Khan Lecture Series at Lehigh University
Honoring a legacy in structural engineering and architecture
Lehigh University’s Khan Lecture Series honors Dr. Fazlur Rahman Khan’s legacy of excellence in structural engineering and architecture.
- Video of speaker presentation available (click to view presentation in Real Player)
BRUCE R. ELLINGWOOD
Distinguished Professor & the Raymond Allen Jones Chair
Civil Engineering & Environmental Engineering
Georgia Institue of Technology
Abnormal Loads and Progressive Collapse -
Assessment and Mitigation of Risk
Friday, April 17th, 2009 (1:13:19 hrs)
4:10 P.M.
Sinclair Laboratory Auditorium
Overview:
A progressive (or disproportionate) collapse is one that initiates from a local structural failure and propagates, by a chain reaction mechanism, into a failure that involves a major portion of the structural system and is disproportionate to the local initiating damage. Such collapses can initiate as a result of extreme environmental or abnormal loads or design/construction errors. Public awareness of building safety issues has increased markedly in recent years as a result of well-publicized natural and man-made disasters.
The presentation summarizes design strategies to minimize the likelihood of progressive collapse, and prospects for the0 implementation of general provisions in national standards such as ASCE Standard 7, Minimum design loads for buildings and other structures.
MORE DETAILS availalable on Dr. Ellingwood's presentation.
WILLIAM F. BAKER
Structural & Civil Engineering, Partner
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Chicago & London
Engineering the World's Tallest: Burj Dubai
Friday, March 20th, 2009 (1:14:36 hrs)
4:10 P.M.
Sinclair Laboratory Auditorium
Overview:
The Burj Dubai represents the state-of-the- art in tall building design. Once completed, it will be not only the world's tallest building, but the tallest man-made structure ever created. From the project's initial concept design through construction, the combination of several important technological innovations results in a building of unprecedented height. This lecture will describe some of the structural design methods, materials, and construction technique which enable the creation of a superstructure that is both efficient and robust.
MORE DETAILS available on Baker's presentation.
LESLIE E. ROBERTSON
Leslie E. Robertson Associates, R.L.L.P., New York, NY
The Architect & the Structural Engineer - Partners in Design
Friday, February 20th, 2009 (1:31:38 hrs)
4:10 P.M.
Sinclair Laboratory Auditorium
Overview:
The pendulum has swung from an extreme where the Engineer dominated the design of buildings and structures to an extreme where the Architect has become the nearly undisputed leader...sometimes with little or no concern of the talents, aesthetic sense, and opinions of the Engineer. This lecture examines a little of the messages to be found on both sides of this pendulum. As well, making use of a myriad of PowerPoint images, buildings and structures, large and small, will be examined in the light of the significant impact of the functional, the sustainable, and the aesthetic sense of the Structural Engineer.
MORE DETAILS available on Robertson's presentation.
JOHN W. FISHER
Professor Emeritus of Civil Engineering
Director Emeritus, ATLSS Engineering Research Center
Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA
Overcoming Barriers to Durable Steel Bridge Systems
Friday, April 18th, 2008 (1:20:51 hrs)
4:10 P.M.
Sinclair Laboratory Auditorium
Overview:
Experience with steel bridges has demonstrated that one of the primary barriers to durability was inadequacies in the fatigue design criteria and practice prior to 1974. The development of a rational fatigue resistance knowledge base and the introduction of stress range as the appropriate fatigue design criteria minimized this limitation. [...] More recent work on Ultrasonic Impact Treatment (UIT) together with the need for end weld design changes are shown to effectively eliminate fatigue as controlling design.
For the future, High Performance Steels (HPS) are providing enhanced weathering resistance for uncoated members along with more reliable fracture resistance and weldability. Control of water and debris by minimizing joints in bridge decks offers enhanced protection for both coated and uncoated bridge members. The orthotropic steel deck is shown to be a system providing modularity for prefabrication and easy erection. This system is capable of providing a 100 year life when thicker deck plates are used with thin epoxy concrete wearing surfaces. These have been shown to permit immediate use and are not pot hole sensitive even if local surface deterioration develops.
MORE DETAILS availalable on Dr. Fisher's presentation.
JEREMY ISENBERG
PE, Past-President & CEO
Weidlinger Associates, Inc., New York, NY
Structural Design for Security—Past Accomplishments and Future Directions
Friday, March 14th, 2008 (1:20:02 hrs)
4:10 P.M.
Sinclair Laboratory Auditorium
Overview:
American response to the threat of terrorism began following the bombing in 1983 of the US Embassy and Marine Barracks in Beirut. The US Department of State instituted a program of structural hardening to protect US posts abroad. Starting with technical approaches that had been developed for Cold War threats, explosive testing and computational methods were adapted to identify and reduce hazards from chemical explosives of the type available to terrorists. Acts of terrorism within the United States, including the first World Trade Center bombing in 1993 and destruction of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, prompted further technical developments that strived for protection while retaining architectural features including high ceilings, open sightlines and glass curtain walls. [...]
This lecture will trace the development of technology for protecting civilian structures against explosive threats and illustrate applications with examples from the open literature. Suggestions as to future directions will be offered.
MORE DETAILS available on Isenberg's presentation.
RICHARD TOMASETTI
Chairman - Thornton Tomasetti, Inc., New York, NY
Engineering of Major Architecture, Then and Now
Friday, February 15th, 2008 (1:28:41 hrs)
4:10 P.M.
Sinclair Laboratory Auditorium
Overview:
The nature and process of the contribution that structural engineering has made to architecture has changed over time. This is manifested by the evolution of the master builder into a collaborative team of specialists. This lecture will discuss some of the history of engineering including the integration of architecture, engineering design and materials technology. Comparisons will be made between the major structures of the past, such as domes and cathedrals, and our modern skyscrapers and long span structures. Examples will include some of the tallest buildings in the world , built and under design, as well as major sports facilities.
MORE DETAILS available on Tomasetti's presentation.
GENE CORLEY
Senior Vice President, CTL Group
Learning from the Attacks on an American Icon:
World Trade Center Building Performance Study
Friday, April 20th, 2007 (1:16:30 hrs)
4:10 P.M.
Sinclair Laboratory Auditorium
Overview:
The 9-11 attacks on the World Trade Center Towers resulted in severe structural damage followed by extensive fires and complete collapse of three buildings, along with damage to other buildings by falling debris or fire. The American Society of Civil Engineers/Structural Engineering Institute immediately formed a Building Performance Study Team to learn how the buildings performed in this tragedy, Dr. Corley was asked to lead the team. This lecture describes the results of the study, and identifies approaches and other areas of study that could mitigate structural response to such severe conditions
For more than two decades, Dr. Corley has served as a researcher and consultant for building and bridge construction, and has authored over a hundred seventy articles and books dealing with the subject of structural design and behavior. Dr. Corley was Principal Investigator for the ASCE and FEMA on the investigation of the Oklahoma City Bombing and has done investigations of earthquake damage in Central America, South America, Japan, and California. Dr. Corley is an active member of the National Academy of Engineering, an Honorary Member of ASCE, and member of several other engineering societies. Currently he serves as President of the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying.
MORE DETAILS availalable on Dr. Corley's presentation.
MAN-CHUNG TANG
Chairman of the Board, T.Y. Lin International
Why? Why Not? What If?
Friday, March 16th, 2007 (1:05:01 hrs)
4:10 P.M.
Sinclair Laboratory Auditorium
Overview:
According to Dr. Man-Chung Tang, Chairman of the Board of T.Y. Lin International and honorary professor of Tsinghua, Tongji, Southeast, and other major universities, today’s civilization is the accumulation of past innovations. As engineers, we must be innovative so tomorrow’s world will be better
In this presentation, Dr. Tang explores the basis of innovation, starting s with the questions “Why?” and “Why not?” The question “Why?” gives us the opportunity to challenge the status quo. The question “Why not?” gives us the opportunity to introduce new ideas or overcome restrictions. The question “What if?” keeps us humble and conservative
Dr. Tang received a doctorate of engineering degree from Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany, and is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, a foreign member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and an honorary member of the American Society of Civil Engineers. A structural engineer whose work includes bridges, buildings and other types of structures, it is said that “the sun never sets on his bridges.”
MORE DETAILS available on Dr. Tang's presentation.
MARK P. SARKISIAN
Lehigh Class of '85 (MS, Structural Engineering)
PE, SE, Partner at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
Khan's Vision
Friday, February 9th, 2007 (1:08:54 hrs)
4:10 P.M.
Sinclair Laboratory Auditorium
Overview:
This first presentation for Lehigh University’s Dr. Fazlur Khan Lecture Series will explore Khan’s creative vision of structural engineering through his work at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) and the lasting impact that it has had on the profession.
Khan’s innovation, especially related to tall building design, will be presented through his theories and project examples including Sears Tower, John Hancock Center, Chestnut Dewitt Tower, Onterie Center all located in Chicago as well as other projects in the United States and overseas. The current work of SOM that incorporates the fundamental concepts of Khan will be presented. The presentation will also draw upon current SOM architectural engineering projects that reflect Khan’s vision and legacy by interpreing and expanding on his ideas.
MORE DETAILS available on Sarkisian's presentation.
The Khan Lecture Series is organized by Dan M. Frangopol, the first holder of Lehigh’s Fazlur Rahman Khan Endowed Chair of Structural Engineering and Architecture.
Lehigh University • Packard Laboratory, 19 Memorial Drive West, Bethlehem, PA 18015 • (610) 758-4025
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