Developing a Training Program for Inspectors
The reasons for failure of engineering works are many and varied. An inexperienced or poorly trained construction inspector can be a contributing element in cases of failure. The Bureau...
A Lawyer's View of Engineers' Responsibility
When presented with a case involving damaged property, a lawyer typically will seek to determine the point of the failure and then work backwards in an effort to analyze each of the factors...
Riverbank Instability Due to Bed Degradation
Degradation lowers the bed of an alluvial channel over a long reach. This has the effect of increasing the bank heights and angles, which decreases the stability of the banks with respect...
Toe Scour Protection in Open Channels
Scour at the toe of bank protection works is one of the major causes of failure of these structures. Weighted riprap toes are frequently used to prevent bank protection failure due to...
Snow-Melt Triggered Debris Flows Affecting Utah's Megalopolis
During the abnormally wet years of 1983 and 1984, debris flows were triggered late in spring on the west flank of the Wasatch Mountains and elsewhere in Central Utah. These debris flows...
Analytical Studies of the Schoharie Bridge Failure
Analytical studies consisted of geomorphic, hydrologic, hydraulic, and erosion analyses including mathematical modeling with HEC-1 and WSPRO, the new FHWA water-surface profile model....
Schoharie Creek Bridge Model Study
On April 5, 1987, a major storm occurred in the Schoharie Creek watershed and the resulting flood caused the bridge to fail. The hydraulic model of the bridge was performed to simulate...
One-Dimensional Modeling of Dam-Break Flow
R.W. MacCormack method is used for the numerical integration of Saint Venant equations to simulate the propagation of one-dimensional dam-break wave. The computed water levels are compared...
Analysis of Spillway Failures by Uplift Pressure
Results of a model study to evaluate the development of uplift pressures beneath concrete chutes are presented. Two spillway failures are described to support the study results. Common...
Hydrologic Safety of Earth Dams
Hydrologic and hydraulic analyses are presented pertaining to the safety evaluation of an earth dam located downstream of another smaller earth dam. The upper dam is assumed to breach...
Task Committee Report on Reliability Analysis of Water Distribution Systems
The results of the ASCE Hydraulics Division Task Committee on Reliability Analysis of Water Distribution Systems are summarized in a very comprehensive report entitled Reliability Analysis...
Progressive Impact Damage Assessment in Composite Pressure Vessels
At the present time, advanced composites have been widely accepted as engineering materials. Analysis techniques for the response of composite materials and structures to static loads...
Logistics Support of Space Facilities
The logistic support of space facilities is described, with especial attention given to the problem of sizing the inventory of ready spares kept at the space facility. Where possible,...
Lessons from Dam Incidents. US-II
The purpose of this report is to present available data to the profession regarding failures, accidents, and major repairs at dams in the United States. Data is analyzed with respect to...
What really happened at L'Ambiance Plaza
Even though the National Bureau of Standards has issued its report on the probable cause of failure in the collapse of the L'Ambiance Plaza. there is room for doubt as to...
Computer Assisted Mistakes
The proliferation of computer usage by design engineers will continue to generate change in practice. It will affect the process and production of design. It will affect the relationships...
Earthquake Response of La Villita Dam
Due to the recent industrial and housing developments at the port of Lazaro Cardenas, located 13 km (8 miles) downstream of La Villita Dam, at the mouth of the Balsas River, the hazard...
Analyses of Foundation Failures
During the earthquake of September 19th, 1985, many buildings tilted and underwent settlements, sometimes of very large magnitudes. This paper describes and analyzes these settlements....
Soil-Structure Interaction in Mexico City During the 1985 Earthquakes
The effects of the flexibility of the soil and the foundation on the seismic response of structures, by opposition to clear foundation failures, cannot be easily identified from a simple...
Implications of Structural Characteristics on Failure
Performance of buildings with two common structural types, many of which suffered heavy structural damage or collapse, are analyzed. Conclusions are drawn that no structural type is inadequate,...
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