System Failures & Categories of Failures
"One Man's Ceiling is Another Man's Floor."(Song Title)Paul Simon


This page features a variety of failure examples generally classified as Architectural and Structural System Failures, Categories of Failures based on construction types, framing systems, common failure modes and material failures.

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Blast and Explosion Effects

• Accidential Explosions
• Building Failures due to Blast Effects (AE 537 Rasey)
• 400 Block Daly Street Row House Explosion - Philadelphia, Pa. (AE 537 2014 Palmer)

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Concrete Protection & Rehabilitation

• Repairing Historic Concrete

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Construction Operations and Temporary Structures for Construction

• Crane Failures (Recent - Various Dates)
• Concrete System Collapses & Failures During Construction(Includes various case studies)
• Guidelines for Building & Structure Relocation (AE 537 2014) (Holbert)
• Steel Structural System Collapses & Failures During Construction (AE 537 2012 - Rupert) In Progress - (Includes various case studies
• Construction Worker Fall Accidents

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Construction - Temporary Works

• John Hancock Center (Chicago) Scaffold Collapse (2002) - Available
• Scaffold Collapses - Lessons Learned
• Texas A&M Bonfire Collapse Tragedy (1999)
• 4 Times Square Scaffold Collapse (Conde Nast Tower) - (1998) - Available for Case Study Contribution
• Willow Island Cooling Tower (1978) - Available for Case Study Contribution
• Tropicana Casino Parking Garage (2003) - Wiki 10

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Deck and Railing Collapses and Failures

• Deck Collapses on the Rise? Here are some of the reasons.

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Earthquake Design Techniques to Limit Failures & Damage

• Performance-based design

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Failure Trends & Common Failure Types by Framing Systems

• Trends in the Failure of Metal Plate Connected Wood Trusses
• Common Failure Modes in Manufactured Metal Buildings
• Precast Garages and Builidng Structures
• Common Residential Framing Failures

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Green Building Design & Construction

• Green Building Design & Construction Failures (AE 537 2015 - Safari)
• Problems and Legal Liabilities of Green Construction

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Interior Architectural Systems and Finishes

• Chinese Drywall in Residential Construction - Pending completion of this system failure case, consumers may want to refer to the latest US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) information posted relative to Chinese Drywall Failures in residential construction.
• Nail Pops in Drywall
• Available

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MEP System & Component Failures

• PEX Plumbing Failures (AE 537- 11 Calkins)
• Sprinkler Head Defects

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Suspended Ceilings

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Sustainability

• Thermal Bridging - Steel Framing and Envelopes - Common Problems and Solutions Starter Research Article - AISC
• Thermal Bridging - Concrete Framing - Common Problems and Solutions

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Weld Defects in Buildings and Infrastructure

• Common Welding Defects
• Rebar Weld Problems

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Wood Framing Systems

• Metal Plated Wood Truss Failure Causes(AE 537-11 Emmick)
• Assessment and Remediation of Wood Defects (AE 537 2014 - Jesberger)