The Pentagon Building Performance In The 911 Crash

Following the 911 crash of an airliner at the Pentagon, the American Society of Civil Engineers<br>established a team to study the damaged structure and make recommendations for the future. The team<br>reviewed available information on the structure, the crash loading, and focused assessments by others.<br>The team then analyzed the essential features of column response to impact, the residual frame capacity,<br>and the structural response to the fire. Plausible mechanisms for the response of the structure to the crash<br>were determined and recommendations were offered for design and construction. This paper<br>summarizes the study and discusses the role of geophysics in such forensic inquiries.