you with expandedcoverage of:
* Technical, procedural, structural, and nonstructural failures
* Natural hazards, earthworks, soil and foundation problems, andmore
* Reinforced, precast and prestressed concrete, steel, timber,masonry, and other materials
* Responsibility and litigation concerns, dispute avoidance, andalternative dispute resolution techniques
* Construction safety issues
* Many different types of structures, including dams andbridges

Construction Failure has as much to teach us today as it did thirtyyears ago. This revised volume is an essential resource for designengineers, architects, construction managers, lawyers, and studentsin all of these fields.

JACOB FELD (1899-1975) was a prominent structural engineer in NewYork for many years with design responsibility for a number ofimportant buildings, including the New York Coliseum, GuggenheimMuseum, Yonkers Raceway, and Lincoln Center. From 1966 until hisdeath in 1975, he was a partner in the firm of Feld, Kaminetzky& Cohen. Feld was a graduate of City College, receiving anhonorary doctor of laws degree from that institution in 1972, aswell as a PhD from the University of Cincinnati in 1922. He servedas president of the New York Academy of Sciences and was a Fellowof the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), which cited himas "Metropolitan Engineer of the Year" in 1969. Feld also receivedthe Townsend Harris Award of the City College Alumni Association,the Alumni Award of the University of Cincinnati, and the FrenchOrder of Merit. He taught as a visiting professor at PurdueUniversity, Northwestern University, and North Carolina StateUniversity.

KENNETH L. CARPER, a registered architect with degrees in botharchitecture and civil engineering, is a professor in the School ofArchitecture at Washington State University. He has received manyteaching awards, including the 1994 all-university President'sFaculty Excellence Award at WSU. A past chair of the ASCE TechnicalCouncil on Forensic Engineering, Carper is the current and foundingEditor in Chief of the ASCE Journal of Performance of ConstructedFacilities. His professional awards include the national ASCEDaniel W. Mead and Richard Torrens Awards. In 1994, he was named"Engineer of the Year" by the Inland Empire Section of ASCE(Washington and Idaho). Carper has lectured extensively aboutstructural failure to students, faculty, and professional groups ofarchitects, engineers, and building officials in the United States,Canada, Europe, India, and Japan. Prior publications include thebooks Forensic Engineering and Forensic Engineering: Learning fromFailures.