2007-05-03 01:17:09 · 6 answers · asked by T D 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Engineering
A lightweight jet cannot cause a steel skyscraper to collapse.
Simply put, a lightweight jet just does not have the mass to cause much physical damage to a skyscraper. The only solid things on a jet are the engines, most everything else is lightweight aluminum and plastic.
However, steel softens and burns when subjected to high temperature. No steel structure will remain standing indefinitely when exposed to a gasoline or kerosene fire.
(On April 29, 2007 a gasoline tanker crashed near the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge that ignited and caused a freeway interchange to melt and collapse.)
The Empire State Building was struck by a B-25 bomber on July 28, 1945 and is still standing. (The accompanying fire was extinguished in 40 minutes.)
On 9/11 both World Trade Center towers remained standing after being struck by Boeing 767 mid-sized jets. The north WTC tower survived a bombing on February 26, 1993 by a Ryder truck filled with 1,500 pounds of explosives. Also the WTC north Tower survived a fire on February 13, 1975 that had spread to half the 11th floor.
I don't think the effects of a high-temperature fire on structual steel baffles any engineer.
2007-05-03 01:50:26 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
10,000 lbs of aviation fuel burning in a confined environment is enough to destroy just about any structure. People think steel is indestructible. In actuality, steel becomes very ductile at high temperatures, which means the steel cannot support the load that is acting upon it. Add the kinetic energy of a 767 traveling at 300+knots, the fire retardant on the steel beams is no match and is blown off. 1000 degrees later, steel is not so strong and fails.
2007-05-03 14:56:36 · answer #2 · answered by Mike B 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Just because you don't understand the physics, why do you say that engineers were "baffled"?,,, That was figured out within days of the WTC falling... It had to do with the type of construction of the buildings... the flaw was in the skeleton.
Gee... those Engineers sure were "Baffled"... yeah... right...
Next time you don't understand something, don't try to make it look like the experts didn't know it either... just be honest and ask how it happened.
2007-05-03 08:24:25 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
The same way a gasoline tanker truck on fire causes a freewaye collapse
2007-05-03 08:25:40 · answer #4 · answered by MarkG 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It is not the size or weight of the object, it is the force behind it!...then the towering inferno that follows...that was proved.
2007-05-03 08:26:18 · answer #5 · answered by wahoo 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It causes someone to set off the explosive charges that are rigged in the building.
2007-05-03 09:09:32 · answer #6 · answered by Herr Raging Boehner. 5 · 0⤊ 4⤋