http://www.nist.gov/el/disasterstudies/wtc/wtc_contracts.cfm 1

Awarded Contracts for External Experts to Support the 

NIST World Trade Center (WTC) Disaster Investigation

Contract No. Awarded to Date Awarded

SB1341-03-W-0313 Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, 

Inc.

6/9/2003

DOCUMENT AND EVALUATE THE STEEL RECOVERED FROM THE WTC TOWERS

Under solicitation number SB1341-03-Q-0155, a firm fixed price purchase order has been awarded to 

WISS, JANNEY, ELSTNER ASSOCIATES, INC. (WJE) of Chicago, Illinois: 

WJE is an engineering firm that provides technical solutions to structural, architectural, and materials 

problems. They specialize in investigations, analysis, and design for contemporary and historic buildings, 

bridges, and other structures. WJE is well qualified to document the failure mechanisms and damage 

based on visual observations of steel recovered from the WTC. Specific examples of their past 

investigations include:

Damage to One Meridien Plaza Bank due to the multi floor fire 

Assessment survey of 1993 bomb damage to the WTC 

Structural evaluation of fire damage to MacFrugal Center 

Analysis of the Husky Stadium grandstand collapse 

Investigation of the Cedar Rapids communication tower collapse 

Reconstruction of TWA Flight 800 Boeing 747 for failure analysis 

In addition, a member of their staff carried out some of the first studies on the load-bearing 

capacity of the composite truss system used to support the floors of the WTC towers. 

The specific tasks that WJE will perform include:

1. Survey all WTC structural steel at NIST and identify those remnants or portion of remnants that 

may provide important information needed for the furtherance of tasks in Project 3 of the WTC 

Investigation 

2. Provide NIST with detailed photographs of all remnants or portion of remnants identified above 

3. Conduct detailed failure analyses of component parts selected for specific structural and 

metallurgical reasons 

4. Provide NIST with a detailed report describing the results of WJE’s survey of the steel, 

identification of important remnants, and failure analyses of how each selected part behaved 

during the impact, fire, or beginning of the collapse 

5. Provide NIST with a technical review of NIST’s Draft Project 3 Report 

The team from WJE consists of two Principal Investigators that are both licensed structural engineers with 

relevant failure investigation backgrounds and appropriate knowledge of structural steel metallurgy. The 

team also includes another investigator who is a licensed structural engineer with significant experience 

in the structural design of highrise buildings, and with conducting structural failure investigations. Select 

experience of these key project personnel is summarized below:
2 http://www.nist.gov/el/disasterstudies/wtc/wtc_contracts.cfm

Dr. Raymond H. R. Tide has over 35 years of structural engineering experience involving steel structures 

and has been a member of the AISC Specifications Committee for over 20 years. At the time of the 

design of the WTC complex, he was involved in research concerning composite behavior of open-web 

steel joists as used in the WTC towers. Later he was involved in the development of column buckling 

studies including compression members comprised of angles. Subsequent to the 1994 Northridge, 

California earthquake, he was involved in numerous AWS- and FEMA-sponsored investigations on 

performance of steel structures and their connections. His experience includes evaluation of numerous 

fire-damaged steel structures and the evaluation of fractures in structural steel. He has authored 

numerous technical papers in these areas.

Mr. Conrad Paulson has over 25 years experience in laboratory testing, research and failure investigation 

of structures, structural components and structural materials. He has been involved in structural analysis 

and design review of many highrise buildings, including wind load and gravity load analysis of the 84-

story AON Center (formerly Amoco, and originally Standard Oil) building in Chicago. As consultant to the 

U.S. Department of State, he has performed post-earthquake reconnaissance and seismic structural 

analysis of highrise and lowrise buildings. He has participated in several major failure investigations, 

including the collapse of the New York State Thruway bridge over Schoharie Creek, and an analytical 

evaluation of a fire-damaged 38-story highrise structural steel building. His research and testing 

background includes studies for the National Cooperative Highway Research Program and others on 

elastic fatigue, inelastic fatigue, tensile properties and fracture of reinforcing steels.

Mr. James J. Hauck has significant experience in the structural analysis, design, detailing, and 

construction of midrise and highrise building structures. The analysis work has included extensive use of 

finite element analysis for strength and stability evaluation of multi-story frames, slab systems, and thinshell domes. Mr. Hauck has investigated failures and problems in numerous buildings and other 

structures, including the evaluation of steel structures damaged by fire.

The key project personnel will also have available to them other experienced WJE structural engineers for 

consulting and discussion purposes.