NIST WTC Public NIST WTC Public

-Private Private 

Response Plan Response Plan

National Construction Safety Team A

Advisory Committee

April 29, 2003

Jack E. Snell

Director, Building and Fire Research Laborator

snell@nist.gov
Building and Fire Research Labor

Building and Fire Research Labor

Fire Re

Materials and 

Construction Systems

Building

Environment
Standards, Technology, and Practices 

Standards, Technology, and Practices 

Cost

-Effective Safety and Security 

Effective Safety and Security 

Buildings and Critical Facilities Buildings and Critical Facilities

Status Report:

NIST Public-Private Response Pla
Fire & Emergency 

Service

IAFC, NASFM,

IAFF, FDNY, NYPD,...

Academics

IAFSS, ASME, 

LANL, MIT, 

Princeton, 

Northwestern, UT 

Austin, Georgia 

Tech, Penn State, 

Drexel, Wharton, 

Columbia, Lehigh, 

UMd, WPI,...

Industry Suppliers W.R. Grace, United Technologies, Sensors, Controls,...

Evolving Participation Evolving Participation

Public-Private 

Response Plan

Construction Industry

CII, IAI, CERF, 

FIATECH, NIBS, AGC

Fire Safety 

Engineering

Private 

Consultants, 

SFPE,...

Codes 

Org

ASCE, A

NFPA

ASTM

Structur

an

AIA, C

Buildin

Habit

TMS, N

NYC/DD

A

Other Governm

FEMA, ATF

USACE, DO

NIOSH, CDC

NSTB, NRC, 

NCSB

Insurance/

Testing labs

UL, FM Global, 

SwRI, IRI

Public/Groups

Skyscraper Safety,..

Occupants/Witnesses

Entrepreneurs/Inventors

Small Businesses, 

Students,... 
Dissemination

and Technical

Assistance Program

Dissemination

and Technical

Assistance Program

BPAT

Recommendations

BPAT

Recommendations

Govt.

Industry

Professional

Academic

Inputs/Actions

Govt.

Industry

Professional

Academic

Inputs/Actions

Public Inputs/

Efforts

Public Inputs/

Efforts

Technical Basis 

Building and F

and Stand

Technical Basis f

Building and F

and Stand

Respon

Respon

Standards a

Development 

Owners, Contractors, Designers, Emergency Responders and Regulatory Authorities

Guidance and Tools for

Improved Practices

Guidance and Tools for

Improved Practices

Research &

Development

Research &

Development

WTC

Investigation

WTC

Investigation
Authorities and Legal Proceedings Authorities and Legal Proceedings

• NIST is a non-regulatory agency of the U.S. Departme

Commerce

• Private sector develops building and fire codes and stan• State and local authorities adopt and enforce regulations

• Investigation Authority:

• National Construction Safety Team Act (P.L. 107-231)

• No part of any report resulting from a NIST investigatio

be used in any suit or action for damages arising out omatter mentioned in such report

• 15 U.S.C. 281a; as amended by P.L. 107-231
NIST WTC Investigation: Goals & Proces

NIST WTC Investigation: Goals & Proces

To investigate the building construction, the materials used, and the 

conditions that combined to cause the World Trade Center (WTC(Towers and WTC 7)

To serve as the basis for:

• Improvements in the way buildings are designed, construc

maintained and used.

• Improved tools, guidance for industry and safety officials.• Revisions to codes, standards, and practices.• Improved public safety, and business and insurance stabil

Process:

• 2 years, Open, Independent, best available talent• Lead Investigator - Dr. Shyam Sunder• Associate - Dr. William Grosshandler
NIST WTC Investigation: Objectives NIST WTC Investigation: Objectives

1. Determine why and how the World Trade Center building

collapsed; 

2. Determine why the injuries were so low or high dependin

location, including all technical aspects of fire protection, behavior, evacuation and emergency response;

3. Determine procedures and practices used in the design, 

construction, operation, and maintenance of the World TrCenter Buildings; and

4. Identify building and fire codes, standards, and practices 

warrant revision.
Scope

• Builds upon BPAT recommendations that additional studies of T

and WTC 7 should be conducted.

• Investigation approach considers the interplay between the build

occupants, and the emergency responders

• Review, analysis, and re-creation modeling and testing work bas

solid foundation of technical evidence

• Lessons to be derived will be applicable to a broad range of build

not just the specific buildings that are studied
3. Analysis of 

Steel

6. Structural 

Collapse

7. 

Evacuation

2. Baseline 

Performance & 

Impact Damage

1. Analysis of 

Codes and 

Practices 

5. Active Fire R

Suppression

4. Thermal & 

Tenability 

Environment

Summary of W

Investigation Pr

Lead Investigator - Dr. Shyam SunderAssociate - Dr. William Grosshandler
WTC Investigation: Organization WTC Investigation: Organization

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Technology Administration

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY

Building and Fire Research Laboratory

Lead Technical Investigators

Liaison with 

Federal & Local Authorities

Public

Victims Families

Project Teams of NIST and 

External

World Class Experts

NIST SECRETARIAT

Public affairs/outreach; Congressional liaison; Program/budget analysis; Legal counsel; Records management/data archives; Contracts mgmt.; IT support, ...

Administrat

Support Te

(SAIC)
WTC Investigation Status WTC Investigation Status

(two presentations after break)

See http://wt
Dissemination

and Technical

Assistance Program

Dissemination

and Technical

Assistance Program

BPAT

Recommendations

BPAT

Recommendations

Govt.

Industry

Professional

Academic

Inputs/Actions

Govt.

Industry

Professional

Academic

Inputs/Actions

Public Inputs/

Efforts

Public Inputs/

Efforts

Technical Basis 

Building and F

and Stand

Technical Basis f

Building and F

and Stand

Respon

Respon

Standards a

Development 

Owners, Contractors, Designers, Emergency Responders and Regulatory Authorities

Guidance and Tools for

Improved Practices

Guidance and Tools for

Improved Practices

Research &

Development

Research &

Development

WTC

Investigation

WTC

Investigation
Research and Development Program: Research and Development Program:

Structural Fire Protection1. Fire safety design & retrofit of structures2. Method of fire resistance determination3. Prevention of progressive structural collapse4. Improved fire resistance coatingsHuman Behavior, Occupant Response, and Mobilit1. Fire simulation re-creation tool2. Occupant behavior & response3. Technology for emergency mobility4. Guidelines, equipment standards for fire & emergency respondersBuilding Vulnerability Reduction1. Standard information models2. Guidelines, advanced technology for Chem., Bio., Radiological att3. Cost-effective risk management tools
R&D Program: Status R&D Program: Status

1. NIST engaged with numerous Public and private sector 

partners and collaborators in each project.

2. R&D projects funded at limited level through NIST 

redirection and increase in FY’03 Budget.

3. Further funding included in President’s FY’04 Budget 

proposal to Congress. Actively seeking support and partnering for full range of critical needs. 
Dissemination

and Technical

Assistance Program

Dissemination

and Technical

Assistance Program

BPAT

Recommendations

BPAT

Recommendations

Govt.

Industry

Professional

Academic

Inputs/Actions

Govt.

Industry

Professional

Academic

Inputs/Actions

Public Inputs/

Efforts

Public Inputs/

Efforts

Technical Basis 

Building and F

and Stand

Technical Basis f

Building and F

and Stand

Respon

Respon

Standards a

Development 

Owners, Contractors, Designers, Emergency Responders and Regulatory Authorities

Guidance and Tools for

Improved Practices

Guidance and Tools for

Improved Practices

Research &

Development

Research &

Development

WTC

Investigation

WTC

Investigation
Industry-Led Dissemination and 

Technical Assistance Program

Concept:Partner with Key national, professional, technical society, trade asso

organizations to develop demand pull for needed changes and taof dissemination, deployment, implementation and assessment obenefits.

Functions:Provide advice on best practices, guidance on vulnerability assessm

guidance on standards and codes needs.

Disseminate and implement R&D outputs.Act as clearinghouse (Q&As, industry inputs, needs/priorities, etc,...)Benchmark resultsPotential Partners: Codes and Standards developers, e.g., ICC, NFPA, ASME, ASTM... Professional, engineering organizations IAFC, IAFC, ASCE, SFPE, AIndustrial/trade bodies, e.g. CII, FIATECH, CERF, NIBS,...
Dissemination and Technical Assistance P

Dissemination and Technical Assistance P

Status

1. NIST engaged with numerous Public and private sector partners.2. Initial activities supported in FY’02 and FY’03:

 OSTP Workshop, “Critical Infrastructure Protection Priorities” FIATECH Roadmap update for Implications of Homeland Se National Alliance for Building Regulatory Reform (first respon

database) National Conference of States on Building Codes Standards, 

 Construction Industry Institute, Industry Best Practices (additional projects pending)

3. Actively aligning individual R&D outputs with external support and 
Thank you.

Questions?
National Construction Safety Team National Construction Safety Team 

Act, PL 107 Act, PL 107

-231

National Construction Safety Team AAdvisory CommitteeApril 29, 2003

Jack E. SnellDirector, Building and Fire Research Laboratory

snell@nist.gov
Legislative Authorities

Structural Failures [P.L. 99-73, Sec. 7; 15 U.S.C. 281a]The National Institute of Standards and Technology, on its own initonly after consultation with local authorities, may initiate and conduinvestigations to determine the causes of structural failures in strucare used or occupied by the general public. No part of any report rfrom such investigation shall be submitted as evidence or used in aaction for damages arising out of any matter mentioned in the repoFire Prevention and Control Act [P.L. 93-498, Sec.16, (a), (3)]NIST conducts and supports research on all aspects of fire with the providing scientific and technical knowledge applicable to the prevecontrol of fires. The Act authorizes NIST to conduct “...operation tedemonstration projects and fire investigations in support of the actiforth in this section.”
National Construction Safety Team Act, PL 

National Construction Safety Team Act, PL 

Issue: No one had the responsibility to derive lessons learned.An “NTSB-like” body...

 Independent, objective, fact, not fault-finding Ability to collect, analyze, make public critical informatio

National Construction Safety Team Act:

 Introduced by Boehlert in House, Clinton in Senate Signed into law October 1, 2002 Establish Federal Advisory Committee Applies to WTC investigation as well.

Tasks NIST Director to establish teams, develop reports, track o

 Launched within 48 hours

 Include at least one NIST employee
National Construction Safety Team Act (

National Construction Safety Team Act (

Purpose of Act:

“...to provide for the establishment of investigative teams 

to assess building performance and emergency response and evacuation procedures in the wake of any building fathat has resulted in substantial loss of life or that posed thpotential for substantial loss of life.”

Purpose of Investigations:

“...to improve the safety and structural integrity of buildingUnited States.”
National Construction Safety Team Act 

National Construction Safety Team Act 

Team Duties:

1. Establish likely technical cause or causes of building f2. Evaluate technical aspects of evacuation and emerge

response procedures;

3. Recommend as necessary, specific improvements to b

standards, codes and practices based on findings made to the above;

4. Recommend any research or other appropriate actions 

to improve the structural safety of buildings.
National Construction Safety Team Act 

National Construction Safety Team Act 

Composition of Teams:

 At least one employee of NIST Other experts May include private sector experts, experts from academe

professional organizations, Federal, State or Local officials

Functions of Teams:

Conduct investigations Disclosure of informationResource requirementsCoordination with search and rescue effortsRegular public briefingsCoordination with other authorities, e.g. Earthquake Investigations

Procedures to be Published in 3 months:

(to be addressed at 3:15 pm by Dr. Hill)
National Construction Safety Team Act 

National Construction Safety Team Act 

Authorities:

 Entry and Inspection

• does not unnecessarily interfere with services provide

Owner/operator

• preserves evidence related to building failure

 Coordination (MOUs with other agencies with related au Priority over other investigations except: NTSB, Crimina Briefings, Hearings, Witnesses Subpoenas Additional powers ( procure, request, confer, accept, co

compensate)

NIST Actions:

 Launch investigation teams Conduct, enable or encourage research recommended  Promote appropriate adoption of recommendations
NCST Advisory Committee NCST Advisory Committee

z Director appoints in consultation with Administrator of 

and heads of other appropriate agencies, appoints,

z Functions...

• review procedures• evaluate activities of teams• assess implementation of recommendations• annual report to Congress
Advisory Committee Members Advisory Committee Members

z Dr. Charles Thornton, Co-Chairman, Thornton-Tomasetti. z Dr. Robert Hanson, Professor Emeritus, University of Michigaz Mr. Philip DiNenno, President, Hughes Associates.z Dr. John Bryan, Professor Emeritus, University of Maryland.z Professor Glenn Corbett, Associate Professor, John-Jay Collez Dr. Kathleen Tierney, Professor, University of Delaware.z Mr. Paul Fitzgerald, Executive Vice President FM Global, (retiz Mr. David Collins, President, The Preview Group.z Dr. Forman Williams, Professor, University of California at Saz Dr. John Barsom, President, Barsom Consulting.
Thank You.

Questions?