Thomas W. Eagar

Thomas W. Eagar (* 1950 in Chattanooga , Tennessee ) is a materials scientist and metallurgist in research and engineering with the rank of professor . To date, he has published 208 scientific articles and books, as well as 14 patents . He works for MIT .

Life

Thomas W. Eagar received his Bachelor of Science degree in Metallurgy and Materials Science in 1972 and his Doctor of Science degree in 1975 in Metallurgy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology . He then studied business administration from 1975 to 1976 at Lehigh University . In 1988 he participated in an executive program at the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Eagar was employed by Bethlehem Steel Corporation from 1974 to 1976 as a research fellow. Between 1976 and 1987 he worked in the Department of Materials Science and Technology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as an Assistant Professor of Materials Technology . From 1984 to 1985 he worked at the US Office of Naval Research in Tokyo. Thomas W. Eagar has been Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology since 1987, including for materials technology (since 1987) and technical systems (since 2000). Between 1995 and 2000 he was head of the Faculty of Materials Science and Technology.

Awards

• International Junior Civitan of the Year, 1968
• Dennison K. Bullens Scholarship, 1969-1971
• Foundry Educational Foundation Scholarship, 1970-1971
• Phi Lambda Upsilon, Member 1971
• Tau Beta Pi, Member, 1971; Distinguished Service Award, 1980
• National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship, 1972–1974
• Metallurgy and Materials Prize, Boston Section AIME, 1972
• Adams Memorial Membership Award, American Welding Society , 1979-1983
• Charles H. Jennings Memorial Medal, American Welding Society, 1984, 1992, 2004
• Champion H. Mathewson Gold Medal, TMS-AIME, 1987
• Henry Krumb Lecturer, TMS / SME-AIME, 1987
• National Science Foundation Creativity Extension Award, 1988-1990
• Leaders for Manufacturing Professorship, 1988-1993
• ASM International, Fellow, 1989
• Houdremont Lecturer, International Institute of Welding, 1990
• Richard P. Simmons Professorship, 1990-1993
• Warren F. Savage Award, American Welding Society, 1991, 1996
• William Spraragen Award, American Welding Society, 1991, 1994
• Comfort A. Adams Lecturer, American Welding Society, 1992
• Henry Marion Howe Medal, ASM International, 1992
• William Irrgang Award, American Welding Society, 1993
• POSCO Professorship, 1993-1999
• American Welding Society, Fellow, 1994, Honorary Member, 1999
• Nelson W. Taylor Lecturer, Pennsylvania State University, 1995
• National Academy of Engineering , member, 1997
• General Electric Distinguished Lecture, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 2001
• Thomas Lord Professorship, 2001 -
• Silver Quill Award, American Welding Society, 2002
• American Association for the Advancement of Science , Fellow, 2002
• College of Engineering and Technology, Lecturer, Brigham Young University, 2004

Special interests

• Material manufacturing and processing.
• Welding and joining techniques.
• Ceramic and electronic components.
• Alternative manufacturing methods.
• Manufacturing method management.
• Deformation processes.
• Material analysis.
• Selection and failure of materials .

Zipper theory

In his article in the Journal of Metals (JOM), Volume 53, this theory is developed about the collapse of the two towers of the World Trade Center .

This theory is controversially discussed (see article at sources).

The theory in broad terms

• The burning of large quantities of kerosene on the floors leads to a general softening and failure of material connections in the floor ceilings.
• The outer steel columns of the building were deformed by high temperatures: the facade surfaces were pushed outwards.
• The floor areas, which were simply suspended between the inner core pillars and the facade pillars, fell downwards.
• The falling ceilings dragged the other floors with it on the way down.
• The collapse of the buildings took place almost in a free fall , because the buildings were 95 percent air.
• High buildings with a large floor area (no further details) never tilt to the side, but always collapse.

Criticism of the theory

• Eagar is a metallurgist, not a designer or structural engineer.
• The theory names burning kerosene as the main cause of the general material failure of the towers and does not take into account the collapse of WTC building number 7.
• The roof, the 75th, 41st (they marked different building sections) and the lower floors had massive steel beams that would connect the inner, massive steel columns with the outer steel columns. This static concept would run counter to free fall.

swell

• CV of Thomas W. Eagar
• Thomas W. Eagar, article in JOM : Why Did the World Trade Center Collapse? Science, Engineering, and Speculation (JOM), Volume 53, Issue 12 pp.8-11

Web links

• Thomas W. Eagar on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology website