Spandrels are strong steel plates placed on each side of a joint between column beams, and joined to them by welding, bolts or rivets. The weakest points in the beam-to-beam joint is the weld, rivet or bolts, because the cross section of metal of these elements is much smaller than either the beams or spandrels. When some force tears the beams apart, as when a higher beam topples off the lower one, one might expect that action to bend a spandrel, but the joint will actually separate at one of these weaker points.

It is not reasonable to expect a spandrel to fail exactly at its midpoint unless it has been cut there.

THESE SPANDRELS HAVE BEEN CUT

In the photo at left below, note the spandrel bent as the beam above it toppled off. Note also the hole in the spandrel where the bolt or rivet pulled out.

An uncut but bent spandrel in the ruins of the North Tower (Camera facing north, Verizon building in the background)

HOMEWORK EXPERIMENT Secure a section of common steel pallet strapping into a bench vise so that 2" extends up above the vise. With a pliar, grip the part extending up from the vise fully into the pliar's jaws. Bend the strap back and forth to 90°. Count the number of times the strapping bends before it shears at the bend.

More cut spandrels atop WTC7's pile.

The only remaining evidence of this separation is in the photographic record since the steel has long since, and expeditiously, been carted away and melted down. However, this record of WTC7 shows no bending; the plates are sheared in half, slightly raggedly in a way consistent with the use of thermite.

One might suspect that these cuts were made during the cleanup operations. No such luck. No crew up on ladders made these cuts; there exists ample photographic evidence, such as this photo, that these columns stood in their referenced form from the very earliest time after the collapse. No one would have cut these columns to fall onto the debris pile, further complicating cleanup. They would have been cut after the debris below them had been cleared, and certainly after the fires were extinguished!

Since no official investigation questioned whether these separations occurred from stress or flame, particularly NIST's final report on the collapse of WTC7, their determination remains an action item for independent efforts. Listen to a conference call of architectural experts representing 450 architects and engineers about what they think of the NIST report.

Fair-use © 9/06/'07 - 09/02/'08 by NC 9/11 Truth; mirroring encouraged. Informing North Carolinians about terrorism since 2005. Material presented here for reference purposes only; inclusion hereon of a link does not necessarily indicate endorsement by NC 9/11 Truth. Critical thinking is encouraged!