Limbaugh: "The Baron of Bombast's"?

[nraforlife]

The WTC towers are interesting in that much of their support structure was located around the perimeter of the buildings.  Any collapse or failure of this sort of structure would likely cause the building to collapse down through its interior.

Like All Skyscrapers, the Twin Towers Were Over-Engineered
One aspect of engineering that is not widely understood is that structures are over-engineered as a matter of standard practice. Steel structures like bridges and buildings are typically designed to withstand five times anticipated static loads and 3 times anticipated dynamic loads. The anticipated loads are the largest ones expected during the life of the structure, like the worst hurricane or earthquake occurring while the floors are packed with standing-room-only crowds. Given that September 11th was not a windy day, and that there were not throngs of people in the upper floors, the critical load ratio was probably well over 10, meaning that more than nine-tenths of the columns at the same level would have to fail before the weight of the top could have overcome the support capacity of the remaining columns.

There is evidence that the Twin Towers were designed with an even greater measure of reserve strength than typical large buildings. According to the 1964 white paper cited above, a Tower would still be able to withstand a 100-mile-per-hour wind after all the perimeter columns on one face and some of the columns on each adjacent face had been cut. 7   Also, John Skilling is cited by the Engineering News Record for the claim that "live loads on these [perimeter] columns can be increased more than 2000% before failure occurs." 8   




http://911research.wtc7.net/wtc/analysis/design.html

[Regolith]

What does that have to do with the price of tea in China?  It neither address HTG's point, nor did refute anything.  If your steel support structure is starting to sag because it's been heated to the point where it's lost more than 60-70% of its strength, it isn't going to hold the load it was designed to. 

There's also the fact that once a structure begins to collapse, it doesn't gently float down to rest at the top of the non-damaged areas.  Gravity accelerates the falling portion, causing the force imparted onto the structure to spike extremely fast.  It's similar to the difference between resting a sledge hammer on your foot, and having one dropped on it from six feet above the ground.  The former might not even cause increased discomfort; the latter will likely break bones. This is because your foot doesn't just have to contend with the increased weight of the hammer, it also has to contend with the force imparted by acceleration due to gravity.

[nraforlife]

What does that have to do with the price of tea in China?  It neither address HTG's point, nor did refute anything.  ............

ah, but it most certainly does. That you choose to ignore anything which questions the 9/11 Official Version is your problem not mine. I fully understand the mental block many Americans have regarding that Day. Had it myself until late in 2004. IF the 9/11 Official Version is to a large degree false the American people have Problems which makes 'guys with boxcutters who hate our freedom' seem pretty trivial. In that case at best the Federal Government turns out to be incompetent beyond belief. At worst the People of the USA were attacked by elements of their own Government, perhaps in cahoots with foreign powers. Many folk will swallow almost anything story to avoid having to face such a Grim Reality. 

[Monkeyleg]

At worst the People of the USA were attacked by elements of their own Government, perhaps in cahoots with foreign powers.

Could you please inventory the crayons in your box of Crayola's and let us know what the count is?

[zahc]

no only kinda average for a highrise burn and of quite short duration.

"Average highrise burns" don't generally involve tons of jet fuel.

As much as I love a good conspiracy theory, there is nothing out of the ordinary about how the towers collapsed.

I have two graduate level materials textbooks right here than can show you how fast a 5x safety factor will get chewed up as steel temperature increases. It's an exponential decrease in yield strength.

People commonly don't understand how much energy is contained in jet fuel. There are more joules of energy in one airliner's tanks, than in several respectable-sized bombs. There is no design guidelines or safety factor that can withstand an entire airliner, with full tanks, dumping its entire fuel load into the top of a building.

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

Like All Skyscrapers, the Twin Towers Were Over-Engineered
One aspect of engineering that is not widely understood is that structures are over-engineered as a matter of standard practice. Steel structures like bridges and buildings are typically designed to withstand five times anticipated static loads and 3 times anticipated dynamic loads. The anticipated loads are the largest ones expected during the life of the structure, like the worst hurricane or earthquake occurring while the floors are packed with standing-room-only crowds. Given that September 11th was not a windy day, and that there were not throngs of people in the upper floors, the critical load ratio was probably well over 10, meaning that more than nine-tenths of the columns at the same level would have to fail before the weight of the top could have overcome the support capacity of the remaining columns.

There is evidence that the Twin Towers were designed with an even greater measure of reserve strength than typical large buildings. According to the 1964 white paper cited above, a Tower would still be able to withstand a 100-mile-per-hour wind after all the perimeter columns on one face and some of the columns on each adjacent face had been cut. 7   Also, John Skilling is cited by the Engineering News Record for the claim that "live loads on these [perimeter] columns can be increased more than 2000% before failure occurs." 8   

http://911research.wtc7.net/wtc/analysis/design.html

Have you ever engineered anything?

[grampster]

OK.  I've had it.  It's not worth it anymore.  I'm tired of keeping the secret about how we conspired to bring down America with the 911 thingy.  I admit it.  My cadre of old retired former police officers were tempted with a $100.00 a month increase in our pensions if we could bring this off.  Hey, a hundred bucks is not nothing to sneeze at. 

The real point was to be able to keep W in office forever and we've succeeded.  It's too late for any of you to stop us anymore.  Obama is really W's 3rd cousin and was in a unique position to hold the office till W's brother comes along in 3 years to hold the seat of power for W.  Hey, who knew?  After that the kids will take over.

Over and out.

[Gewehr98]

Thread exceeded silliness quotient and max allowable amount of drift/veer.