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Objective

Revise our knowledge of APEGMs ethical practices

Use a case study approach to a situation where acatastrophe was caused by a series of mistakes byseveral persons / entities

Discuss the causesDiscuss what could have been done differently Draw lessons for our own behavior from the tragedyand consider how we would deal with similarcircumstances

2/7/2009

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APEGM Ethics and the Big Dig

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Background to the Big Dig

2/7/2009 APEGM Ethics and the Big Dig

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Highly controversial: from inception in the 1980s,the project was beset by delays, engineeringdifficulties, and cost overruns.Long awaited completion of the Eisenhower

Interstate system both I 90 and I 93.Proposed / Approved in 1985 with a $2.4 billion price

tagCompleted in 2003 at a cost of $14.6 billion

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Map of the Central Artery Area*


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*Courtesy of Boston Globe

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The fateful day July 10, 2006


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The Scene at the I-90 Tunnel which collapsed on June 10, 2006.

The falling concrete crushed Milena Del Valle to death.

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The fateful day July 10, 2006


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The car that was crushed by falling ceiling panels,killing passenger Milena Del Valle in a Big Dig Tunnel in Boston.

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Engineering Issues


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Head-Office decision to use 2 anchors not 4, perhanger-rod.Managers Written Instruction: if your staff cannotprove that 2 bolts will lead to a failure, we will use 2

State law exempts projects like this from the usualdrawing stamped by a P. Eng rules.There is no stamped document available toinvestigators to assign responsibility for the designsand the decisions made.

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Engineering Issues


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Head-Office decision to use glued in anchors and notcast-in bolts or split-metal anchors. An L shaped bolt with concrete poured around it will never pull out but cannot later be moved; a

new hole can be drilled if you later change yourmind with glue. A split metal anchor is not vulnerable to creep.

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Engineering Issues


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Head-Office decision to use glued in anchors and notcast-in bolts or split-metal anchors. Advantage: you can pour the tunnel ceiling before you design the ceiling panels (and know where the

anchors will be needed).Drill/glue takes longest and is the most tedious ofthe 3 options.

Drill/glue is the most unreliable of the 3 options.

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Engineering Issues


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The glue maker offered 2 products: temporary andpermanent epoxy.

The temporary would be for short-term uses, likelighting during construction.Only the permanent type was intended for this job.Big Dig bought and used only the temporary type.The Massachusetts AG Martha Coakley, charged only

the smallest fish in the guilty pond: the family-owned glue maker.

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Engineering Issues


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Politician Coakley had the glue tested.However, only one tube testedIf Testing had involved a statistically valid number oftubes, in a variety of drilled holes it could also haveshown the influence that dust and big holes have oncreep and pull-out.Reason 1: the Attorney-General did not understand

testing and sampling.Reason 2: A-G knew she could win in court against theglue maker, but not against the contractor-team.Evidence was gathered only against Powers Fasteners.

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Engineering Issues


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No sign of project control of the drilling: actual holediameters, clearing dust, actual yield and pull-outforce.If a hole is far too big, a split metal anchor will not

hold at all.If glue is used in this same too big hole, it willhave far less pull-out strength than intended.

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The Incident Question One


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In your table groups work together and try toanswer:

Assume you were a part of the NTSB inquiry. Whatwould you want to know as you are starting out on

the task of investigating the incident?

After 10 minutes be prepared to share your tablesanswers.

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The Firms Involved


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Multiple contractors are responsible:

1. Powers Fasteners Inc., which supplied the epoxy;2. Modern Continental Construction Co., whichinstalled the anchors;

3. Gannett Fleming Inc., designer of the tunnel section;4. Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff, a project managers,

who had design and monitoring responsibilities.

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Round Table - Investigation Part 1


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Review the documents you have been given anddiscuss what you think are the preliminary causes ofthe accident.


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The Questions


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1. Was it a screw up or a criminal breach ofengineering ethics to use the wrong glue to hold up3-ton concrete panels that would hang over a majorroadway?

2. Was it a screw up or a a criminal breach ofengineering ethics to fail to monitor those weightypanels even after problems were discovered?

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APEGM Ethics


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APEGM Ethics


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Types of EthicsMeta-ethicsDescriptive EthicsNormative Ethics

Moral theory Applied Ethics

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APEGM Ethics


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What is good, as it pertains to determining an ethicalcourse of action?

When we are happy we are always g o o d , but when we are g o o d weare not always happy . - Oscar Wilde

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APEGM Ethics


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Applied EthicsConsequentialism

Utilitarianism Virtue EthicsDeontological

Categorical imperative Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it

should become a universal law. - Immanuel Kant

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APEGM Ethics


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APEGM Code of Ethics 1921

10. He shall not accept employment by a Client while a claimfor compensation or damages, or both, of a fellowEngineer previously employed by the same Client and whose employment has been terminated, remainsunsatisfied, or until such claim has been referred toarbitration, or issue has been joined at law, or unless the

Engineer previously employed has neglected to press hisclaim, except in special cases where authority has beenobtained from the Council to accept such employment.

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APEGM Ethics


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Are Codes of Ethics relevant in modern society?

How will APEGMs Code of Ethics change?

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APEGM Ethics


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Round Table - Investigation Part 2


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What were the nature of the ethical lapses identified by the investigation? Which of the companies involved should review theirprocesses for clearing work?

What was Keaveneys responsibility when ModernContinental decided to do nothing in response to his1999 memo?

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Conclusions


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What conclusions can we draw from this incidentthat will help us for our future careers as engineers?


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The Costs!!


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The Final Word


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ANCHOR BOLTS, poorly secured by epoxy, failed.But what motivated the human beings who installedthose bolts?

Who knew the bolts were coming out, but didn't stop theceiling from going up? Who kept the problem as quiet as possible until 26 tons ofconcrete crashed onto the Del Valle family, as they headed toLogan International Airport on July 10, 2006?

Four project engineers cited their Fifth Amendment rightagainst self-incrimination and refused to testify.

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