Design Failure Lessons

Background Cases
• Case 1: Tacoma Narrows Bridge
In 1940, the Tacoma Narrows Bridge began undulating wildly and eventually self destructed in a 40 mph wind, just 1 yr after its completion. This led to changes in bridge construction ever after.
• Case 2: Hyatt Regency Hotel catwalk collapse
In July, 1981, a catwalk packed with people and over a packed dance floor collapsed onto the catwalk below and then to the floor, killing 114 people.
• Case 3: Ford Pinto
The Ford Pinto is a well known design flaw - except to Ford themselves which never acknowledged that a flaw existed. The gas tank has a tendency to catch fire/explode in rear impact collisions.
• Case 4: Space Shuttle Challenger
On January 28, 1986 the space shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds into its flight due to a design flaw in the seals on the booster engines.