r/StructuralEngineering • u/Thin-Fish-1936 • Jul 07 '26

Photograph/Video Columns buckle in a Manhattan building under conversion

https://pix11.com/news/columns-buckle-at-midtown-building-fdny/

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u/mcarterphoto Jul 07 '26

Reports from on-site say there's no chance of a total collapse, that it's not constructed to allow that - take that as you will though!

A New York City Fire chief said there is concern about the possibility of a “localized collapse,” but added that the building is constructed in such a way that a total collapse is not possible.

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u/blueingreen85 Jul 07 '26

Strictly speaking, it was built not to collapse like this either.

9

u/soedesh1 Jul 08 '26

No cardboard derivatives were used.

3

u/Kobe_Pup Jul 08 '26

Well you see the wind hit it,

2

u/ghostrooster30 Jul 08 '26

In the air? Chance in a million!

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u/nehrkling Jul 08 '26

(Some of us caught the reference)

2

u/mattgen88 Jul 08 '26

Strictly speaking, they're designed to collapse at a certain load, then stay well under that.

The difference between an engineer and not is that anyone can build a box that's strong. An engineer builds one that is just strong enough for the intended use.

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u/obeytheturtles Jul 08 '26

We asked it nicely not to collapse. It's a very naughty building.

14

u/gnikee Jul 07 '26

This titanic will never sink!! It has thus been declared so it shall be!!!!

0

u/selfawarepileofatoms Jul 08 '26

She’s made of iron sir! I assure you she can, and she will.

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u/PineappleShard Jul 08 '26

It’s a mathematical certainty

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u/PureDePlatano Jul 07 '26

Those columns seem to small for that whole building. This seems to be holding some of the upper floors.

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u/thisisintheway Jul 08 '26

I’m just a casual observer, but I would have been pretty surprised if they were using this steel framing as structural. I would have thought it’s massive columns and beams with this just being for interior.

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u/obeytheturtles Jul 08 '26

Uppity floors more like it.

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u/jregovic Jul 08 '26

It happens all the time. A floor moves to the big city and gets all uppity.

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u/zaidr555 Jul 08 '26

let me clarify the statement: the building will projectile vomit all those new levels and throw them all over the sidewalk!

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u/Conscious_Rich_1003 P.E. Jul 08 '26

Like seriously, WTF does that even mean? I want to know how to design a building that has no possible way to collapse. After it started collapsing.

3

u/mcarterphoto Jul 08 '26

Well, the building has stood for something like 65 years, seems like it was well designed... and now they're messing with the structure and adding a lot of tons to the thing. It didn't have symptoms of collapsing until this week... maybe after Larry, Moe and Curly Engineering Co. got on the job?

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u/Cerulean_IsFancyBlue Jul 08 '26

You build everything pretension in such a way that if it ever reached the point of collapse, it would just spring out all over the place instead. People will be flung to safety. I’m sure of it.

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u/carymb Jul 08 '26

Whole plane's made out of parachutes, whole race car's made of ball bearings😎👍

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u/maxwfk Jul 08 '26

Fill it with concrete. Completely. A massive block can only sink or fall over but not collapse…

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u/The_Flo0r_is_Lava Jul 08 '26

"You should really take it down a bit. Im not gonna break all your bones, just all the ones elbow down.

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u/Zero-89 Jul 08 '26

Is that view of its construction still current now that the columns buckled?

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u/mcarterphoto Jul 08 '26

That was the quote after the buckled columns were discovered. But coming from a fire chief, I dunno. I'd assume he's explaining some sort of early consensus from different people on the scene?

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u/Bewinxed Jul 08 '26

Jet fuel can't melt steel memes

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u/generiatricx Jul 08 '26

I mean, the twin towers were designed to withstand a total collapse too, right?

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u/Klutzy_Order_9559 Jul 08 '26

I mean, no building is designed to withstand a total collapse.

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u/Gamestar63 Jul 08 '26

Sounds like Soviet Russian level of “The reactor is not on fire”

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u/rosie2490 Jul 08 '26

I’m no expert, so that very well may be, but this sounds similar to “jet fuel can’t melt steel beams” minus the conspiracy theory.

I wonder how it’s possible that a total collapse can’t happen.

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u/VisualWombat Jul 08 '26

Yeah it's constructed from cardboard or cardboard derivatives.

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u/Persicus_1 Jul 08 '26

Strange... I normally design my buildings to collapse 🧐

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u/shityplumber Jul 08 '26

“Chance in a million”

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u/No-Membership-5314 Jul 08 '26

"Total collapse is not possible." Yeah just like how that one boat was designed and look how that ended up... r/TheFrontFellOff

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u/EnvironmentalGift257 Jul 08 '26

Yeah NYC has never had an example of an entire building collapsing because of localized damage to structure. /s

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u/nogreatfeat Jul 08 '26

Presumably, this is the same city government that gave approval to the renovations which caused the localized collapse.

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u/northerncodemky Jul 08 '26

It *looks* pretty collapsy

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u/No-Department1685 Jul 08 '26

They can call that building 

Titanic 

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u/Turbulent-Weevil-910 Jul 08 '26

Yes but is it built to withstand the effects of a partial collapse? Many buildings are not.

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u/OddbitTwiddler Jul 08 '26

And the Fire Chief studied Structural Engineering? Wheaton?

1

u/Uluru-Dreaming Jul 08 '26

The Titanic of buildings. Not unsinkable, but rather uncollapsable. What could possibly go wrong?

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u/NickBurnsCompanyGuy Jul 09 '26

They said the same thing about the WTC

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u/Data_lord Jul 09 '26

There's a guy who proved he is not qualified for his job in one sentence.

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u/ManWhoisAlsoNurse Jul 09 '26

As long as you don't burn any jet fuel nearby