BE 1200

Engineering;
Ethics Quiz
MICHAEL ORLANDO
LISA SCHALM
ANDREW COSSINS

The Tay Bridge

Disaster

Tay Bridge History

Design by Sir Thomas Bouch

Bouch was also responsible for the construction and maintenance of the bridge

Construction began in thee year 1873

The bridge finally opened in the year 1878

Building Stats

300,000

10 million bricks

2 million rivets

87 thousand cubic feet of timber

15 thousand casks of cement

600 men were employed

20 lost their lives

More Tay Bridge History

Queen Victoria used the bridge used the bridge on June 1, 1878

When opened it was considered the worlds largest bridge

Was 2 miles from river bank to river bank

Sir Thomas Bouch

Born February 25, 1822

Was a Civil Engineer

Known to build cheaply

Shortly after the bridge opening, Bouch was knighted by Queen

Victoria

Died October 30, 1880

A year after the Tay Bridge Disaster

Tay Bridge Location

Was a railroad bridge

Greatly reduced the rail journey time between Dundee to London

Went over Firth of Tay

The Tay Bridge Disaster

Date: December 28, 1879

75 passengers and crew were killed

Still the biggest structural disaster in British history

Reasons for the Disaster

Multiple reasons why the bridge was destroyed

The design was poor

Used very brittle cast iron

Bouch misjudged the depth of the bedrock

Column bolts were only anchored in the top

Massive Wind Storm

Was an 10 out of 12 on the Beaufort Scale

Beaufort Scale- a system of measuring and estimating wind speed

Approximately around 55-63 mph winds

Reused several girders that had previously fell into the water

Bouch did not make calculations (wasnt required at the time)

Bouchs NSPE Failures

I. Fundamental Canons

1. Hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public

6. Conduct themselves honorably, responsibly, ethically, and lawfully so as to enhance

the honor, reputation, and usefulness of the profession.

III.

1. Engineers shall be guided in all their relations by the highest standards of honesty and
integrity.

b. Engineers shall advise their clients or employers when they believe a project will not be
successful.

e. Engineers shall not promote their own interest at the expense of the dignity and integrity of the
profession

2.

b. Engineers shall not complete, sign, or seal plans and/or specifications that are not in conformity
with applicable engineering standards. If the client or employer insists on such unprofessional
conduct, they shall notify the proper authorities and withdraw from further service on the project.

Bouchs one redeeming quality:

Followed NSPE guideline III. 1. a.: Engineers shall acknowledge

their errors and shall not distort or alter the facts.

Thomas Bouch admitted to his engineering mistakes in court

Despite this, he is still held accountable for breaking other areas

of the NSPE Code of Ethics.

Works Cited

http://www.stormfax.com/beaufort.htm

www.Taybridgedisaster.co.uk

http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/scotlandhistory/makingindustrialurban/t
ay/taybridgedisaster/index.asp
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/scottishhistory/Victorian/feature_Victorian_railw
ays2.shtml

http://www.leisureandculturedundee.com/library/taybridge

http://www.railbrit.co.uk/engineers/Thomas_Bouch/frame.htm

http://www.lindahall.org/sir-thomas-bouch/

http://www.nspe.org/resources/ethics/code-ethics.htm