Essays on Catastrophic Failure

System Construction

Introduction The best of engineering marvels are built on the basis of sound theory, fail-safe design and astute engineering skills that transmute the design to physical reality. In the entire sequence from drawing board to reality, if there is an error in any step, the greatest of engineering feats can come undone.

Catastrophic Failure of Space Shuttle Challenger

The Space Shuttle Challenger 51-L was the twenty fifth mission in NASA’s space program. Given its past history of successful launches, NASA was confident of a repeat performance. However, on 28 Jan 1986, the Challenger exploded shortly after takeoff, killing all seven crew members (Forrest). ...

Abstract

This paper defines long-term care (LTC) and the challenges the LTC industry currently faces. Areas covered include a shortfall in funding needed to provide LTC of an acceptable quality, the fact that more and more people are requiring care over a longer period due to an increase of average life expectancy, a significant increased incidence of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia variants, an infrastructure that is lagging the demand, and a shrinking workforce in the industry coinciding with an increased demand for its services. The paper concludes that the funding shortfall is probably the major challenge, because without sufficient funding, care of ...

Introduction

This case study reviews the loss of Boeing 747SR, identification JA8119, Japan Airlines Flight 123 in August 1985, when it suffered a catastrophic failure of the fuselage rear pressure bulkhead at an altitude of 24,000 ft. (Hobbs, 2008) (p.3-4). The research looks at the causes of the accident, the structural and mechanical factors involved, other contributory factors, and the findings of the Investigation Board.

The Research Causes of the Accident. Hobbs (2008), in a report produced for the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) listed air accidents that subsequent investigations had attributed to bad maintenance or maintenance errors. Those examples ...

Introduction

Research into the human error factor at Macondo Oil well disaster can be reviewed from different aspects. Textual analysis will review existing records and test results at the company, that is, BP and Transocean, the owner of the Deepwater Horizon Drilling Rig. The research will further examine reports of commissions that were formed to look into the Gulf disaster. Several commissions and organizations took the effort to review the different causes of the disasters. In particular, the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon oil disaster, commissioned by President Obama, produced a Chief Counsel’s report which was the basis ...