Post 9/11 Building Assessments
New York , NY
GMS and SEAoNY (Structural Engineers Association of New York) performed structural damage inspections on approximately 400 structures in Lower Manhattan in the area immediately surrounding the World Trade Center site shortly after September 11, 2001. Structural engineering teams assessed the extent of damage and determined which buildings were safe to reoccupy and which required restricted access. Initial inspections were based on the “Post-Earthquake Safety Evaluations of Buildings” methodology developed by the Applied Technology Council (ATC) known as ATC-20 for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). GMS Teams performed in-depth assessments for buildings like Fiterman Hall, which were heavily damaged to help establish the feasibility of salvage or rebuilding. Teams also performed damage assessments of structures in the vicinity for private clients.
GMS founder Ramon Gilsanz was a member of the national ASCE-FEMA building performance assessment team investigating the World Trade Center attack, leading the WTC7 collapse analysis. The team’s findings are published in FEMA 403, May 2002.
Client: NYC Department of Design and Construction, Dan Eschenasy, Chief Structural Engineer and Deputy Director of Engineering
