Title
Session 7 - “A New era”: The Limits of engineering expertise in a post-9/11 world
Location
University of Nevada Las Vegas, Stan Fulton Building
Start Date
1-6-2007 4:40 PM
End Date
1-6-2007 4:50 PM
Description
In early 2002, just months after the collapse of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, Henry Petroski declared that the destruction of the towers “signaled the beginning of a new era in the planning, design, construction, and use of skyscrapers.” Building professionals and their work have surely been affected by the events of that day. Ironically, one lesson reinforced by the fall of the towers is that engineers cannot control the entirety of any engineering project. This reality raises questions about professional responsibility as it relates to risk, vulnerability, and uncertainty. This paper discusses the implications of this new era for engineering practice and education.
Keywords
Architecture; Building design; Construction; September 11 Terrorist Attacks; 2001; Skyscraper design; Skyscraper safety; Skyscrapers – Design and construction; Skyscrapers – Security measures
Disciplines
Architectural Engineering | Defense and Security Studies | Urban, Community and Regional Planning | Urban Studies and Planning
Language
English
Permissions
Use Find in Your Library, contact the author, or use interlibrary loan to garner a copy of the article. Publisher copyright policy allows author to archive post-print (author’s final manuscript). When post-print is available or publisher policy changes, the article will be deposited
COinS
Session 7 - “A New era”: The Limits of engineering expertise in a post-9/11 world
University of Nevada Las Vegas, Stan Fulton Building
In early 2002, just months after the collapse of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, Henry Petroski declared that the destruction of the towers “signaled the beginning of a new era in the planning, design, construction, and use of skyscrapers.” Building professionals and their work have surely been affected by the events of that day. Ironically, one lesson reinforced by the fall of the towers is that engineers cannot control the entirety of any engineering project. This reality raises questions about professional responsibility as it relates to risk, vulnerability, and uncertainty. This paper discusses the implications of this new era for engineering practice and education.