Towers built 'to asborb plane impact'

Last Modified: 11 Sep 2007
By: Channel 4 News

The World Trade Center was designed with an accidental aircraft impact but 9/11 was very different, says a UK engineer.

A British structural engineer says that mathematics proved the Twin Towers were bound to collapse after each was hit by a fuel-laden airliner travelling at high speed - writes PA.

Dr Keith Seffen, a senior lecturer in the structures group at Cambridge University's engineering department, praised the designers of the World Trade Centre for creating buildings which stood up as long as they did after the 9/11 attacks.

'In all senses, the collapse sequence was quite ordinary and natural.'
Dr Keith Seffen, Cambridge University

Dr Seffen, who revealed the conclusions of a new scientific analysis on the sixth anniversary of the terrorist atrocity in New York, said the towers were never designed to withstand such "extraordinary impacts".

"In all senses, the collapse sequence was quite ordinary and natural," he said.

"The World Trade Centre towers were designed to absorb an aircraft impact, but an accidental one with much less fuel and speed.

"It is widely acknowledged that the impacts on September 11 were extraordinary, which led to consequences well in excess of the design capacity for the buildings.

"The original design of both towers must be praised for standing as long as they did, saving more lives than might have been expected."

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