The Engineer’s Response to Terrorism

1. The Engineer’s Response to Terrorism New Questions and Responsibilities Joseph Auchter Matt Ventura Sladana Lazic Anita Lazic Michelle Hood Daniel Miller

2. Terrorism: A Rising Threat • September 11, 2001 • Worldwide revision of engineering priorities • Terrorism and sabotage enter the equation

3. Engineering’s New Concerns • Traditional concerns: • Mechanical failure • Human error • Malfunction • Natural occurrences • Weather, natural disasters • New issues: • Terrorist acts • Deliberate sabotage

4. New Tools and Methods • Risk assessment • Help with allocation of limited resources • Work closely with security agencies • Courses teach how to evaluate terrorist threat • Information • Increased dialogue • More careful dissemination • New standards and building codes

5. Nuclear Power • What if aircraft crashes into a nuclear containment structure? • Aircraft engine tests have been conducted by Sandia National Laboratories • Jet aircraft unlikely to penetrate containment structures at 550 to 600 mph • Nuclear power plants have four security layers

6. Nuclear Power • What about transportation casks security? • full-scale drop from nine meters onto a target • thermal test in which the cask was engulfed in a 1,475°F fire for 30 min • full-scale rail test in which the cask was smashed into a concrete block at 81 mph

7. Structures • World Trade Center • What went wrong • 2/3 of support columns shattered • Debris penetrated each building’s core • Steel loses strength above 1000 degrees Fahrenheit • Vulnerabilities • Floor trusses were flimsy • Frame system connections were weak • Designed to precise specifications • Structural redundancy • The Pentagon • Survived better than expected • Features in original design • Made of cast-in-place reinforced concrete • Floors made of slab system • Supported on spiral-steel-reinforced columns • Limited “progressive collapse”

8. Structures • What can be learned • Resistance to progressive collapse is critical • Fire protection systems need to be in place • Sabotage • Adequate thresholds • Multiple ignitions • Can buildings be designed to withstand such attacks

9. Engineers against Terrorism in Aviation • Smart materials that can mend a bullet hole by self-healing • Materials that are “harder to breach, harder to damage, and less susceptible to fire” • Use of improved fuels that are less volatile.

10. Engineers against Terrorism in Aviation • “Bullet-and-bomb-proofed door” between pilot and cabin • “Protective bubble” around national assets • “Automatic ground collision avoidance system” • New method of Instrument flying called RNP (Required Navigation Performance)

11. A Map of Power Plants • The United States has five types of power plants • Gas • Coal • Oil • Hydroelectric • Nuclear

12. How Power Gets Around

13. Water System • Under protected • Controlled by Computer Systems • Flaws are Public Information

14. The Role of Engineering in Preventing Chemical and Biological Terrorism • Chemical and Genetic Engineering • Implement new and improved detection mechanisms • Develop Faster Decontamination Methods • Develop New Vaccines and Anti-Viruses • Expand Research on genetic mutations and gene manipulation • Materials Engineering • Develop and Improve chemical and biological repellent material • Improve Chemical/Biological Agent Shields, Mask, and Air Filtering Capabilities.

15. The Role of Engineering in Preventing Chemical and Biological Terrorism • Mechanical Engineering • Develop faster and more effective anti-biological/chemical weapon deployment systems and mechanisms. • Develop safer storage protection capabilities • Civil Engineering • Improve and Expand structures that shield chemical and biological attacks

16. Conclusion • Questions raised by terrorism: • How do we measure the threat potential? • Who decides the “acceptable risk”? • How many safety measures are enough? • How do we deal with the unpredictable nature of terrorist acts? • Engineers have new responsibilities