The Flixborough Works of Nypro Explosion and Fire

"I felt the blast from a terrific explosion which had occurred somewhere behind me. The blast was such that it threw me full length across the road. Debris then began to fall all around me, and I was covered with oil which fell out of the sky," a worker ...

By |2023-02-17T11:58:46-06:00July 28th, 2022|Friday Famous Failures|1 Comment

The July Ethical Dilemma: Coming clean about the clean up

Engineer Andy, a principal in ABC Engineering, an environmental engineering firm, submits qualifications and a proposal to a local municipality to be considered as the consultant for the research and analysis of a former dump site...

By |2023-02-22T08:26:02-06:00July 18th, 2022|Ethical Dilemma|14 Comments

Asphalt Roads Are Actually Not Paved With Asphalt

Asphalt may sound like a relatively modern invention, but the first recorded use of asphalt in a road was actually in Babylon in 615 B.C.E., where asphalt and burned brick were used to pave a procession street during the reign of King Nabopolassar, according to NAPA.

By |2023-02-17T11:53:46-06:00July 1st, 2022|Tuesday Tidbits|1 Comment

The Kansas City Hyatt Walkway Collapse

On the night of July 17, 1981, the newly built Kansas City Hyatt Regency hotel was hosting a dance contest in its atrium, presented by a local radio station. Partygoers thronged the floor of the atrium and the three catwalks above, which were located on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floor levels. Suddenly, there was a loud crack ...

By |2023-02-17T11:58:51-06:00June 23rd, 2022|Friday Famous Failures|9 Comments

The London Bridge Has Never Fallen Down (But it Has Been Rebuilt Many Times)

For the past 2,000 years, the position of the London Bridge has remained a nexus for economic development, although its physical construction has changed several times. The London Bridge as we know it today spans the River Thames, connecting two vibrant neighborhoods—London and Southwark.

By |2023-02-22T09:18:12-06:00June 6th, 2022|Tuesday Tidbits|7 Comments