Elliot Lake Collapse Public Inquiry

[DamsInc]

Refer to previous thread:

http://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=324537

The public inquiry is currently ongoing and being streamed live at

http://www.elliotlakeinquiry.ca/

The structural engineer responsible for the design is on the stand right now. Should make for some interesting discussion. My apologies if this is against the rules.

 

[hokie66]

dik,
This 140 pages is Volume 1 of 3. The other two volumes are shown in the contents to be previous reports, photographs, test results, etc., and apparently haven't been released to the public.

 

[dik]

Thanks Hokie... downloaded it last night and started reading it... I've started to form some opinions, but, will wait until I've completed it...

8" hollowcore spanning 32' and 'design to' a superimposed load of 120 psf... (It has a 2" 'composite' topping)... moving loads, too... I've done 8" HC to 32' for 40 psf loading for apartments (not composite) and this was 'stretching' it... The upward camber when I last looked was approx 1.5"... Pretty good reason for it not working well and leaking since day 1... also doesn't appear to have much criticism of the Architectural design...

Dik

 

[PUEngineer]

I've been pretty immersed in watching the recorded video testimony of the inquiry. The design process between the structural, architectural and owner/CM was a new one for me. No one on the design team knew what kind of roof was going to be installed, especially on a project as odd as this. Unfortunately Mr Hirt has passed so there is not testimony from him. From my understanding, it was almost unintentional that the roof ended up with a 'composite' topping. Had something other than the Peterson roofing been installed, the topping would most likely not have been composite and the situation could have been much worse, much sooner. It could be seen as luck, or a 'sign', that they went with the Peterson roof; it's just unfortunate that the post construction events unfolded the way they did. It seems the property owners over the years didn't want to come to terms with the fact the building needed a tremendous amount of roof work, no matter how many testing and engineering reports they had available.

 

[hokie66]

Quite simple, really. The deck never had a membrane, but rather depended on concrete to keep the water out. That was just ignorance (in hindsight, some would say). Salt laden water found its way through the concrete to the steel structure. Everybody involved knew about this, and should have known of the eventual consequences, but the deterioration continued, with only token attempts to do something and mollify the occupants. Apportioning blame is not an easy task when so many people participated over the years.

 

[dik]

...from the Winnipeg Free Press, "TORONTO - A professional engineer faces charges under health and safety laws in connection with last summer's deadly mall collapse in a northern Ontario town, the province's Ministry of Labour announced Monday.

The engineer is alleged to have endangered a worker by providing negligent advice, the ministry said.

In an unusual move, however, it did not name the engineer.

Last June, the roof-deck garage of the Algo Centre Mall in Elliot Lake, Ont., caved in. Two women were killed and several others injured.

A judicial inquiry is currently probing the tragedy and provincial police are also investigating.

A second charge against the engineer relates to working in a manner "that may endanger a worker," according to the ministry.

Maximum penalties on conviction are a fine of up to $25,000 and/or up to 12 months imprisonment.

The accused is scheduled to make a first appearance before the Ontario court of justice on May 16 in Elliot Lake ."

Dik

 

[dik]

...also from the Winnipeg Free Press, "TORONTO -- A professional engineer faces charges under health and safety laws in connection with last summer's deadly mall collapse in a northern Ontario town, the province's Ministry of Labour announced Monday.

The engineer is alleged to have endangered a worker by providing "negligent advice," the ministry said.

The Ministry of Labour's Tom Zach told The Canadian Press the accused is Robert Wood, an engineer found guilty of professional misconduct in 2010.

Wood and colleague Gregory Saunders of M.R. Wright and Associates, based in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., inspected the mall in Elliot Lake, Ont., as recently as April 2012.

A month later -- just one month before the collapse -- they wrote to say the mall was structurally sound despite finding rust on beams."

Dik