| Home > Technology > Media
Media
Criss Angel Mindfreak: Building Implosion Escape Extreme Loading® for Structures Participates in the National Progressive Collapse Resistance CompetitionIn a continuation of Applied Science International’s commitment to support academic and research communities, Extreme Loading® for Structures software has been made available to competitors in the National Progressive Collapse Resistance Competition. Sponsored by the National Science Foundation, Northeastern University, Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute, and FM Global, competitors including professionals, graduates, and undergraduates will be using analysis tools and their engineering sense to predict the progressive collapse resistance of a 2-D scaled physical model. With the help of Extreme Loading® for Structures, participating teams will be developing analytical models, answering specific questions about the structure’s behavior, and predicting the response of the physical model. For more information or to participate, visit the competition home.
Applied Science International Demonstrates New TechnologyRaleigh, North Carolina June 2007 --- Applied Science International, LLC, a subsidiary of The Steel Network, Inc., opened a new era in engineering simulation with a dramatic demonstration of its breakthrough technology, the ability to accurately predict the progressive collapse of a structure prior to an actual implosion or other extreme loading threat (blast, earthquake, hurricane winds, etc.). On June 3rd, the historic Charlotte Coliseum was demolished in a spectacular 13-second implosion, leaving only a pile of metal, concrete, and rubble to mark the spot where this celebrated structure once stood. What singled this event out from all other implosions, however, was the historic significance attached to its deconstruction. Because of the utilization of ASI’s revolutionary technology a demolition plan was fully simulated and the results were demonstrated to the developer and the general and demolition contractors before the implosion. When asked about the drive behind the creation of this new technology, ASI Chief Executive Officer, Edward di Girolamo stated, “Our goal began almost 12 years ago with the desire to create a new technology that would be capable of completely redefining how buildings are designed, analyzed, constructed, protected and demolished.” “By reinventing the approach currently used (one that was developed in the 1940’s), we have created the capability to predict and visualize a structure’s behavior in a manner found nowhere else.” “This demonstration is the first time an actual full motion, virtual reality, engineering simulation has been created for a demolition beforehand. What most spectators saw and heard was a series of explosions, a dust cloud raised from the collapsing structure, and disappearance of the roof line behind the cloud. What ASI was able to demonstrate was the progressive collapse of the coliseum from start to finish and from every desired angle - both inside and outside of the building. ”The ramifications of this are staggering,” continued diGirolamo. “By utilizing this technology, we can analyze any structure, no matter how large or how small, predict how it will react to an external force, and then protect that structure from unnecessary damage.” Today ASI applies its technology in construction design and analysis, in vulnerability assessment and risk mitigation planning, in forensics, and in deconstruction. ASI’s technology and this historic simulation were unveiled at the Homeland Defense Conference sponsored by the Homeland Defense Journal on June 27, 2007 to be followed by a Special Report in July 2007. The event in Charlotte not only demonstrates ASI’s plans to change the way engineers build, protect and demolish structures, it signals the onset of a new era in simulating the known built world. Click here to watch a video of the Charlotte Coliseum Demolition The Applied Element Method - The Ultimate Analysis of Progressive Collapse ASI Press Release for ELS software
ASI’s Extreme Loading® Technology Allays Implosion ConcernsExtreme Loading® Technology was used to predict the collapse of St. Francis Hospital scheduled for demolition in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania last weekend. The building’s demise was historic to that locale, but for Applied Science International (ASI), the hallmark event is about the technology that showed the public what would happen beforehand – a new structural analysis technology now available to practicing engineers internationally. Following close on the heels of its previous successes, Applied Science International’s proprietary Extreme Loading® technology has once again been used to allay contractor and civic concerns by precisely predicting the outcome of a major implosion. Just as it did previously with the demolition of the historic Charlotte Coliseum on June 3 of last year and the Stubbs Tower in Savannah, Georgia a few months ago, ASI accurately ran an engineered simulation of the event for the parties involved. With St. Francis Hospital now in an uncertain, partially demolished state, ASI was called upon by the Pittsburgh-Allegheny County Sports and Exhibition Authority (SEA) to determine whether the structure was in eminent danger of collapse or safe enough to be entered so that explosive charges could be planted. ASI worked closely with SEA, Homrich Demolition (the prime contractor), and Dykon Explosive Demolition (the implosion subcontractor) to implement the planned demolition via an engineered simulation that coupled their demolition expertise with ASI’s analytical technology. SEA released the engineered simulation to local media and news agencies for public viewing prior to the scheduled implosion, and with SEA’s concerns addressed, the go-ahead was given. Within a few thundering moments, St. Francis was reduced in a series of controlled explosions to a neatly stacked pile of rubble. “The major factor here is not that the building came down as predicted; we were certain of that,” said ASI’s CEO Edward diGirolamo. “Rather, it was a chance for us to employ our 64-bit capability and all of the advantages it possesses. It was one of the largest and most comprehensive structural models we have run to date and we are very pleased with the results.” While a demolition is a scheduled event, the same cannot be said of a terrorist attack, a hurricane, or an earthquake,” continued diGirolamo. “This predictive technology is based on the Applied Element Method, which was first developed at Tokyo University after the Kobe Earthquake claimed thousands of lives. The technology is now available as a diagnostic tool to answer the “What if” question before an event takes place, thereby allowing for the taking of preventative measures to mitigate the effects of a catastrophe, or as a forensic tool to answer the “What happened” question; regardless if that catastrophe was natural or man-made.” Currently, ASI’s technology is used for homeland defense, physical security assessment, forensics, demolition planning, and structural analysis. It is now available for engineers to use in the engineering analysis of seismic, wind, collapse, progressive collapse and other extreme loading events. ASI’s technology is now available to practicing engineers and its analysis output provides visualizations of the structure’s behavior in a format that is easily understood by engineer and non-engineer alike (www.appliedscienceint.com). ASI’s sister company TSNStudios is also involved, as the unprecedented realism generated by this software is making it an ideal fit for film production, entertainment and gaming industries. Combining the power of an engineered simulation and its export into the industry’s film and visual effects tools, makes this technology a real contender for the next blockbuster production where material separation, demolition and destruction effects are important (www.tsnstudios.com). “We believe that ASI’s Extreme Loading® technology will eventually affect more than forty different fields of science where material separation is important to the outcome. Our experience with the demolition community has certainly contributed to the advancement of the science to understand the behavior of structures and collapse, and it is, in our opinion, the most ideally suited technology for the task.” concluded diGirolamo.
Criss Angel Mindfreak: Building Implosion EscapeIn this episode Criss Angel will attempt to escape from the nine-story Spyglass Resort building in Clearwater Fl. as it is being imploded by a team from Advanced Explosives Demolition, Inc. www.biggerblast.com. The event will be broadcast in North America, Latin America and
“Our engineered simulations accurately show what the collapse will look like when we are provided with the necessary building plans and implosion sequence details. What you see in the simulation is what we feel certain will occur when they take the building down,” commented ASI CEO, Edward diGirolamo. ASI services include assisting demolition contractors with presentations to local authorities and stakeholders for demolition plan approval. Safety concerns are allayed and permits are granted more readily when the approval authority can see what will happen before it does. “We’ll often have local news stations air the simulations and post them on their websites prior to the event in order to meet the demands of public interest. This event will help draw attention to simulating explosive demolitions and emphasizing the value it brings” concluded diGirolamo. ASI teamed with TSNStudios, a sister company, on the project who enhanced some of the output for the Criss Angel production team, providing yet another example of the diversity of the technology. To learn more about ASI and Extreme Loading® technology please visit the website www.extremeloading.com. For more information on Extreme Loading® applications in the entertainment industry visit www.tsns.com. |
© 2008 Applied Science International, LLC. All Rights Reserved.