Lessons from WTC

What we learned: Building performance study of the WTC collapse, first published in Structural Engineer magazine August 2002, has been reprinted in Building Safety Journal, September 2003.

This article provides a clear, overall description of the damage inflicted on the buildings, development of the fires, evacuation efforts, structural response to the building fires, and the progressive collapse of the structures. Summary findings are provided. Of particular note to architects is the recommendation to provide physical separation of alternate egress routes when buildings may be at risk of impact damage.