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Credits
The civil engineering society has come a long way to be one of the most active departmental societies of
IIT Kharagpur. Through the numerous events throughout the year and the annual festival Megalith, we
at CES try to provide the students with a platform to enhance their skills as a civil engineer.
The successful release of the first edition of Engineering Civil in spring 2009 has encouraged us put our
best effort to make this edition a better combination of an educational and a fun reading.
CES, on its journey to excellence proudly presents to you another landmark, the second edition of
Engineering civil.
Contents
Megalith ………………………… 4
From the Chairman’s Desk
January 2010 saw, for the first time in the history of this department, a Civil
Engineering festival organized entirely by the students with active support
from the entire faculty. This volume also includes a report on the event,
christened Megalith, which helped generate a sense of pride for the Civil
Engineering profession amongst the students – both the participants from
the other engineering colleges as well as our own flock.
Finally, with the present academic year also drawing to a close, I would like
to place on record the good wishes of the department to the passing out
batch. I am sure some of them would blossom as great leaders in their
chosen professional fields and continue to inspire the future batches of this
department by their contributions to the country and the society.
Dhrubajyoti Sen
Chairman, Civil Engineering Society
2
From the President’s Desk
From the President’s Desk
Life we lead must be worth living and, I worth it –being an IIT-Kgpian. I distinctly remember
the day when I first stepped on the premises of Civil Engineering department five years back,
surrounded with new faces and exploring the mixed feeling of excitement and nervousness.
But, as the years have passed away, these strangers and the premises have become integral parts
of my life.
My final year at IIT Kharagpur and also my final year of alignment as a member of the CES
team, I have witnessed many changeovers and transitions. We have had a new director, new
departmental head, new faculty members, transformation of N-201, novel look of departmental
main building and finally not to forget mentioning about the wonderful and magnificent Farakka
trip and departmental fest (for the first time in Civil Engineering department).
Change alone is eternal, perpetual and constant. Changeovers and transitions are the rhythms of
life- fresh hopes, clear vision and, determined mission-leading to the path of progress.
We all are propelled by these rhythms.
It`s been a lively and cheerful journey, the last five years as I can see myself learning,
developing and maturing as a student, as a colleague, as a friend and most importantly as a
human. It’s not only me who have this feeling but, all we people share the same thought. The
good and bad time we spend together will deepen down in the heart and remain forever as
beautiful memories.
I consider myself fortunate enough that I have been associated with the CES and observing it so
intimately. CES is prospering year by year. It has successfully launched its independent websites
and departmental magazines in electronic versions along with some other achievements.
CES stands for Civil-Engineering-Society. But, mind it, it is not merely one of the societies
meant to bedight the catalogue of existing ones on this vibrant and vivacious campus.
It holds beyond that. It is known for its sodality. It is the platform of networking, where seniors
and juniors lead a symbiotic association. The motto of CES is to promote the interaction between
the students of the Civil Engineering department on account of sharing views and exploring new
horizons.
CES is flourishing which is proved by increment in the participation rate year by year.
It is meant for interacting; learning; progressing and sustaining the “TEMPO” forever (even as
the alumni). I am proud to claim that CES has done its job well. We all are proud of CES.
Before signing off, I would like to thank all faculty members who have been always supportive
and helping us throughout.
Ajit Singh
President, Civil Engineering Society
3
The mega- Megalith
The Civil Engineering Society has conceived Megalith to provide a platform for eminent persons
from corporate world and academia to congregate and share knowledge gathered over years of
experience in civil engineering.
Hence, through Megalith we tried to circumscribe all the conventional branches of civil
engineering, while we also had event like Civionics- the robot modeling competition and
Darkode- the programming competition.
The organizing team of Megalith consisted of students from all the spheres of the department,
also we received high cooperation and help from the professors to make the venture a success.
Details about the events are given below.
Case Study:
Case study gave an opportunity to the participants to encounter a grand River interlinking
project. They had to “Reverse Engineer” Ken-Betwa river interlinking project. The challenge was
to justify and critique the calculations that had been made by NWDA, and suggest any changes.
The event was judged by Professor Baidurya Bhattacharya, Professor D. J. Sen and professor
V.R. Desai, IIT Kharagpur based on an online report submission and a presentation made during
the event.
4
The mega- Megalith
Civionics
Civionics, as the name suggests utilised not only the concepts of civil engineering but also of
electronics. There was a large participation in the event with total of 12 teams including both
in-house and outside participants with an average of 3-4 members per team.
The problem was a simple task of lifting and putting stones from a specified location to inside of
concentric circles with a mechanical robot just like that of a jcb machine. Points were awarded
on the accuracy with which the stones were placed and the no. of stones placed. Teams came
out with brilliant solutions and some amazed us with their creativity.
Coordinates
Designing is a very important skill expected out of a good civil engineer and an architect. Co-
ordinates was an event that promoted and judged the CAD skills of the participants using DWG
editor. There were 45 teams each consisting of 2 members which took part in the event. The
problem statement was released on the spot and the participants were expected to draw the
front view, top view, and side view of the Nehru museum (IIT kharagpur). A series of pictures
were provided and only on dimension of the building was provided. The participants had to
measure and relatively scale the other dimensions of the building. Judging was done on the
basis of accuracy and extent of completion. Overall the event was huge success and provided
an equal platform for students of each year to compete.
5
The mega- Megalith
Criar
Criar involved an on-spot modeling of a cable stayed bridge based on the given specifications. A
limited time frame of 8 hrs with certain set of materials was provided for the complete
modelling process.
The event was a mega success and attracted more participation than any other event in
Megalith. In the final models we got to see some very innovative designs along with a few
conventional models. The judgement was made by Professor L.S. Ramachandra and professor
N. Dhang, IIT Kharagpur.
Darkode
In this particular event, the participants were given a programming problem. They were
required to formulate the algorithm and write a program using C in a given time frame.
Darkode attracted enormous participation from outside and especially from IIT Kharagpur.
The event was judged by Professor Sudeshna Mitra, IIT Kharagpur on the basis of accuracy of
and the time taken for the solution.
6
The mega- Megalith
IDP
IDP or Industrail Design Problem was one of the most brainstorming events conducted during
Megalith-10. The event demands solution for a live problem faced by industries and thus,
serves as a bridge between academia and industry.
As the task, a foundation was to be designed considering facts and data being provided to them
for a high rise building. The 8 participating teams, each consisting of not more than 5 members,
were given the challenging task of giving a step-by-step algorithm for deciding a general
solution for the problem along with suitable calculations.
The event was judged by Professor S.P. Dasgupta, IIT Kharagpur and Professor Dipankar
Chakravorty, Jadavpur University.
C-wiz:
This was a quiz about civil engineering and related fields.
Seminars:
The following seminars were hosted at Megalith.
Water proofing materials: Mr. Bhanusekar, Texsa
Cement and ACC-Help: Mr. Sandip Dasgupta, ACC Ltd.
MRTS systems: Mr. Niraj Jain, Kolkata Metro Rail Cooperation
Steel Structures: Mr. Srinivas Rao Saravade, Eversendai Consultants
As can be seen above the events spanned the length and breadth of our field and challenged the
participants in every imaginable way. The event was well conducted by the Megalith team
which was the main “building block” for the whole event.
7
An interview with Debaditya Dutta
Debaditya Dutta is an alumnus of the department of Civil engineering, IIT Kharagpur. He graduated
from this institute in 2006 and held the department rank 1 during his studies at IIT. He is right now a
PhD candidate at Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University,
Pittsburgh, PA, U.S.A.
CES: At what point in your B.tech career did you decide to go for an MS?
Debaditya: Not onto the left. I was looking for jobs as well as have studies to try and inspire
that i got a better offer from ME so i chose that.
CES: So, how long does this integrated course take to complete?
Debaditya: I am doing a PhD and i got my masters on the way. It usually takes 4-5 years.
CES: There is a conception that getting admission in an integrated course is easier than only
an MS course. What do say about this?
Debaditya: This is correct. It depends whether you want to be fully funded or not. You can
get into an MS course pretty easily if you can pay 10,000$ per semester. Graduates from IIT
usually have to pay half the tuitionfee, because of the scholarships available. But still you
don’t get any stipend, so there are the living expenses as well. Ifyou are ready to pay for all
of these, then getting into an MS is easy. But if you want full financial support, thenit is
difficult to get only for an MS. This is comparatively easier for a PhD, although getting
admission into the PhD program itself is difficult. This is because the faculty member hiring
you is making a commitment to you and an investment on you. For the masters where you
learn different techniques and then you work for the university as a PhD and they gain from
your expertise. Unless you do the PhD the university does not have any reason to invest in
you during your masters.
CES: Right now you are in Korea, what are you working on?
8
An interview with Debaditya Dutta
Debaditya: When I joined one of my advisors was south Korean and later on he joined ,he
wanted to come back to his country and he joined ,Korean institute of science and
technology and set up a a very good laboratory here. So, i just took the opportunity. Since
he was one of my advisors, he invited me here and this is a lab which accelerates my work
on and it’s good to spend time here.
Debaditya: I am open to options. It’s not like i have a preference for academia or industry.
It’s not the other way round either.it depends on what offers i get. At this point i have not
yet started applying anywhere.
CES: Depending on the current market scenario, whatwould you suggest a B.tech student to
do? Go for higher studies or for a job?
Debaditya: It completely depends on student’s choice. In India, a B.tech student doesn’t get
much.so most IIT B.tech students join software firms or financial companies. I don’t want to
suggest anything in particular. I will however say this, if he chooses to go for higher studies
there good opportunities in the US. They pay a stipend and you work on a higher degree
which will help you get a better pay in the future. In this sense, it is a better option, but if
the civil engineering firms start paying well, then joining the industry is also ok.
CES: How should one select a university for PhD or integrated courses?
Debaditya: It’s a little different for both cases. A general rule is that if you are interested
only in an MS you should choose a higher end university but if you want a PhD as well then
it is important to find a research group, it doesn’t have to be a higher end university.
Anything from 1-30 or 40 is fine for PhD. Personal satisfaction is important because it is a
long term commitment.
Debaditya: For only MS IIT graduates make it anywhere. IITians have a very good reputation
in the US. If you have anything like a publication which strengthens your applicationwrite it,
but it is not a requirement.
However for a PhD some research work as an intern or in your B.tech project helps. A
publication is helpful, although this is tough for anyone.
9
An interview with Debaditya Dutta
Debaditya: It matters quite a bit,GRE not quite as much. Even if you have a lower CGPA but
have research experience like an internship or in your b tech project or you can show them
than you can do good research, itsenough. Forstudents with lesser CGPA,some kind of
research is better.
Debaditya: Yes, it really does. I know civil engineering graduates who have worked in
software companies for two years. That kind of thing adds value to your resume even
though you haven’t done anything related to civil engineering. Job experience counts in a
PhDapplication. The reason is that the faculty will feel that you are more professional in
your attitude than a fresh graduate. You will know how the professional world works and
same will be expected in your PhD term.
CES: What do you suggest for students to do for an internship, choose a research project or
go for industrial training?
Debaditya: Foreign training is always good. I tried, but didn’t get one. If you don’t get one,
especially in the present scenario, then you have to choose whether to go for an industrial
project or to a research institute. This depends on what you want to do after your
graduation. In my case i went to IISC for summer training. I wouldn’t say that it was the best
thing to do, as i really don’t know it really helped me. If you want job directly after
graduation, thendefinitely go for an industrial training. If you want do research then for a
research institute.
CES: Did the studies at IIT help you with your research at CMU?
Debaditya: Yes I think it did. One of the reasons is that as i am doing research, the
fundamentals are very important, which is stressed a lot in IITs .so we design practical civil
faculty put a lot of importance in the fundamentals which helped during my research. I did
my B.tech project on something which is related what i am doing now. I am really grateful
for what i learnt in IIT.
Debaditya: I worked with Professor L.S. Ramachandra on nonlinear expansions of plates and
membranes. It involved formulating dynamic equations from scratch because i was dealing
with large depressions and could not make any assumptions. I used techniques developed
by LSR himself. During my PhD i continued work on this.
CES: What is the difference in the level of academics in kgp and there?
Debaditya: It is a lot different there. Here homework is given regularly which are evaluated
also and these count in your grade. If you get good feedback from the faculty, it keeps you
10
An interview with Debaditya Dutta
on the run. In kip we had nohomework and we used to study a few days before the exams.
It is totally different.in the US universities we have to put in a lot of work. The situation
however is totally different. A direct comparison is difficult, but it is more gruelling here.
Debaditya: One thing i felt especially in my final year was that there should be more
electives. At present we take a minimum number of courses in each stream. But nowadays,
your expertise should be in a particular area. You will get a better job if you specialize in a
particular area rather than knowing something about all areas. I am not the right person to
suggest this but more electives should be offered. This is the case here. Fewer courses are
mandatory. So, basically, you get to choose what you want to learn.
CES: B.tech graduates are not paid much, even in foreign companies is it due to the
curriculum?
Debaditya: No, it has nothing to do with the teaching patterns or the curriculum. The faculty
in IIT is very good. I think on the major issues is that the government is not spending much
on infrastructure projects. As a result civil engineers don’t get paid well.India is now paying
the price for not having enough infrastructures. If the investment increases, then the
situation will be better. In some foreign countries, there is already good enough
infrastructure, so they don’t hire people from other countries. There are exceptions to this.
Some B.tech graduates are hired, mainly in the Middle East and Australia, but not in the
USA. They already have enough number of civil engineers.
CES: Would you like to give any message for the CES office bearers and the students, in
general?
Debaditya: I think you guys are already doing a wonderful job. Actually i myself was the
literary secretary once, but i was never this involved in these departmental activities. It’s
good that you are taking up initiatives like the civil engineering department fest megalith. I
believe that it’s important that you make most of the opportunities available to you in IIT. I
see a shift in the attitude, the way you people are working is in a very good direction. This
will help you to get more professional with what you are going to do in future.
As for the other students, learn as much as you can. I expect them to get more involved in
the academics and departmental activities. It will benefit you a lot.
11
THE THREE GORGES DAM, CHINA
12
THE THREE GORGES DAM, CHINA
Project Development
First proposed in 1919, the Three Gorges protect river communities from floods and
Dam Project has faced many challenges also contribute to his economic
throughout the plan’s development, development plan for China. The Three
including political crisis and project Gorges Dam was meant to be a symbol of
criticism. The dam was first proposed by the country’s economic success, as
Sun Yat-sen, the father of modern China, in prestigious as the Great Wall of China.
order to
13
THE THREE GORGES DAM, CHINA
In 1932 the Construction Committee of Sun 1979, when the State Council approved
Yat-Sen created the initial plan for a much construction because growing economy
smaller dam on the Yangtze River. China demanded more electric power.
modelled their plan with US government
assistance, and by 1944, the project was Over the next ten years, many feasibility
referred to as “Chinese TVA.” They believe tests were conducted to appease critics,
that the dam would “bring great industrial who complained of technical, social and
developments…It will bring widespread environmental issues. Li Rui, Vice Minister
employment. It will bring high standards of of Electric Power opposed the dam, saying
living. It will change China from a weak to a that it would not contribute substantially to
strong nation.” transportation, and flood the most fertile
land in China as well as several cities. Many
The project lost support during the China critics suggested building a series of smaller
Civil War in 1947, but after the devastating dams that would have less severe
Yangtze River floods in the 1950s, the idea environmental impact, but project
was reintroduced to the government. In proponents wanted to make one large dam
1958, Mao Zedong pushed for support; he to create a political monument that would
wanted China to have the largest represent the nation’s contemporary
hydroelectric dam in the world. Political greatness.
unrest again delayed construction until
In early 1989, the State Council agreed in March to suspend construction plans because of
international pressures. At the same time, Dai Qing, a Chinese journalist and eminent critic of
the dam, presented his book “Yangtze! Yangtze!” to the State Council. He was imprisoned for
10 months after he called the Three Gorges Dam “the most environmentally and socially
destructive project in the world”.
14
THE THREE GORGES DAM, CHINA
BENEFITS:
1) Flood Control:
Since the beginning of the Han Dynasty 2,300
years ago, there have been 214 major floods
recorded, averaging 1 flood every ten years.
Within this past century, there have been five
major floods that were recorded to have
claimed hundreds of millions of lives, millions
of acres of farmland, destroyed thousands of
homes, and billions of dollars of damage. In
1998, a flood of such catastrophic level in the
Three Gorges area caused 4,000 casualties, left
14 million people homeless, and created $24
billion in economic loss.
2) Hydroelectric Power:
By the time of its completion, the Three
Gorges Dam will produce enough electricity
to supply 3% of China’s total energy needs. Water Spillway of the Three Gorges Dam
The demand for energy is increasing so
rapidly in China that the initial estimate in total of 26 turbines, each generating 700
1993 for energy production capacity was megawatts, the dam will have a total
10% of China's total energy needs. With a generating capacity of 18.2 million
kilowatts.
15
THE THREE GORGES DAM, CHINA
The dam will generate as much energy as 18 Three Gorges Dam, China will reduce annual
coal power plants and will have 20 times as coal consumption by 40-50 tons, effectively
much power capacity as the Hoover Dam in reducing the amount of pollution released
the US. The rate of energy production, into the atmosphere. Hydropower currently
equivalent to burning 11,000 barrels of oil accounts for 6% of the national power
per hour, is enough to supply Beijing with supply, and by 2020 China aims to triple
power for one year. hydroelectric power capacity to 300
gigawatts.
The project is part of China’s initiative to
move towards green energy usage. China is 3) Navigation:
currently the second largest emitter of
greenhouse gases in the world. Coal is the The Three Gorges dam will enable better
main energy source, accounting for two navigation to boost Yangtze River trade,
thirds of all electricity produced in the which accounts for 80% of China’s inland
country. Coal power is not only a shipping. The Three Gorges area of the
nonrenewable resource, but also generates Yangtze is notorious for dangerous shipping
immense amounts of pollution, including conditions. The elevated water levels of the
carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and carbon reservoir upstream from the dam will
monoxide. enable larger ships to travel further inland
on the Yangtze.
By 2020, China wants 15% of total
energy production to come from
renewable resources. Hydroelectric
power is a critical non-carbon energy
source that will help reduce energy
consumption and air pollution. By
substituting coal-produced energy
with hydroelectric energy from the
16
THE THREE GORGES DAM, CHINA
17
THE THREE GORGES DAM, CHINA
Siltation
Because of reduced water speed behind the
dam, an estimated 530 million tons of silt
will accumulate behind the dam. Critics
claim that the spillway built into the dam,
with a discharge capacity of 116,000 cubic
meters, is still not of sufficient size to
prevent siltation from occurring behind the
dam. The rising silt levels could eventually
China, the Chinese River Dolphin and the
cause sections of the Yangtze to be
Chinese Sturgeon are included in the list of
impassable for shipping, which will impact
species at risk. Ecosystem disruption poses
Chongqing, which relies on Yantze River
not only environmental problems, but
trade for economic vitality. Silt
economic problems as well. The physical
accumulation could even block the sluice
barrier interferes with fish spawning, and in
gates that are essential to control water
levels behind the dam. In the event of
combination with pollution, the dam will
heavy rainfall, rather than working to
have a serious impact on the fishing
control the waters, the dam could actually
economy of the Yangtze River.
cause more flooding to occur upstream. In
Deforestation:
addition, the reduced water speed will
Deforestation is another factor that refutes
hinder the power generating capacity of the
China’s claim that the Three Gorges Dam is
hydroelectric dam and contribute to
a “clean” energy source. Forests are a major
accumulation of pollutants and toxins in
carbon sink and work to negate greenhouse
water, reducing fresh water availability.
gas accumulation in the atmosphere.
Ecosystem Disruption:
However, the process of deforestation
The giant hydroelectric dam serves as a
(burning trees) actually emits carbon
physical barrier that disrupts the river
dioxide into the atmosphere, and is
ecosystem. In addition to water pollution,
responsible for 20% of the world’s
habitat fragmentation will have a
greenhouse gas emissions. An immense
detrimental effect on all species within the
amount of deforestation occurred for the
Three Gorges Dam area. In an
construction of this project, mainly to
environmental impact assessment, it was
provide farmland in the surrounding areas
determined that there are 47 endangered
for those whose homes and farms were
species in the Three Gorges Dam area that
flooded by the reservoir. Much of this land
are supposed to be protected by law. Two
is located on the steep slopes of the gorges,
of the most popular marine animals in
18
THE THREE GORGES DAM, CHINA
and has been determined as unsuitable and deforestation has increased the risk of
land for farming. In addition, the three landslides. Because of this, residents are
gorges dam area is geographically unstable, being forced to relocate for a second time.
Landslides:
The most current environmental concern with the Three Gorges Dam is the prevalence of
landslides. So far there have been 91 places where the shore has collapsed, with a total of 36
kilometres of land caved in. Some of these landslides have triggered 50 meter-high waves on
the reservoir behind the dam.
Landslides have resulted from a culmination of factors. The Three Gorges area has been always
been geologically unstable before construction on the dam began. When relocation began,
many people were moved to higher land in the valley just above the flood line. Farmers cleared
land to plant crops or orange trees, but deforestation contributed to soil erosion and
destabilized many hillsides.
19
Greenest building in US
20
Greenest building in US
Instead of a blockish tower, Philip A. Macey, where it should diffuse, creating a natural
a senior associate at RNL, drafted plans for overhead light that Mr. Macey says will be
two long, narrow wings of office space adequate on all but the darkest days.
positioned along an east-west axis to catch The building, in fact, will control a good deal
maximum light. A mirrored louver built into of the working environment. Some
the building's south-facing windows will windows will open and close automatically
bounce that daylight toward the ceiling, as outdoor air warms and cools throughout
21
Greenest building in US
the day. Other windows will be left to coated with a reflective film developed by
employees to operate—but the building will RavenBrick LLC of Denver. The glass darkens
ping occupants with reminders, flashing automatically as the temperature rises, so it
alerts on their laptops (desktops use too reflects the sun's heat away from the
much energy) when it is time to open or building while still allowing daylight to
close particular panes. penetrate.
Some windows will be shrouded to
minimize glare and heat. Others will be
An interior space,
designed to maximize
natural lighting
22
Greenest building in US
The NREL building costs about twice that, office building that has fewer energy-
almost $280 a square foot unfurnished, efficiency features.
according to Haselden Construction. But The federal government also plans to
NREL says its building meets federal continue studying—and tweaking—the
guidelines for government construction building's energy use long after
costs—federal buildings generally cost more construction is complete. "That is critically
because of added safety and security important," says Bob Fox, a partner at the
requirements—and is, in fact, no more New York firm Cook + Fox Architects, which
expensive than a standard government focuses on green building. "We need more
projects like this to push the envelope.
23
Heat-resistant adhesive for building work
24
Haiti’s Quake: Some geotechnical aspects
What happened
The Mw 7.0 earthquake that struck the The Republic of Haiti occupies the western
Republic of Haiti on January 12, 2010 is third (27,750 km2) of the island of
among the most destructive earthquakes in Hispaniola, located in the NE Caribbean
recorded history. As of February 6, 2010,
between Puerto Rico to the east and
the death toll reported by the Government
of Haiti exceeds 212,000 with an additional Jamaica and Cuba to the west (Fig. 1), and
300,000 injuries. More than 5 million has a total population of approximately 9
people live in the area directly affected by million. Its largest city, Port-au-Prince, has
the earthquake, and 1.2 million people are an estimated population of between 2.5
now living in temporary shelters (United and 3 million people within the
Nations, 2010). Five weeks after the metropolitan area and is located 25 km ENE
earthquake, humanitarian relief agencies
of the epicenter.
continue to be challenged by the scale of
the disaster.
25
Haiti’s Quake: Some geotechnical aspects
GEOTECHNICAL ASPECTS
Liquefaction
Liquefaction-induced lateral spreading was supported marginal wharf. The liquefaction
a significant factor contributing to the features and resulting damage are
extensive damage at the Port de Port-au- described in more detail in a subsequent
Prince, especially the collapse of a pile- section of this report on the port.
26
Haiti’s Quake: Some geotechnical aspects
Other less severe liquefaction-related To the south lie the foothills of the La Selle
features were observed in the alluvial plain Mountains that form the backdrop of the
surrounding the city of Léogâne. The figure city. Most of Port-au-Prince rests on
Holocene alluvial fan deposits consisting of
above shows the failure of a structure
gravel, sand, and clay The thickness of the
located about 75 m from the shoreline at deposits is variable and is reported to reach
18.446323° N, 72.686259° W. There were more than 200 m (650 ft) in some locations.
several sand boils nearby; the largest of
which measured approximately 4 m (13 ft)
in diameter.
Landslides
Ground-Motion Amplification We observed a large number of landslides
The role of ground-motion amplification in along Highway 204 in the mountainous area
causing the widespread damage observed approximately 10-15 km southwest of the
in Port-au-Prince is unclear at present epicenter. Most of these landslides
because little is known about soil occurred in cut slopes along the highway
conditions. To the north of Port-au-Prince is (Fig. 3a).
the “Chaine des Mateux” mountain range.
27
Haiti’s Quake: Some geotechnical aspects
Fiugre3(a)
Fiugre3(b)
28
Haiti’s Quake: Some geotechnical aspects
Embankment Failures
Two failures that caused damage to the caused by a slope failure (Fig 4a). The cause
pavement were observed along Nationale of damage in the second case is more
No. 2 west of the epicenter where the road complex and may be the result of dynamic
is constructed on an embankment above densification of the fill because the
low-lying coastal areas. In the first case the pavement has settled by approximately 1 m
pavement damage appears to have been (3.3 ft)Fig 4(b).
29
Haiti’s Quake: Some geotechnical aspects
residential construction (Fig. 5). The lower types of construction likely resulted in
weight of the building materials in these lower seismic inertial forces.
Figure 5
In contrast, there were numerous examples of severe damage and collapse to residences with
the heavy concrete slab floors and roofs (e.g., Fig. 6).
Figure 6
30
Haiti’s Quake: Some geotechnical aspects
The concrete and masonry buildings have between the concrete block void
several characteristics that might have areas to create a system of
contributed to their vulnerability: reinforced ribs in the slab. It
We observed concrete and concrete appeared that some of this concrete
block being made at several sites. block was placed close to columns,
The site materials appeared to be potentially reducing the punching
graded on site with a hand sieve to shear capacity of the slab system.
create the aggregate, and mixed on The supporting concrete columns
the ground (or in a wheelbarrow) were typically small, on the order of
with cement and water to create 200 to 250 mm (8 to 10 in.) square.
mortar. It was not unusual to see The reinforcing steel in these
pockets of loose aggregate in the columns often consisted of only 4-#4
concrete work indicating a stiff vertical bars with #2 ties spaced at
and/or poor mix. The concrete and 200 to 250 mm (8 to 10 in.). It was
mortar often appeared to be of poor not unusual to see smooth rather
quality. than deformed bars as the
The slabs and roofs were typically longitudinal reinforcement. The
about 150-mm (6-in.) thick and column ties appeared consistently to
utilized concrete block to create be smooth, and the hooks on these
voids in the slabs to reduce the ties were short 90° hooks rather
amount of concrete needed. than 135° seismic hooks (Fig. 7).
Reinforcing steel was placed
Figure 7
31
Haiti’s Quake: Some geotechnical aspects
The concrete block walls were walls were also made with concrete
constructed after the concrete block, further increasing the seismic
frame had been completed and did mass of the residence.
not appear to be reinforced. Interior
Two adjacent structures located in a hamlet damage to all of its first-story walls,
near Léogâne illustrate the important particularly on the sides with multiple
benefits of having a low seismic mass, openings (Fig. 8a). The adjacent, one-story
particularly for relatively brittle structures church, with a light-metal roof supported by
built without consideration of earthquake masonry walls, appeared to be constructed
performance. The first, a two-story, with materials of poorer quality, but it fared
concrete bearing wall house suffered severe much better during the earthquake (8b).
32
Haiti’s Quake: Some geotechnical aspects
Nonetheless, the stark difference in performance suggests that the severe damage to
numerous buildings could have been avoided with greater attention to seismic performance.
33
Haiti’s Quake: Some geotechnical aspects
Figure 10
The figure above shows two typical examples of PEMB structures from Port-au-Prince, in which
the masonry failed out of plane. The team saw no evidence of ties between the structural steel
and the masonry walls.
FINAL REMARKS
Indirect evidence suggests that the attributable to a great extent to the lack of
earthquake did not produce ground attention in design and construction to the
motions sufficient to severely damage well- possibility of earthquakes. In many cases,
engineered structures. Many bearing-wall the structural types, member dimensions,
structures did survive the earthquake. detailing practices, and fill properties were
Similarly, bridges located near the epicentre inadequate to resist strong ground motions.
suffered only minor damage and were able These vulnerabilities may have been
to function immediately after the exacerbated by poor construction practices.
earthquake. The effects of this damage were also
It appears that the widespread damage to compounded by widespread poverty, the
residences, government and private density of Port au Prince, and the fragility of
buildings, roadways, and port facilities was the public institutions in Haiti.
34
White Roofs May Successfully Cool Cities
Painting the roofs of buildings white has the were entirely painted white, the urban heat
potential to significantly cool cities and island effect could be reduced by 33
mitigate some impacts of global warming, a percent. This would cool the world's cities
new study indicates. The new NCAR-led by an average of about 0.7 degrees F, with
research suggests there may be merit to an the cooling influence particularly
idea advanced by U.S. Energy Secretary pronounced during the day, especially in
Steven Chu that white roofs can be an summer.
important tool to help society adjust to The authors emphasize that their research
climate change. should be viewed as a hypothetical look at
Cities are particularly vulnerable to climate typical city landscapes rather than the
change because they are warmer than actual rooftops of any one city. In the real
outlying rural areas. Asphalt roads, tar world, the cooling impact might be
roofs, and other artificial surfaces absorb somewhat less because dust and
heat from the Sun, creating an urban heat weathering would cause the white paint to
island effect that can raise temperatures on darken over time and parts of roofs would
average by 2-5 degrees Fahrenheit or more remain unpainted because of openings such
compared to rural areas. White roofs would as heating and cooling vents.
reflect some of that heat back into space
and cool temperatures, much as wearing a In addition, white roofs would have the
white shirt on a sunny day can be cooler effect of cooling temperatures within
than wearing a dark shirt. buildings. As a result, depending on the
local climate, the amount of energy used
The study team used a newly developed for space heating and air conditioning could
computer model to simulate the amount of change, which could affect both outside air
solar radiation that is absorbed or reflected temperatures and the consumption of fossil
by urban surfaces. The model simulations, fuels such as oil and coal that are associated
which provide scientists with an idealized with global warming. Depending on
view of different types of cities around the whether air conditioning or heating is
world, indicate that, if every roof affected more, this could either magnify or
partially offset the impact of the roofs.
35
White Roofs May Successfully Cool Cities
36
How Materials Break
37
How Materials Break
38
Aiming at 'phantom' traffic jams
39
Aiming at 'phantom' traffic jams
A team of MIT mathematicians has where high densities of traffic -- hot spots
developed a model that describes how and for accidents -- are likely to form.
under what conditions such jams form,
The team tackled the problem last year
which could help road designers minimize
after a group of Japanese researchers
the odds of their formation. The
experimentally demonstrated the formation
researchers reported their findings May 26
of jamitons on a circular roadway. Drivers
in the online edition of Physical Review E.
were told to travel 30 kilometers per hour
Key to the new study is the realization that and maintain a constant distance from
the mathematics of such jams, which the other cars. Very quickly, disturbances
researchers call "jamitons," are strikingly appeared and a phantom jam formed. The
similar to the equations that describe denser the traffic, the faster the jams
detonation waves produced by explosions, formed.
says AslanKasimov, lecturer in MIT's
"We wanted to describe this using a
Department of Mathematics. That discovery
mathematical model similar to that of fluid
enabled the team to solve traffic jam
flow," said Kasimov, whose main research
equations that were first theorized in the
focus is detonation waves. He and his co-
1950s.
authors found that, like detonation waves,
The equations, similar to those used to jamitons have a "sonic point," which
describe fluid mechanics, model traffic jams separates the traffic flow into upstream and
as a self-sustaining wave. Variables such as downstream components. Much like the
traffic speed and traffic density are used to event horizon of a black hole, the sonic
calculate the conditions under which a point precludes communication between
jamiton will form and how fast it will these distinct components so that, for
spread. example, information about free-flowing
conditions just beyond the front of the jam
Once such a jam is formed, it's almost
can't reach drivers behind the sonic point.
impossible to break up -- drivers just have
As a result, drivers stuck in dense traffic
to wait it out, says Morris Flynn, lead author
may have no idea that the jam has no
of the paper. However, the model could
external cause, such as an accident or other
help engineers design roads with enough
bottleneck. Correspondingly, they don't
capacity to keep traffic density low enough
appreciate that traffic conditions are soon
to minimize the occurrence of such jams,
to improve and drive accordingly.
says Flynn, a former MIT math instructor
now at the University of Alberta. In future studies, the team plans to look
more detailed aspects of jamiton formation,
The model can also help determine safe
including how the number of lanes affects
speed limits and identify stretches of road
the phantom traffic jams.
40
Hydraulic and Water Resources Engineering
Among all engineering disciplines, the civil engineering discipline is the closest to nature. We
civil engineers study soil (in the form of soil mechanics), water (in the form of hydraulics,
hydrology and water resources), energy (in the form of hydropower), wind (in the form of wind
engineering) as well as space (in the form of space structures). These are considered as the five
basic elements of nature, which are popularly known as the ‘Pancha mahabhootas’ in the
Indian philosophy. In addition to this, civil engineers ‘build the quality of life’ as aptly said in a
quotation by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) by designing appropriate facilities
at the individual, community, national and global levels.
Civil engineering related to water resources can be broadly grouped into three
categories as listed below.
1. Civil engineering is involved in the study/management of various WATER USES
like:
a. municipal water supply,
b. industrial water supply,
c. hydropower and offshore development,
d. water for agriculture and aquaculture,
e. water for navigation & recreation and
f. Water for other uses.
41
Hydraulic and Water Resources Engineering
There have been continuous updates in the technology, scale as well as the method of
construction of facilities in each of the areas listed above over the years, decades and centuries.
Research and development related to these areas have come from the developing as well as
the developed world. Among the various water uses, the water required for drinking and
cooking in the municipal water supply requires the best quality as per the potable water quality
standards while the water required for agriculture requires the highest quantity. Some of the
notable examples are listed here.
The centralized planning for municipal water supply projects was initiated in the Western
Europe / North America around the 1840’s. The present water supply projects for huge
metropolis like Greater New York City, Greater Mexico City and Greater Tokyo (each with a
population of 20 million plus and a per capita per day water demand in excess of 100 liters) can
be mentioned here. On one hand it makes every civil engineer feel proud while on the other
hand it has also robbed the time-tested practice of managing water resources almost
independently at individual house and community levels. To overcome this drawback,
rainwater harvesting at individual house and community levels is being promoted voluntarily as
well as through mandatory stipulations to reduce the load on the centralized municipal water
supply schemes.
Similarly the amount of industrial water supply required was about 291 billion cubic meters
(BCM) accounting for about 65% of the total water demand as per the World Bank data during
the period from 1980 to 1998 in a highly industrialized country like the USA. As far as the large
hydropower development was concerned, the Itaipu Project between Brazil and Paraguay in
South America has an installed power capacity of 12,600 megawatt (MW) with a maximum unit
size of 725 MW. The Three Gorges Dam Project on the Yangtze River in China is expected to
have a power generating capacity of 18,200 MW consisting of 26 units each of size of 700 MW
by the year 2009. The famous Brahmaputra U-bend in Tibet in China with an elevation drop of
about 2.25 km (between two of its cross sections which are 37-km apart) is estimated to have a
hydropower potential of about 60,000 MW if series of cascading hydropower projects are
planned. This project has been termed as the project of the ‘engineer-dreamers’ for the
enormous amount of challenge (such as designing appropriate hydropower structures in the
earthquake prone Himalayas as well as bringing about a socio-political understanding and
synergy between the two Asian giant nations viz., India and China) and the benefits it offers.
In the same manner, design of very long coastal bridges such as the one recently built near
Shanghai in China across the River Yangtze represents the finest example of near-shore and
offshore development. Another example is the Ijsselmeer, wherein a 32 km long Afsluitdijk
Dam was built in 1932 within the inland sea of central Netherlands to create a mega-reservoir
for storing freshwater. Extending this concept, the work for the ambitious Kalpsar Project
across the Gulf of Khambatt connecting Southern Gujarat in India near the mouth of River
Narmada with a place 67-km away in Saurashtra in the peninsular region of Gujarat. Such a
project will not only create a very large freshwater reservoir for the waters from rivers
Narmada, Mahi, Sabarmati and other 7 to 8 smaller rivers in that region. But also it will
42
Hydraulic and Water Resources Engineering
significantly reduce the distance, time and cost of travel by land between Mumbai /its vicinity
and parts of Saurashtra.
As for as irrigation (i.e., agricultural water demand) is concerned, India (with its very high
percentage of arable land of 45%) was using about 460 BCM water during the year 1980 to
1998 as per the World Bank data accounting for about 92% of its total water demand. Refer to
Figure 1 below. On a smaller scale, Israel has successfully demonstrated the use of drip
irrigation and thereby growing and exporting fruits from its desert lands. Similarly, parts of
Pakistan having sandy soils of the Thar Desert are known for growing valuable crops like
Basmati rice by utilizing the waters of River Indus through a well-developed century old Indus
Canal system.
In navigation, the construction of Panama Canal between the two continents of North and
South America as well as the construction of Suez Canal between Africa and the Middle-East
within the past century has resulted in a significant reduction of travel time and cost for all
kinds of ships. Water use for recreation has been developed locally all over the world in the
form of sports and adventure activities. Lastly among the other water uses, the floating market
of Bangkok across the Chao Phraya River in Thailand is worth mentioning here.
Coming to the civil engineering related to water hazards like floods, droughts, tsunamis,
landslides etc. various structural measures as well as non-structural measures have been
adopted through out the world to effectively manage them. However, the increase in the
degree as well as the frequency of hydro-meteorological extremes possibly due to the effect of
climate change induced global warming is a cause for serious concern especially in the
developing world and sporadically in the developed world. In this regard, the impact of the
December 2004 Tsunami spread over three continents ranging from Somalia in Africa through
Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia in Asia and to some extent in the western part of the Australian
43
Hydraulic and Water Resources Engineering
continent is worth mentioning here. Similarly activities like creation of paved and impervious
surfaces and building of reservoirs is leading to urban flooding, erosion, sedimentation and
reservoir induced seismicity in many parts of the world. Such problems need to be addressed
using an integrated approach for the conservation of natural resources such as soil, water and
vegetation.
Civil engineering knowledge is also very much required in managing the undesirable by-
products of water uses such as municipal and industrial wastewater, agricultural return flow,
water induced soil erosion etc. In these areas many traditional technologies, modern
technologies as well as blends of traditional and modern technologies have been evolved over
decades and centuries of research and innovation.
Almost all countries have contributed in the development of civil engineering knowledge base
to address water related issues. India is also an active contributor of traditional and / or
modern technologies aimed at achieving integrated water management. Some of the most
notable contributions from India can be broadly grouped into those belonging to the ancient as
well as modern period. Among those during the ancient period, the first measurement of
rainfall by Koutilya during the 3rd Century BC in the Magadh Empire of present day Bihar and
the building of Grand Anicut over River Cauvery (which is functioning quite satisfactorily even
now) by the Chola king Karikala during the 1st Century AD are worth mentioning here. Among
the Indian contribution to water related civil engineering during modern times the
commissioning of the world’s largest reverse osmosis (RO) desalination plant at Kalpakkam
Atomic Power Plant near Chennai, Tamil Nadu (in 2004 with a daily capacity of 4.5 million litres)
as well as the well developed canal systems in the Ganga, Indus and Godavari basins are worth
remembering here.
44
A closer look at the dispute: What brought WTC down
The structural system, deriving from the I.B.M. Building in Seattle, is impressively simple. The
208-foot wide facade is, in effect, a prefabricated steel lattice, with columns on 39-inch centers
acting as wind bracing to resist all overturning forces; the central core takes only the gravity
loads of the building. A very light, economical structure results by keeping the wind bracing in
the most efficient place, the outside surface of the building, thus not transferring the forces
through the floor membrane to the core, as in most curtain-wall structures. The floor
construction is of prefabricated trussed steel, only 33 inches in depth, that spans the full 60 feet
to the core, and also acts as a diaphragm to stiffen the outside wall against lateral buckling
45
A closer look at the dispute: What brought WTC down
This article presents to you the key elements of the technical dispute regarding the collapse of WTC.
The individual points of the former collapse theory by Tim Wilkinson are presented followed by some
other important observation, made later. The arguments of both National Institute for Standards and
Technology (NIST) and Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth team (AE911 Truth) have been
compiled from 3 separate reports, firstly the initial collapse theory, and two other reports published in
September 2009.
However, as fire raged in the upper floors, the heat would have been gradually affecting the
behaviour of the remaining material. As the planes had only recently taken off, the fire would
have been initially fuelled by large volumes of jet fuel, which then ignited any combustible
material in the building. While the fire would not have been hot enough to melt any of the
steel, the strength of the steel drops markedly with prolonged exposure to fire, while the elastic
modulus of the steel reduces (stiffness drops), increasing deflections.
46
A closer look at the dispute: What brought WTC down
Eventually, the loss of strength and stiffness of the materials resulting from the fire, combined
with the initial impact damage, would have caused a failure of the truss system supporting a
floor, or the remaining perimeter columns, or even the internal core, or some combination.
Failure of the flooring system would have subsequently allowed the perimeter columns to
buckle outwards. Regardless of which of these possibilities actually occurred, it would have
resulted in the complete collapse of at least one complete storey at the level of impact.
47
A closer look at the dispute: What brought WTC down
Once one storey collapsed all floors above would have begun to fall. The huge mass of falling
structure would gain momentum, crushing the structurally intact floors below, resulting in
catastrophic failure of the entire structure. While the columns at say level 50 were designed to
carry the static load of 50 floors above, once one floor collapsed and the floors above started to
fall, the dynamic load of 50 storeys above is very much greater, and the columns at each level
were almost instantly destroyed as the huge upper mass fell to the ground.
48
A closer look at the dispute: What brought WTC down
NIST critics among building professionals argue that the towers were built to survive even if more than
50% of the columns were severed or weakened. A favorite 1964 quote from the professional magazine
Engineering News-Record cites the assertions of WTC designers that a catastrophe "could cut away all
the first story columns on one side of the building, and partway from the corners of the perpendicular
sides, and the building could still withstand design live loads and a 100 mph wind from any direction."
NIST responds that designers did not allow for the "unique conditions" of the tower events. Some
independent NIST supporters add that the magazine quote itself is more self-promotion than
construction reality.
Load Redistribution
NIST estimates that after the
airplane crashes severed some
beams in each tower, loads on
some columns increased by up
to 35%. NIST allows that, just
as it should have been, the
weight of the stories above the
severed beams was efficiently
distributed to intact beams
and to other support elements
but notes that, even so, once
the fires softened the steel
core and trusses bearing the
extra load, there was sufficient
give to allow the perimeter
columns to bend inward and
49
A closer look at the dispute: What brought WTC down
thereby touch off the collapse.
Opposing professionals note that the WTC designers specifically designed for airplane impact (though
they concede for a somewhat smaller jet plane). Moreover, to assist load redistribution and for other
safety reasons, the designers used a super-strong steel in the beams that, critics say, gave a margin of
error allowing beams to handle three times their load capacity. Some critics cite a statistic that the
outside perimeter columns could handle increases of 2000% above the designed live load. NIST says it
never heard of such a number and doesn't know its derivation. Such a number is clearly inaccurate given
the events, NIST says.
Dislodged Fireproofing
Absolutely essential to the NIST
case is its finding via computer
modeling of the damage that
"significant amounts" of
fireproofing protecting the core
steel beams were dislodged from
both towers by the impact of the
aircrafts, allowing the steel to
soften sufficiently (not melt) in
the ensuing fires to destabilize
the entire building. In one
building 43 of the 47 core beams
on at least one floor were
estimated by NIST to be so damaged. Without this dislodgment, NIST concedes, the airplane crashes and
subsequent fires could not have caused the collapse of the two buildings.
Critics point out that there is no hard evidence the fireproofing was stripped on impact or that so many
core beams were damaged by fire, the hard evidence having been destroyed or carted away. NIST
therefore had to rely on computer models to determine this, a process in which the information chosen
to be input was all important. They note that it is simply a NIST hypothesis that significant dislodging
occurred. To support this theory, NIST performed laboratory tests in which shotguns pellets were fired
at steel surfaces coated with spray-on foam insulation like that used in the twin towers. Critics note that
the underlying assumption is that a crashing Boeing 757 would have been transformed into the
equivalent of the thousands of shotgun blasts needed to dislodge fireproofing from the 6,000 square
meters of surface area of structural steel in the fire areas.
50
A closer look at the dispute: What brought WTC down
Opposing experts argue that the temperatures from the fires ever reached the levels cited by NIST in the
areas around the core beams. They point out that (1) NIST's own display chart shows that the highest air
temperatures, which NIST estimated lasted only 15 to 20 minutes, were not in the area of the core inner
beams and that only 3 perimeter columns of 16 studied had reached a temperature above 250C, while
two core columns studied had not even reached 250C. (2) Even in the unlikely event the beams lost 50%
of their load- bearing capacity, they had capacity to handle three times the load they were carrying. (3)
Steel rapidly transfers heat elsewhere such that no one spot is likely to have become sufficiently hot to
lose its load-bearing capacity. (4) NIST states there is no visual evidence for fires close to or in the core
of the buildings. (5) In the case of WTC2, all the NIST-claimed fire damage would have had to happen
within 52 minutes whereas it took almost an hour and three quarters (102 minutes) for the impact-fire
events allegedly to collapse WTC1.
Floor Sagging
NIST reports that impact-area floors sagged just
before the collapse, as has happened in other
steel-framed buildings under the duress of fire.
With its computer-modeling of the collapse, NIST
estimated the floors sagged 54 inches, pulling
perimeter columns inward, which placed more
load on the fire-weakened inner steel columns.
For NIST this is another key element in the
collapse scenario.
51
A closer look at the dispute: What brought WTC down
Opposing building professionals argue that no other fire in a steel-framed building ever caused so much
floor sag and that in fact NIST's own tests demonstrated only a few inches of sagging in the middle - and
this after two hours in a high-temperature furnace. NIST, some critics allege, could have pumped the
statistics fed into the computer in order to achieve a pre-desired outcome, justifying doing so with its
questionable hypothesis that the fire-proofing was stripped as severely as NIST estimates.
52
A closer look at the dispute: What brought WTC down
Critical outside building professionals and others note that NIST provides no detailed calculations as to
how the force of the upper stories was received by the lower ones, only a formula as to how it might
have happened, and they cite Newton's Law of Conservation of Momentum in which, quite logically they
say and as evidenced by other damaged steel buildings, the upward strength and sheer size of the lower
buildings mass with its huge steel columns would slow the descent of the upper portion of the buildings,
not yield to it and collapse en mass. Not even if all the core steel beams in the fire area gave way, they
argue, could global collapse ever occur absent some other force weakening the steel of the lower floors,
which would have to come from pre-planted explosives. Absent such explosives, the "weak link" of the
most severed or heated steel would have given first, at most causing the upper stories to topple to one
side and not, as in two identical buildings, causing a mass and fairly straight-down collapse.
Molten Steel
NIST denies that any of the building steel ever turned molten before the collapse, which would take a
temperature much greater than it says the fires in the building reached but which an explosive such as
thermite would easily generate. NIST argues that the yellow-reddish molten metal clearly seen pouring
from one of the buildings was the aluminum from one of the planes turned yellow likely by blending
with burning elements of furniture, computers and the like. NIST spokesman Newman further argues
that any possible photographic evidence and eyewitness testimony of molten steel being removed from
Ground Zero, if such evidence even exists was either aluminum, mistaken as steel or steel that had
cooked in the heat and fires under the pile generated after the collapse and which were trapped, oven-
like, in the debris and earth.
(1) NIST only surmised but did not actually test the hypotheses that silvery molten aluminum could turn
yellowish-red when compounded with building contents; (2) NIST only studied carefully-selected whole
steel sections; (3) there is some eyewitness testimony and a few photos showing that quantities of non-
aluminum molten metals were seen above ground and so could not be explained by underground fires;
(4) metal fires burned for weeks "consistent with the use of high-temperature cutter charges such as
thermite, routinely used to melt/cut/demolish steel," producing temperatures above 2000C, as one
53
A closer look at the dispute: What brought WTC down
NIST-rebutting technical essay claims, and (5) it is physically impossible and absurd beyond science that
fires in trapped rubble could burn hotter than the building fires and thus melt fallen steel unless some
other chemical element were in place to reinforce those fires. A chemical such as thermite, which
contains its own oxygen, would allow burning in oxygen-less underground spaces. The critics also note
that NIST admits it never saw or tested any of the molten steel itself, and some of NIST's lead scientists
even deny its existence.
After Jones informed NIST of his findings and invited a dialogue, NIST countered that there was no "clear
chain of custody" proving that the dust indeed came un-tampered from Ground Zero. Jones then invited
NIST to conduct its own studies using its dust. NIST has refused to take up the challenge.
The critics attribute such neglect to the self-protective peer-pressure effect of NIST scientists being
government employees or contractors, including many defense contractors.
NIST concedes it never tested for explosives or residues largely because no credible evidence of
explosives appeared, just as no molten steel samples were presented to it by the independent civil
engineers who gathered up the steel to be tested. NIST argues that what appeared to be explosive-like
puffs of light and smoke pushing out from various sections of the buildings were "squibs" of heated air
and debris forced outward by the immense downward air pressure created as the mass of the buildings
collapsed.
54
A closer look at the dispute: What brought WTC down
Critical professional outsiders often angrily dispute every element of this. Their refutations include:
(1)A body of hundreds of eyewitnesses testimony reporting hearing and seeing loud explosions taking
place in rapid sequence, including testimony from first responders and live news reports. NIST defenders
argue the explosions and explosive sounds likely came from transformers blowing up, particularly the
generators along the elevator shafts; from the floors crashing on one another, and from rivets popping
en mass from the pressure of the fall.
(2) The fact that the light flashes and smoke emissions NIST labeled dust "squibs" developed in such an
unusual pattern in lower floors, far from where the crunch was happening, that they cried out for closer
investigation as explosives.
(3) In Building 7, these squibs occurred in a distinct rapid and symmetrical pattern along the line of the
building that exactly mirrors controlled demolitions.
(5) The official lab tests conducted for NIST and for the WTC-adjacent damaged Deutche Bank found
widespread evidence of "iron-rich microspheres" which, NIST critics assert, is a byproduct of steel
becoming molten, a challenge to NIST's claim that molten steel existed only in small pockets
underground.
55
A closer look at the dispute: What brought WTC down
Demolition Footprint
NIST central argument here is that even though all three buildings seemed to follow the classic footprint
of a pre-planned demolition, both in the speed and symmetry of the structural collapse, in fact its global
collapse theory better explains the anomalies of the events. It cites demolition experts it consulted
affirming that all three buildings did not meet the classic demolition model. Many independent
demolition experts also support NIST in this claim.
56
Civil-ian Speak
Civil-ian Speak
Yeah..13th is jinxed!!!
On 13th February 2010, at around 7:30 pm, I read about the Pune bomb blast on the internet,
condemned the attack and forgot it. Around 11 pm on the same day, we were discussing about the
everlasting tempo of Tempo (Ankik) Da, and then at 11:56 pm I got the news that we won’t be able to
see that tempo again, never. And I cried, after a long time I cried, and so did everyone else who heard
the news. Every person on hearing the news asked if it was true, if it is confirmed, even though they
knew it was, but the human mind always tries to delude itself by finding those chinks of faith in the
darkest circumstances, to deny what it doesn’t want to believe. Nobody wants to believe its true, but
that’s what it is. As was my first reaction, condemn and forget, so was the reaction of over 1 billion
Indians, because that’s all we do. But as soon as I came to know about the sad demise of Ankik Da, the
anger, the frustration, the dissatisfaction, the grief reached an altogether different level. I can no longer
shed it out of my mind, but for how long, may be a week or two, at most a month and then life will
come back to normal as if nothing happened. In fact for most of the people who didn’t know him or
anyone injured in the blast, life never changed...most people just show dissent for a while, abuse the
government and then get along, roam around on valentine's eve or just sleep in the comfort of their
blankets. We don’t raise a voice if the victim is unknown, and we stop raising voice in a month or two
even if he is known. There was 1 terror attack in the US and the terrorists have forgotten the path to US.
We have been facing worse attacks than the 9/11 year after year after year and yet all we do is hope it
wont happen again. We are pessimists who expect the government to fight for us while the truth is we
cannot stand for ourselves or our neighbour, or friend or for anyone except for ourselves. We are
hypocrites talking about peace and harmony. We are not peace loving, but a scared bunch of people
who mask their fears by preaching about love and peace. Busy with our own comfortable life, we don’t
look around, we don't notice that we are next in line. The question remains, why can’t we bring about a
change? Is it because the system is irreparable or because we are too lazy to make amends in it? I won't
ask everyone to come forward, unite and take responsibility to change the way things are around here
coz this is the same country that has forgotten Gandhi's death, so these 9 deaths don't even stand in the
line. But I am still writing all this since I believe, that some people think and act, coz I believe that even if
one mind accepts this and wishes to change the way things are, the destiny will itself show the course.
We know the destination here and that should be enough. If the path is beautiful, first confirm where it
leads, but if the destination is beautiful, don’t bother how the path is, just keep walking...and this
destination, my friends is much better than the timidness we have mistaken for reality.
Pradeep Rathore
3rd Year Undergraduate Student
Department of Civil Engineering
IIT Kharagpur
57
Civil-ian Speak
Forgotten
The words of Anuradha Mathur have proven yet again to be true on 13 Dec 2009 when only 11 MPs paid
tribute to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives fighting terror attack on the parliament. The others
seemed to be taking their Sunday off, many of these were the same MPs who had their hands in their
mouths as they were inside the parliament at the time of attack and who were saved by the forgotten
jawans.
Sometimes I feel who are these guys fighting for?? For the country or for these ehsaanfaraamosh
politicians who feel nothing whatsoever..... Mahesh Bhatt, one of the top notch directors said in an
interview recently when asked about his son, "Ehsaan kiya hai desh par"(by disclosing his links with
Headley)......Thank you Mr. Bhatt, we are deeply indebted.
I remember the NSG commando Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan who got killed while battling terrorists in
Mumbai. His father shut his house doors on the CM Achuthanandan and home minister Balakrishnan
with media cameras rolling . At this, Mr CM said," Had it not been a martyr's house, not even a dog
would have entered there." This was the real condolences Mr CM had in mind and the rest was a show
off.
In an interview with Mr and Mrs Unnikrishnan, they were asked a question ,"Are you proud that your son
lost his life fighting for the country?"
Of all the answers I have heard from various mothers and fathers and friends of martyrs who said they
were extremely proud and held their head high, this answer was different. His father said," What should I
be proud of? My son lost his life performing his duty. This is what I taught him from the childhood and
this is what he believed in. " When he was asked how their life was going now, they answered that they
were left with no hopes. He had even thought of committing suicide but Mrs. Unnikrishnan stopped
him. The day she will feel the same, they will put an end to their lives together.
I also remember Anuj Nayyar, the 24yr kargil martyr. Along with his Mahavir chakra, his father received
the allotment letter of a petrol pump. Claiming the pump that came as a memory of his son was never
going to be easy, but Nayyar had never imagined that it was going to be this tough - it took not one, not
two, but innumerable visits to every possible Goverrnment office.
"The struggle of Kargil was one part. The struggle of Kargil Heights (petrol pump) was another. In the
Kargil struggle, the might of the Indian Army was there to support, that was one war, but in the other
war of Kargil Heights, there was no back-up," said Nayyar.
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Civil-ian Speak
Years after the pump was alloted, Nayyar and his wife were still getting permissions from the Delhi
Vidyut Board, the DDA and the Delhi Police.
We are a proud nation. We have survived the recession with a growth of 6%. But we do not know the
people responsible for saving us. Seems like our heroes have changed. We have our role models as
Shahrukh khans and Kareena Kapoors and Katrina Kaifs. We also remember their birth dates and
marriage anniversaries. Are these the right issues??
We enjoy slangs in shows like Roadies and Dadagiri and get emotional when one of our favourite most
good looking contestant is voted out and get overwhelmed when he or she wins. We spend out time
watching television shows like big boss where 10 -12 stupid people are made to live in a house and we
enjoy watching them fight over petty things.
Enough said.
Gaurav Khare
4th Year Undergraduate Student
Department of Civil Engineering
IIT Kharagpur
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