Collapse : Why Buildings Fall Down

Forensic engineering, which seeks answers to why structures fail, is the subject of this book. Using material collected for the Learning Channel's series Why Buildings Fall Down, Wearne (not an engineer) tells the stories behind 11 of the worst structural engineering disasters of the last 50 years. These include the Hartford Coliseum and Kemper Arena roof collapses, the Tacoma Narrows and Point Pleasant bridge failures, the Hyatt Regency Hotel skywalk overload, and the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building. A combination of eyewitness accounts and nontechnical interpretations of engineering reports make this fascinating reading for those interested in either engineering or human disastersDmost of which are caused by misunderstanding, incompetence, greed, or corruption. The small format of this volume, with very few illustrations, fails to reflect the visual presentation one might expect from a companion to a TV documentary (which aired on the Learning Channel). Still, this is recommended for public libraries with disaster fans and academic libraries with architecture and engineering programs.DJay Schafer, Bay Path Coll. Lib., Longmeadow, MA
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