Engineering can be defined and identified in many ways. One being, “the technology concerned with the design, building and use of engines, machines and structures (“Engineering”).” With a single person or group of people holding the title of engineer and placed in charge of these large design projects, a margin of human error can be found in many of these cases. Even if every precaution is taken, mistakes can happen, and problems can occur. Over time, there have been many engineering successes but also many failures. Failures occur not only due to human error from design flaw, failure to take safety precautions, lack of research, but also from environment factors that cannot be controlled. We looked at a few of these cases in this class to include successes such as The Brooklyn Bridge, The Wright Flyer and The Great Wall of China, and some of the most devastating failures to include the Great Molasses Flood, St Francis Dam and the Challenger Shuttle explosion. As Engineers, it is important to research and learn about each of these cases so that the same mistakes do no happen twice.
The Brooklyn Bridge was and continues to be a great success of an engineering design. This bridge was built during 1860’s-1880’s and was the first suspension hybrid bridge. There were many setbacks, and difficulties along the design and construction of the bridge, but with sound engineering principals and practice, the bridge was successfully completed. I learned quite a few things about this case/project to include that it was designed by John Roebling, who also designed the first railroad suspension bridge and that he died during the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge. One of the difficulties during the design and construction process was installation of the pylons, which measured at a mile long. Devices called caissons allowed workers to dig such deep holes under water to install the massive pylons. A major take away from this case is that risk assessment is an important and major role of engineering design as well as design documentation. Roebling’s son was able to continue the project and finalize construction of the bridge after Roebling’s death because of his in depth and efficient documentation.
The Wright Brothers invented the first motorized airplane and successfully flew it in 1903. This was a huge success and huge mile stone for aviation. Even though a flight of a mere 12 seconds does not seem that exciting today, for the time, this was an engineering miracle and a wonder of the world. Wilbur and Orville Wright were self-taught and neither went to a higher education institution. They learned about the engineering and design aspects of flight control from watching and studying birds and the work of the previously designed gliders. The Wright Brothers showed us that the desire to learn is sometimes more important than the environment you learn in. Hard work most definitely pays off. We would not be able to fly cross country, internationally or down the road without this milestone in aviation history.
Throughout history, many tragedies have been the result of engineering disasters or failures. One being the Molasses Flood in Boston, Massachusetts. This occurred in January 1919 and is just as it seems, a flood of Molasses that flooded down the city streets. The cause being from excess pressure build up during the fermentation process on an unusually warm day. The tank holding the molasses erupted and streamed down the streets of Boston at nearly 35 mph. A couple things to take away from this case is that Non-Newtonian fluids react to force by increasing or decreasing viscosity in products such as ketchup and corn starch. The result of fermentation can release gases and CO2. In the end, it is important to always know the properties of the materials you will be working with and how they react in any possible situation. This way you, as the engineer, will always be prepared for any possible scenario.
Due to media coverage, a few of the most well-known engineering disasters include the events of Apollo 13 and the loss of the Challenger and Columbia Shuttles. Apollo 13 was the seventh manned mission in the Apollo Space Program. Apollo 13 launched on April 11, 1970 and mission aborted shortly after launch due to an explosion of on craft oxygen tank. The members aboard Apollo 13 had to engineer and manufacture makeshift repairs to many areas of the craft to survive. A few things to take away from this case is that H and O2 can be combined to create electricity and to always know how to calculate by hand any measurement needed to survive as the crew did on Apollo 13. No matter the circumstance, remain calm, use tools and remember all that you have learned to improvise.
The Challenger Shuttle disaster is widely known as a companywide error during the design process. The Challenger’s boosters exploded approximately 73 seconds after liftoff causing the shuttle to break apart and fall back down to earth. Research shows that a known O-ring failure was the cause of the initial explosion even though many managers at NASA were aware of the potential hazardous material and possible effects. The launch lost the lives of all 7 crew members. On the other hand, the Columbia Shuttle disaster was a fatal accident due to a piece of external foam breaking off at lift off. The shuttle made it to orbit but the crew were not instructed by NASA nor did they think of it themselves to inspect the damaged area. In turn, upon entrance back into the atmosphere, the shuttle broke apart and killed all 7 crew members. The take away for both cases is that every precaution should be thoroughly thought out and considered when informed of possible issues. As well, all crew members should inspect/inventory all parts of the design of the shuttle or craft at times throughout the flight.
Another engineering failure can be seen in the disaster of the Steamboat Sultana. The Sultana was a passage steamboat on the Mississippi River. The boat was constructed and engineered to carry 376 passengers, at capacity. During the disaster, the boat was recorded at holding over 2,100 passengers. Essentially, the top heaviness of the boat caused over active side to side swaying, which may not seem like a big deal but in the engine room, the swaying was splashing out the much-needed water in the boilers. In the end, the lack of water compared to fire was not balanced. The boat was being pushed passed limits due to heavy weight and caused the boilers to explode. A couple things should have been done in this situation, the engineers or workers in the engine room should have noticed the low levels of water in the broilers and attempt to justify the situation. But, in the end, there should never have been over 5 times the capacity of passengers on the boat. The main take away is that for the most part, policies and procedures are in place for a reason. Engineers, captains, and crew should understand and know the functions of the vessel and follow said policies to prevent disasters like this.
Two cases involving Dam failures were discussed, The St. Francis Dam in California and the Banqiao Dam in China. The St. Francis Dam was built in mid-1920’s by an engineer named Mulholland. The Dam collapsed in March 1928 and flooded much of the surrounding areas, killing over 400 people. This could have possibly been avoided if precautions were taken when first signs of failure were cited. Cracks were observed for some time before the failure and engineers dismissed the faults. It is hard to say exact cause of the failure, but one take away from this failure is that “better to be safe than sorry.” It the engineers had taken action when fault cracks were first observed, the dam could have possibly been saved. On the other hand, the main cause for the fail of the Banqiao Dam was due to environmental factors. During the time of the overflow/failure, the rain accumulated over 41 inches which was unavoidable. The main take away from this is that engineers must understand that the weather and climate play a huge role in an engineering design.
Another failure that was somewhat unavoidable was the Hindenburg disaster. The Hindenburg was a German blimp that caught fire in 1937. This event was first thought to be a sabotage from a passenger, but that hypothesis was later dismissed. Another hypothesis is static spark causing the fire which would have been almost unavoidable by any engineering point of view. Not all “engineering disasters” are caused by human error or environmental factors, some are just merely happenstance and unavoidable.
In the end, designing, small or large, has many steps and many factors to work through. This leads to unveiling difficulties and overcoming problems during the design process. An engineer should be well rounded and take every precaution during the design process, because the impact of a failed design can cost lives. Some of these failures have proven to be avoidable by proper management calls or protocol on policy and procedure, but other aspects of these disasters are merely happenstance or environmental factors, uncontrollable by mankind.
