Failure and Forensic Investigation of Non-Building Structures
By Narendra Gosain, Ph.D., P.E.
The presentation will cover briefly some failures from antiquity and discuss four case histories of failure and forensic investigation of four non-building structures:
- Fluid storage tank: This is a bitter tale of a tank full of sweetness from the early twentieth century.
- Overhead bridge crane support structure: Sometimes simple mistakes in simple structures can have serious performance consequences. This is about the steel frame that couldn’t.
- Pylon sign support structure: This discussion is about a sign that danced with the wind.
- Rooftop antenna support platform: An unfortunate saga of a three-legged steel platform that wouldn’t stay put.
Narendra Gosain is a Senior Consultant in the Diagnostics Services Group of Walter P Moore. In his 44 year career with Walter P Moore, Dr. Gosain has been involved with several projects throughout the United States, including commercial, industrial, and medical structures. As an adjunct professor for 17 years in the College of Civil Engineering at Rice University in Houston from 1981 through 1997, Dr. Gosain shared his expertise with later generations of structural engineers. In spring of 2014, he introduced a new course on Forensic Structural Engineering in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering of the University of Houston.
This week’s meeting will be on Thursday, February 18, 2016 at the HESS Engineering and Science Society, 5430 Westheimer, Houston 77056.
Register HERE for the meeting.
The schedule is as follows:
6:00PM – Social
6:30PM – Dinner
7:00PM – Program
We look forward to seeing you there!
