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Purdue 3-D simulation of 9-11-2001 World Trade Center attack

Science - Energy

A Purdue University scientifically based computer simulation produces accurate recreated details of the NYC WTC attack on September 11, 2001. Its researchers make recommendations on how to improve tall steel structures—especially fireproofing.

U.S. computer scientist Christoph M. Hoffmann and his team of researchers from Purdue University, in West Lafayette, Indiana, conducted the two-year study, partially funded by the National Science Foundation.

One of the two commercial airplanes, which were hijacked by Islamic extremists, were shown in the three-dimensional (3-D) video slamming into the north tower. Then, while traveling through several floors, the video shows the airplane and its exploding fuel stripping fireproofing material from the steel columns. This action caused the weakened skyscraper to eventually collapse.

The prime conclusion of the study stated that the north tower building would have remained upright if (1) the fireproofing material had remained on the steel columns and not been stripped away and (2) the structural columns had not been destroyed by the flaming liquid fuel.

The Hoffmann study was conducted in the hope that engineers and architects in the future would design safer buildings

The animation video appears on YouTube. However, the video appears also in the New York Times article entitled “9/11 Simulation Taxes Purdue Servers”, along with additional information.