WTC Towers Were Designed To Withstand Plane Impact

Architect Minoru Yamasaki had designed the World Trade Center towers to withstand a colliding jetliner. But 30 years after the construction of the towers, jetliners have grown in size.

1 minute read

September 14, 2001, 12:00 PM PDT

By Abhijeet Chavan @http://twitter.com/legalaidtech

"Built to withstand earthquakes and hurricane-force winds, and equipped with enhanced security after a 1993 terrorist bombing, the twin towers of New York's World Trade Center were supposed to last. Their architect boasted that they could withstand the impact of a jumbo jet...Experts agreed that collapse of the two towers was almost inevitable; although their "tube structure" design was their greatest source of strength, it was also an Achilles' heel. For someone who wanted to bring them down, a guided missile filled with jet fuel was perhaps the only way."

Thanks to Abhijeet Chavan

FULL STORY: 'Magnitude Beyond Anything We'd Seen Before'

Wednesday, September 12, 2001 in The Washington Post

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