Hyatt Regency Hotel’s Walkway Collapse

Introduction

It is unfortunate that, while human beings strive to build higher, bigger & safer buildings, accidents do happen from time to time. The collapse of a double-deck linkway at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in 1981 caused loss of 114 lives and injury of 226.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyatt_Regency_walkway_collapse

While we fear to have such mishaps repeated, our only way forward is to learn from such costly accidents and, hopefully, avoid the recurrence when we deepen our understanding (thus improving the methods) of how building project is executed.

Now suppose you were one of the members in the investigative team which was commissioned to find the root cause of the accident. With the information available online, you are required to address the following questions:

Question 1

(a) By referring to structural aspect, discuss the miscalculation / misunderstanding which directly caused the accident. Elaborate your findings in terms of loading estimations, application of factor of safety & structural analysis.

(15 marks)

(b) Identify and illustrate at least TWO (2) areas of lapses, in terms of flow of information and control of building quality, from this accident. Discuss what can we do (or rather, are we doing) in Singapore to prevent such mishaps. You may elaborate your findings on dividing of responsibilities, proper documentation, approval process etc.

(20 marks)

(c) The owner, having witnessed such catastrophic accident on the superstructure, have a very valid concern now on whether the foundation of the hotel had been properly constructed. Suppose the hotel was designed to be built on piled foundations, illustrate your understanding of the safe and quality installation of such foundations (design procedures, construction sequence, control test, record keeping and etc).

(20 marks)

(d) Identify at least THREE (3) key aspects of good workmanship in construction project. Elaborate your understanding of these aspects with detailed examples (either negative or positive, local or from other regions).

(18 marks)

(e) Propose and explain at least THREE (3) technologies which will help detect the miscalculations early and alert all parties before fabrication proceeds on site.

(12 marks)

Report Presentation

(a) Cover page & Content page

(2 marks)

(b) Graphic & Illustration with proper label & caption (appropriate usage, titles, sources)

(4 marks)

(c) Organisation of the write up (sub-headings, font size, spacing, paragraphing, page number etc)

(5 marks)

(d) Grammar usage, spelling and sentence structure

(2 marks)

(e) Referencing (in-text citation and list of references)

(2 marks)

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