Beginning July 19, 2021, Californian automotive enthusiasts have yet another item to add to an ever-expanding list of dos and don'ts (mostly don'ts) regarding their mandatory biennial visits to certified smog facilities. Up to this point, if your car was armed with modified programming (software) on its ECU (Engine Control Unit), and as long as you passed a smog test, no one would raise an eyebrow. Come Monday, however, if your car's ECU program isn't verified as legal by a California Air Resources Board (C.A.R.B.) Executive Order, then your car won't pass smog, regardless of its emissions output
During that era of good times, Studebaker built a giant monument shaped with 8,000 pine trees. From the air, anyone flying overhead could see the trees spelled out “Studebaker" and it remains one of the largest living advertisements in the world. More than 80 years later, those trees are still standing and airplanes circling down to the South Bend airport will spot it plainly.?
It was a time of celebration at the Kansas City Hyatt on July 17, 1981, 35 years ago. Between 1,500 and 2,000 people were in attendance at the Tea Dance, enjoying the band, the music, the food, the drink and the dance contest. Unfortunately, what began as an evening of celebration would be remembered for the tragic deaths resulting from the most catastrophic failure of a structural connection in the United States. The collapse caused the death of 114 people and the injury of more than 180, and traumatized countless others. The effects were felt throughout Kansas City and the United States and served as a wake-up call to the engineering community.
This event highlights the importance of following appropriate procedures and processes involved in structural engineering. The consequences of a structural failure can be catastrophically high – and can be the result of inattention to details, inadequate quality reviews, and lax shop drawing reviews. The following article describes the events leading to the construction and failure of the Hyatt Regency Skywalks, post-event actions, and lessons learned – especially about quality reviews.