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Group F Iliana Gamboa Saul Mejia Miriam Garcia Daniel Perez Ricardo Felix Andrea Rios. Forensic Engineering and Engineering Fiction. Alexander L. Kielland. A Pentagon-type semi-submersible drilling
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Group F Iliana Gamboa Saul Mejia Miriam Garcia Daniel Perez Ricardo Felix Andrea Rios Forensic Engineering and Engineering Fiction
Alexander L. Kielland • A Pentagon-type semi-submersible drilling • It was supporting the Edda rig, acting as a so-called ‘flotel’ for workers who travelled between the two rigs via a bridge • Around 1830 hours on 27 March 1980, one of the main horizontal braces supporting one of the five legs failed http://www.kulturminne-ekofisk.no/ImageArchive/172/Kielland.jpg
Alexander L. Kielland Accident • It was designed for much worse conditions, conditions expected once in every one hundred years • One leg broke off with “an almighty crack.” • 123 victims and only 89 survivors http://www.exponent.com/files/RepresentativeExperience/0a9896a4-9537-493a-a689-002ad3faea97/Presentation/ceExperienceThumbImage/AlexanderKielland_BKsmall.jpg
Causes of the accident • Speculations to what caused it were from collision with Edda, with a submarine, or basic design flaws • Parts were taken to Stavanger, Norway where the fracture surfaces were examined • Telltale signs of uncontrollable growth of a large crack that had developed unbeknownst to the rig’s operators
Causes of the accident (Cont.) • Cracks developed due to fatigue cracks • When it was new it must have cracked 3 inches http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Kielland_wreck
Havilland Comet aircraft • On May 2, 1953 a Comet was destroyed on take off from Dum-Dum Airport in Calcutta, India • Debris scattered over large area suggested plane disintegrated in the air • Structural failure due to too much force of the storm or pilot over control due to storm were said to be the causes of the incident
Havilland Comet aircraft (Cont.) • In January 10, 1954, a second Comet taking off from Rome exploded at 27,000 feet • No conclusion could be reached on the cause http://varifrank.com/images/314028020_29d914723f_o.jpg reached
Havilland Comet aircraft (Cont.) • On April 8, 1954, a third and final mid-air explosion occurred during a flight en route from London to Cairo and Johannesburg • Cabin exploded but no explanation why. • Testing of the Comet was done in a simulation • Findings • What caused it • What was done
Neville Shute Norway • Aeronautical Engineer graduated fro Oxford • Also wrote many novels including “On the Beach” and “Like Alice” • Former member of the Royal Aeronautical Society (1934).
Neville Shute Norway • Curiously foreshadowed the elusive fatigue problem of the de Havilland Comets • Failed due to undesirable aerodynamic phenomenon of flutter (according to “Honey a fictional character from his novel) http://www.aerospaceweb.org/aircraft/jetliner/comet/comet_11.jpg
Neville Shute Norway Cont. • Stephen Barlay was a well know “Aircrash Detective” who analyzed the crash of de Havilland Comets • Barlay during his investigation claims that at the attitude the plane was flying at the wax might have cooled and become brittle • It flew six years before crashing
Failure • Incalculable value to the engineer • Need to prepare for failure • What complicates the design game is that the engineer does not always foresee the implications that he is making
Failure Cont. • No matter how tragic a failure might be, it could have been anticipated and prevented • “Failure analysis is as easy as Monday-morning quarterbacking; design is more akin to coaching. However, the design engineer must do better than any coach, for he is expected to win every game he plays..”
Work Cited • To Engineer is Human by Henry Petroski. First Vintage Books Edition, 1992.