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Disaster & failure studies
Overview
Buildings, bridges, and other structures are not supposed to fall down. But sometimes they do, and for different reasons: fires, earthquakes, high winds, errors in design and construction, flaws in materials, and even terrorist attacks.
When disaster and failure events cause, or pose the potential for, substantial loss of life, the NIST Disaster and Failure Studies Program provides a platform for research into building and infrastructure performance and emergency response and evacuation procedures.
By understanding the technical causes leading to structural or response failures and then making that information public, NIST engineers and researchers strive to prevent similar failures in the future. Studies conducted by NIST have led to significant changes in practices, standards, and codes to enhance the health and safety of the American public.
Champlain Towers South Collapse
On June 24, 2021, Champlain Towers South, a 12-floor condominium in Surfside, Florida, partially collapsed at approximately 1:30 a.m. ED T. The collapse happened suddenly and has resulted in mass casualties.
On June 25 and 26, NIST deployed a team of six scientists and engineers to collect firsthand information on the collapse. Since then, NIST experts have been working with federal, state and local authorities to identify and preserve materials and information that might be helpful in understanding why the collapse occurred.
News
The Trials and Triumphs of a Small City’s Hurricane Recovery Could Help Other Communities Bounce Back
June 15, 2022, Update on the NIST Champlain Towers South Investigation
Champlain Towers Photos, Videos and Other Evidence Wanted for NIST Investigation in Surfside, Florida
NIST Offers First-of-a-Kind Guidance for Holistic Home and Community Wildfire Protection
The Research
Additional Resources Links
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