The Safer Skyscraper

A UC Berkeley professor outlines an engineering vision for the ultimate safe skyscraper. But at what aesthetic cost?

1 minute read

October 24, 2001, 5:00 AM PDT

"Astaneh said the towers might have withstood the attack had they been reinforced properly with 6-inch-thick concrete-and-steel shear walls. The shear walls could be installed in both existing and new buildings in order to strengthen their regular exterior skin. Such reinforcement would cover the giant expanses of clear glass that are the hallmark of many modern buildings. But the materials could be designed to allow smaller windows. The idea is to create a tough outer membrane sufficient to withstand the shock of a direct impact and minimize the amount of jet fuel that squirts into a building."

Thanks to Design Architecture

FULL STORY: Berkeley professor seeks the safer skyscraper

Monday, October 22, 2001 in The San Francisco Chronicle

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