Transcript 4A6(1) Disaster Case Study - Kemper Arena Roof Collapse - Group 4.pptx

KEMPER ARENA ROOF COLLAPSE
Group 4
Byrne, Amy
Kelly, Sam
Shine, Niamh
Background
Built in 1973
 Capacity of 17,600 at a cost of $23.3m
 Host to many high-profile events

 1976 National Republican Convention
 Basketball, conventions, rodeos, etc.

American Institute of Architects award in
1976
Design

Suspended roof
 Uninterrupted sightlines
 97x108m

Hangers
 42 in tension holding up roof
 ASTM A490 bolts

Temporary reservoir
 120mm drains and up to 50mm scuppers
 Susceptible to ‘ponding’
Disaster
June 14th, 1979, at approx. 6.45 p.m.
 Average storm

 Downpours of 108 mm/hr
 Winds of 112 km/hr
 Roof had withstood worse storms over 6 yrs.

Roof collapse
 60x65m
 Explosive sounds
 ‘Ponding’, fatigue and lack of redundancy
Investigation

Bolt failure
 ASTM A490 bolts

‘Ponding’
 Designed as a temporary reservoir

Flexibilty
 Strength over stiffness

Redundancy
 No margin for failure
Learning Outcomes
Stiffness as well as strength
 Sometimes stiffness will govern design

 “Even though you don’t need the extra
material for strength you may need the extra
material for rigidity.” - Roger McCarthy FaAA

Design for failure
 Sudden collapse
 Propagation of failure

Improvements made on rebuild