Engineering Disasters: Lessons to be Learned

Engineering Disasters – Lessons to be Learned shows that there is always something to be learned from disasters. In this practical and highly relevant text Don Lawson has provided

• Thoroughly researched accounts of well-known disasters and failures worldwide
• Valuable interpretative sections, drawing out the lessons to be learned in each case
• Examples from a wide range of industries
• Background information and views of other experts in the field
• An excellent source of references for further study
• Common threads and conclusions from accident investigations

Humans design, build, operate, use, maintain and can wreck engineering products. Humans are fallible. Engineers have to take into account all the potential failures of people, including other engineers, as well as failures of equipment and materials.

Design engineering is a structured process using both art and science to create new or improved products – building on experience, bad as well as good. Failure occurs when something or someone fails to perform to expectations.