An investigation into the collapse of two suspended walkways within the atrium area of the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Kansas City, Mo., is presented in this report. The investigation included on-site inspections, laboratory tests and analytical studies.
Three suspended walkways spanned the atrium at the second, third, and fourth floor levels. The second floor walkway was suspended from the fourth floor walkway which was directly above it. In turn, this fourth floor walkway was suspended from the atrium roof framing by a set of six hanger rods. The third floor walkway was offset from the other two and was independently suspended from the roof framing by another set of hanger rods. In the collapse, the second and fourth floor walkways fell to the atrium floor, with the fourth floor walkway coming to rest on top of the lower walkway.
Based on the results of this investigation, it is concluded that the most probable cause of failure was insufficient load capacity of the box beam-hanger rod connections. Observed distortions of structural components strongly suggest that the failure of the walkway system initiated in the box beam-hanger rod connection on the east end of the fourth floor walkway's middle box beam.
Three suspended walkways spanned the atrium at the second, third, and fourth floor levels. The second floor walkway was suspended from the fourth floor walkway which was directly above it. In turn, this fourth floor walkway was suspended from the atrium roof framing by a set of six hanger rods. The third floor walkway was offset from the other two and was independently suspended from the roof framing by another set of hanger rods. In the collapse, the second and fourth floor walkways fell to the atrium floor, with the fourth floor walkway coming to rest on top of the lower walkway.
Based on the results of this investigation, it is concluded that the most probable cause of failure was insufficient load capacity of the box beam-hanger rod connections. Observed distortions of structural components strongly suggest that the failure of the walkway system initiated in the box beam-hanger rod connection on the east end of the fourth floor walkway's middle box beam.
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Investigation of the Kansas City Hyatt Regency Walkways Collapse
http://fire.nist.gov/bfrlpubs/build82/PDF/b82002.pdf
