David T. Biggs, of Ryan-Biggs Associates, P.C., Publishes Report Focused on World Trade Center Disaster

New York Engineer Authors Report and Subsequent Article on Building Construction Lessons Learned in the World Trade Center Disaster

Troy, NY -- December 1, 2003 -- David T. Biggs, P.E. of Ryan-Biggs Associates, P.C., recently authored a report titled, Masonry Aspects of the World Trade Center Disaster" for The Masonry Society, an international professional association dedicated to using masonry in building construction. Written as a supplement to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Structural Engineering Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers (SEI-ASCE) May 2002 report titled World Trade Center Building Performance Study: Data Collection, Preliminarily Observations, and Recommendations," this new report takes an in-depth look at the performance of buildings, built using masonry construction, surrounding the World Trade Center after the attack.
   
   In an effort to educate engineers, safety, and construction professionals, this report is essential in understanding the performance of masonry building materials in extreme circumstances. Masonry construction is widely used in structures of all types and sizes throughout the United States. As an important element in building construction, it is critical that we understand how masonry buildings will react to future events. The lessons learned from the World Trade Center attack relate to a number of different facets of building performance, such as during fires and earthquakes.

   The report is a useful tool for future construction projects in that we can determine what building aspects worked well and which need to be improved," said David Biggs, President of Ryan-Biggs Associates. By examining specific examples at the World Trade Center site, we have been able to learn a great deal about building construction, what methods and materials are successful, and which need to be updated."

   In addition to the report, an article published in the September 2003 issue of the Building Safety Journal, and authored by David Biggs, highlighted the aspects of the report, and summarized the lessons learned from the disaster. Building Safety Journal is an international publication that focuses on building safety, and issues concerning construction materials, methods, design, and analysis techniques for buildings, and special and unique structures. The magazine has a readership of approximately 56,000.

   David Biggs is President of Ryan-Biggs Associates, P.C., and has 30 years of experience as a structural engineer in private practice. He holds civil engineering degrees from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and has taught as an adjunct professor at the university. His numerous accomplishments include serving as national director of the American Society of Civil Engineers and as part of the national committee to develop standards for masonry construction in the United States. Mr. Biggs has also authored papers focusing on masonry design and restoration and is a frequent lecturer at universities, professional seminars, and conferences in the United States and overseas.

About Ryan-Biggs Associates, P.C.
Ryan-Biggs Associates, P.C., is a consulting engineering firm specializing in structural engineering. Since 1973, they have been providing design services from their main office in Troy, New York, and branch offices in Skaneateles, New York, and West Chester, Pennsylvania. For more information, visit the companys Web site at www.ryanbiggs.com.

About The Masonry Society   
The Masonry Society is an international professional, technical, and educational association dedicated to the advancement of knowledge on masonry. TMS members are design engineers, architects, builders, researchers, educators, building officials, material suppliers, and manufacturers, who want to contribute to and benefit from the global pool of knowledge on masonry. The report entitled, Masonry Aspects of the World Trade Center Disaster" is available for purchase from The Masonry Society Web site at www.masonrysociety.org.

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