new doubts on wtc collapse, page-150

re: new doubts on wtc collapse/grant62 The article says that intense heat weakened the steel dave. It says that's why the building collapsed dave.

But it aint true.




Category: News & Opinion (Specific) Topic: Conspiracy: 9/11 - Alleged Coverups
Synopsis: RandFreedom's correspondence with NIST
Source: Self and NIST
Published: March 23, 2005 Author: RandFreedom
For Education and Discussion Only. Not for Commercial Use.


The leading hypothesis, as authored by NIST (the National Institute of Standards and Technology), regarding initiation of collapse of the WTC 1 and WTC 2 towers requires that the core columns buckled or shortened due to fires as the causal event. Indeed, video footage shows the mast on one of the towers plunging down into the roof before the walls even move.

I decided to inquire if there is physical evidence of core columns in the fire zone reaching failure temperatures. Graciously, NIST responded. What follows is some some correspondence I had recently with an unnamed source at NIST regarding forensic analysis of the core columns in the WTC 1 and WTC 2 towers.


-----Original Message-----
From: < Me >
To: < [email protected] >
Subject: WTC Metallographic Analysis
Date: Fri, 4 Mar 2005 13:24:19 -0700

Dear < PrivateName >,

An ongoing group of us at libertyforum.org have been noting an increasing crescendo of alarm about the lack of evidence that the core columns in the fire zones in WTC 1,2 actually reached failure temperatures.

Obviously, a metallographic grain analysis of columns identified as originating in the region of the fuel and office fires would be among the first goals of the NIST investigation, or indeed the FEMA study that preceded it, and we expect that these tests were accomplished early in the project.

Yet, although analysis of columns both above and below the fire zone has been released publically, the analysis of core column steel in the fire zone is conspicuously absent. This obvious evidence would silence an army of arguments and mounting concern on the part of us here at libertyforum--and across the nation, really--that perhaps there is a reason why the investigation is withholding such key data from the public.

I would appreciate a response from your office, even if only to say why you cannot release the data. Thanks for your time and your consideration.

Regards,
< Me >



-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2005 10:15 AM
To: < Me >
Subject: Re: WTC Metallographic Analysis

Thank you for your inquiry regarding the forensic analysis of steel in June 2004 Progress Report on the Federal Building and Fire Safety Investigation of the World Trade Center Disaster.

In each of the two World Trade Center Towers, there were 329 core columns (each three stories tall) traversing floors involved in fires. NIST has portions of 4 of these columns, and on average about half of each column was recovered.

While these pieces allow some comparison of metal and paint condition with the predictions of the fire model, the recovered steel represents less than one percent of all the core columns intersecting floors with fire. Thus the forensic analysis indicating moderate temperature excursions in the recovered core columns does not and cannot give a complete picture of temperatures seen by the vast majority of the core columns.

WTC Administrative Support Team



-----Original Message-----
From: < Me >
Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2005 5:46 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: RE: WTC Metallographic Analysis
Dear Sirs,

Thank you for your response.

It would appear then, that there is no core column steel recovered from the fire zones in WTC1,2 which shows temperature excursions that would cause the steel to buckle or shorten. Only moderate (non-grain-realigning) temperatures based on forensic metallographic and paint analysis of actual samples to date.

But as you said, there are relatively few samples, and only on four of the columns, and perhaps not even a sample in a fire zone from each of the four.

Well...should more evidence turn up, especially showing core column grain realignment, I would be greatly interested to receive notice. I was really hoping to put to bed the question of initiation of collapse, with some incontrovertible data.

I very much appreciate your posting the investigation documents online. I'll be checking in on the wtc.nist.gov website from time to time.

Regards,
< Me >



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randfreedom writes: "I just copied the email thread verbatim, here. Didn't edit anything except to remove private emails, addresses or phone numbers, etc.

I would like to say here that NIST has not been telling any lies, and I like their scientific and truthful approach. However, they have not been tasked with proving the towers fell due to the fire. This is not a criminal investigation.

There has been no criminal investigation. Something you might want to write your congressman about."