Re: Explosion(s) in the WTC?

["Shapiro, Mark" <mshapiro@EXCHANGE.FULLERTON.EDU>]

The people who generated these urban myths clearly did not understand
the role the floor trusses played in stabilizing the WTC towers.
Trusses on several floors lost their fireproofing from the impact.  The
jet fuel set the contents of several floors on fire essentially
instantaneously.

This caused the floor trusses to sag and break their connecting bolts.
Once this happened there no longer was sufficient support for the
floors, which began to pancake downward.

This type of collapse is not that rare.  It happens frequently in
earthquakes.

Dr. Mark H. Shapiro
Professor of Physics, Emeritus
California State University, Fullerton
Phone: 714 278-3884
FAX: 714 278-5810
email: mshapiro@fullerton.edu


-----Original Message-----
From: Bernard Cleyet [mailto:anngeorg@PACBELL.NET] 
Sent: Wednesday, September 10, 2003 10:28 AM
To: PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu
Subject: Re: Explosion(s) in the WTC?

thanks for the responses -- I hope there are more.

A rather extensive urban mythology?  has developed over the WTC.  For
example:

http://www.rense.com/general17/eyewitnessreportspersist.htm


Bernard Cleyet wrote:


<http://www.rense.com/general17/eyewitnessreportspersist.htm>

> Anyone critique [give alternate explanation]?
>
>
> http://www.vancouver.indymedia.org/news/2003/05/48441.php
>
>
> bc