Hyatt Regency Hotel Accident
Hyatt Regency Hotel
Project History
The Crown Center Redevelopment Corporation started a project with Hyatt Regency Hotel in Kansas City in 1976. With the consulting structural engineer Gillum-Colaco, Inc., their subsidiary firm, Jack D. Gillum & Associates (G.C.E), the architect, PBNDML Architects, Planners, Inc., the general contractor Eldridge Construction Company, and the fabrication and erection of hotel’s atrium steel Havens Steel Company, they built the hotel. Divided into three groups: design team, construction team and inspection team, they made the 40-story tower section, function block, and the connecting atrium where the accident happened. Having an area of approximately 117 ft. wide x 145 ft. long x 50 ft. high, three suspended “skywalks” spanned the atrium at the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floor levels, where the 3rd and 4th floor walkways were suspended from the atrium roof trusses, and 2nd was suspended from the 4th floor walkway using rods. Starting with the architecture and the design of the atrium, PBNDML prepared the project specifications and G.C.E. for the drawings in structural engineering. From the structural drawing, the Havens used it as a basis for shop fabrication drawings.
G.C.E.’s Original Design The catwalk design was designed with six single continuous 1 1/4 ‘’ diameter round steel rods anchored in the ceiling. Used in the three catwalk levels, each were comprised of two 8 x 8.5 MC channels, welded toe-to-toe. Using a nut and washer to secure the rods, the 4th floor was connected from the ceiling and its rods continued until the 2nd floor to support the weight. The design was drawn with 60 plates; including it are the design criteria, calculated preliminary loads, and information on the box beam hanger rod connection. However, the calculations were not passed on to the fabrication team.
Design Change The Haven’s perspective was to change the plan because of the long rods required to hang the second floor were not
Project History
The Crown Center Redevelopment Corporation started a project with Hyatt Regency Hotel in Kansas City in 1976. With the consulting structural engineer Gillum-Colaco, Inc., their subsidiary firm, Jack D. Gillum & Associates (G.C.E), the architect, PBNDML Architects, Planners, Inc., the general contractor Eldridge Construction Company, and the fabrication and erection of hotel’s atrium steel Havens Steel Company, they built the hotel. Divided into three groups: design team, construction team and inspection team, they made the 40-story tower section, function block, and the connecting atrium where the accident happened. Having an area of approximately 117 ft. wide x 145 ft. long x 50 ft. high, three suspended “skywalks” spanned the atrium at the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floor levels, where the 3rd and 4th floor walkways were suspended from the atrium roof trusses, and 2nd was suspended from the 4th floor walkway using rods. Starting with the architecture and the design of the atrium, PBNDML prepared the project specifications and G.C.E. for the drawings in structural engineering. From the structural drawing, the Havens used it as a basis for shop fabrication drawings.
G.C.E.’s Original Design The catwalk design was designed with six single continuous 1 1/4 ‘’ diameter round steel rods anchored in the ceiling. Used in the three catwalk levels, each were comprised of two 8 x 8.5 MC channels, welded toe-to-toe. Using a nut and washer to secure the rods, the 4th floor was connected from the ceiling and its rods continued until the 2nd floor to support the weight. The design was drawn with 60 plates; including it are the design criteria, calculated preliminary loads, and information on the box beam hanger rod connection. However, the calculations were not passed on to the fabrication team.
Design Change The Haven’s perspective was to change the plan because of the long rods required to hang the second floor were not