Continuing Education for the Practical Structural Engineer:
Then and Now:
What have we learned from
STRUCTURAL FAILURES?
WEBINAR SERIES (3 Consecutive Thursdays)
SEPT 17, 24 & OCT 1, 2020 | 11 a.m. - Noon

3.0 SEAMASS PDHs or 3.0 NCSEA Diamond-Certified PDHs
Join us for an in-depth look at three major structural failures, from historic to current, and the valuable lessons gleaned in their aftermath. Our seasoned industry experts will share their research, experience, and key practical insights and takeaways that can benefit your professional practice.
EVENT TIMING & REGISTRATION
WHEN: Thursdays, SEPT 17, 24, & OCT 1, 2020 | 11:00 a.m. - Noon
WHERE: Online via Zoom Webinar; Registrants will receive access link prior to event
INVESTMENT:
SEAMASS-Certified PDHs:
$25 per webinar (1.0 PDH) OR $60 for ALL 3 Webinars (3.0 PDHs)
NCSEA Diamond-Certified PDHs:
$30 per webinar (1.0 PDH) OR $75 for ALL 3 Webinars (3.0 PDHs)
Click above to register for the full series OR individual events
3 PRESENTATION TOPICS & OVERVIEWS
SEPTEMBER 17:
The Great Boston Molasses Tank Failure:
A Structural and Metallurgical Perspective
Presenter:
Ronald Mayville, PhD, PE | SGH (Retired)
PRESENTATION DETAILS:
This presentation covers the conditions of the 2.5 million gallon molasses tank failure of 1919 from a structural and metallurgical perspective. It reviews the specifications and design practices of the time, methods used to calculate the strength of riveted structures, the fracture evidence in light of today’s understanding of the brittle behavior of materials, and presents the results of finite element analyses of the conditions leading up to and beyond initial fracture.
SEPTEMBER 24:
The Indiana State Fair Stage Collapse Incident: What We Learned
Presenter:
Scott Nacheman, Msc.Eng., AIA | Envista Forensics
PRESENTATION DETAILS:
The August 13, 2011 collapse of the temporary structure at the Indiana State Fair resulted in seven fatalities and dozens of injuries. Due in part to the State of Indiana’s high degree of transparency in disclosing forensic findings, temporary structures are receiving new-found scrutiny. This reevaluation is changing how the entertainment industry and regulatory agencies approach the design, construction, and utilization of these and similar structures. Mr. Nacheman will present a summary of the State Fair incident and share the lessons learned from that tragedy related to the use of temporary structures. Current initiatives involving the development of improved standards, regulations and inspection requirements will also be reviewed.  
OCTOBER 1:
The FIU Pedestrian Bridge: Collapse Investigation
Presenter:
Gary J. Klein, PE, SE | Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. (WJE)
PRESENTATION DETAILS:
The FIU pedestrian bridge design employed a post-tensioned concrete deck and canopy connected by structural concrete columns and diagonals along the centerline to form a two-span continuous truss. On March 15, 2018, the main span of the bridge collapsed due to a connection failure at the north end shortly after the main span was positioned on its permanent supports. WJE investigated the collapse for the bridge designer, FIGG Bridge Engineers. 

The presentation describes how the collapse occurred and includes a design review of the failed connection relative to the requirements of the AASHTO LRFD code. The presentation compares results of interface shear transfer testing of full-size replicas of the deck connection with two levels of surface preparation: 1) an as-placed surface as observed by FHWA/NTSB and 2) roughened in accordance with the project specifications. Contrary to NTSB findings, this testing showed that the primary cause of the collapse was the contractor’s failure to roughen the surface as required by the project specifications.
ABOUT THE PRESENTERS
Ronald Mayville, PhD, PE
Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (Retired)
Dr. Mayville is the former head of the Structural Mechanics group at Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc. He has a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering and is a registered professional engineer in both structural engineering and metallurgical engineering. He has been active in the field of structural integrity for over thirty years and has over 40 publications. His interests and capabilities are in the fields of failure analysis, materials, wear, experimental mechanics, dynamics, vibration, and finite element analysis. He works in such areas as, chemical processing, energy structures, defense, and transportation.
Scott Nacheman, MSc Eng, AIA
Practice Leader - Major Loss | Envista Forensics
During Mr. Nacheman’s more than 22-year career he has been involved with many facets of emergency response and structural stabilization efforts including work with the Fire Service in NY and Illinois as well as Federal and State Urban Search & Rescue teams.  Scott earned Masters Degrees in both Architecture and Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and regularly authors and provides instruction on topics of emergency response, damage assessment and building collapse rescue operations. As an expert, he has testified in numerous matters.
Scott served as the Lead Investigator of the 2011 Indiana State Fair collapse incident and has responded to significant commercial losses such as the 2009 Smithfield fire loss, Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Ike, CAT90/Sandy, Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria the Christchurch, NZ earthquakes, the Joplin Tornado, the FIU Bridge Collapse, New Orleans hotel collapse, and many other large loss events. He has also investigated damage and performed remedial design services for iconic structures such as the Chrysler Building, Wrigley Building, and Empire State Building.
Gary Klein, PE, SE | Senior Principal, Executive VP
Wiss Janney Elstner Associates
Mr. Gary Klein is a Senior Principal and Executive VP of Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates (WJE) in Northbrook Illinois. For almost 40 years, he has studied and delivered solutions for buildings and bridges suffering from deterioration, distress or failure. He has investigated numerous structural collapses including the 1981 collapse of the skywalks in the Kansas City Hyatt Regency Hotel, the 1996 collapse of the KB Bridge in the Republic of Palau, and the 2018 collapse of the Florida International University pedestrian Bridge.  
Mr. Klein earned his BS and MS degrees in civil engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Since 1995, he has been a member of the American Concrete Institute building code committee. He has authored more than 40 papers related to his structural investigation practice and research work, and received numerous awards. In 2016, he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering “for investigations of national and international infrastructure and conveying knowledge from these investigations to the profession.”
Event Sponsors
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** OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS **
Click the links below or view the SEAMASS Events Calendar
for current details on these upcoming events
WEBINAR SERIES
OCT 15, 22 & 29, 2020 | 11:00 a.m. - Noon
Concrete Design Essentials - 3 Topics:

Performance-Based Concrete Design
Structural Pile Cap Design Using CRSI Design Guide for Pile Caps
Overview of CRSI’s ACI-318-19 Design Guide
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