Professional Documents
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03.3 CH 2-Part - 2 - Hyatt - Regency
03.3 CH 2-Part - 2 - Hyatt - Regency
Case Study
Hyatt Regency
Walkway Collapse
ECS 3361
Executive Summary
On July 17, 1981,
◦ 2 suspended walkways collapsed
◦ Hyatt Regency Hotel, Kansas City, Mo
Devastating structural failure
◦ 114 dead
◦ 200+ injured.
Millions in costs
Hundreds of lives adversely
affected
A powerful, painful lesson
◦ meaning and practice of ethics in
engineering
Loss of PE License
All photos publically available
ECS 3361
What Happened?
Party in atrium
Walkways full of people
Many Dancing
Walkway entrances
Failed supports
ECS 3361
Background Information
March 1976: Crown Center Redevelopment Corporation begins project
December 1978:
• Subcontract with Havens Steel Company
• Fabricate and erect the atrium steel
ECS 3361
Original Design
Walkways suspended by long rods
Rods pass through the top walkway
and down to the bottom walkway
Under each walkway, a load-carrying
nut used on each of the rods to carry
the load
Original design calls for running the
nuts 30 feet up the rods,
◦ Threading 30 feet of rod
◦ Difficult
◦ Costly