Creative Speculation

I've mentioned it several times: Skyline Towers, Baileys Crossroads, VA, 1973. That was when I was working as a structural draftsman a few miles away in Alexandria. That collapse started when concrete forms were removed from a floor before it was cured enough to support its own weight, but why did it continue through 22 cured floors, all the way into the sub-basement? The engineers in that office didn't have trouble explaining it to me: The impact load of falling debris was far above the design "live load" for the floors, so the floor slabs simply sheared away from the columns ("punching shear&quot .

But is there some reason that you want to discuss that instead of the obvious flaws in Chandler's "uniform acceleration" nonsense? Or any of Gage's other "experts" nonsense, for that matter?

But no, my criticism of Chandler's argument did not come from any "JREF quack authorities," nor does it appeal to anything but facts and reason, which I think I stated pretty clearly. If you didn't understand what I said, feel free to ask questions.

Really, I can never tell if you run away from discussing any of it because you don't understand it, of because you do. So let me ask you a question (you owe me one): I explained how a gravity-driven collapse could progress at an average acceleration of 2/3g, because it's an average of everything from brief, high decelerations due to impacts to actual free fall when structural elements gave way. Now, can you please explain how a controlled demolition could possibly produce Chandler's claimed "uniform acceleration" of 2/3g?

(Actually, feel free to ask Chandler or Cole or any of Gage's other "experts" for help. I'll wait...)