Prompt: Begin by reviewing the resources in this module that relate to the Willow Island cooling tower failure. Pay particular attention to the roles of the various personnel involved, their locations, and their employers relationship to the project.
My Dad Willow Island Disaster (3:13)
Willow Island Disaster
Willow Island Cooling Tower Collapse: A Lesson From Nature
Investigation of Construction Failure of Reinforced Concrete Cooling Tower at Willow Island, West Virginia
Then, in your analysis, address the following critical elements:
Applying your reading in the textbook about the engineering mindset, how would you characterize the concerns of the engineers and fabricators working on the cooling tower? What mechanisms existed, if any, for them to express these concerns? Defend your position with specific evidence.
Specifically describe the motivations, dispositions, and assumptions of the engineers and fabricators working on the project. How are they distinct from those of the nontechnical members of the team? Illustrate with specific examples.
Assess the extent to which the distinct mindset of the engineers impacted their work performance. In what ways were the engineers and fabricators not thinking or acting strategically? To what extent were they failing to maintain a holistic view of the entire project? Illustrate with specific examples.
Guidelines for Submission: Your analysis should be a 2- to 3-page Microsoft Word document with double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, one-inch margins, and all sources cited in APA format.
