COLLAPSE OF TEXAS TOWER NO. 4 71 



Lowest combination for 3 towers item 1 of J. Rich Steers & Morrison-Knudson 

 and item 6 of Raymond-DeLong. Request authorization to award on items 1 

 and 6 and that funds in amount $25,000,000 to provide for award and contingen- 

 cies be authorized by message with immediate obligation authority X DPWG 

 concurs. X bids px'ovide for award within 20 calendar days. 

 BT 

 01/2142Z NOV RBEBC 



Mr. Kendall. When Texas tower 1 was eliminated, it was then that 

 Steers and Morrison-Knudsen were determined to be low on their bid 

 on 3 and 4, is that right ? 



Captain Albers. That is correct, sir. 



Mr. Kendall. That is how the contract was finally awarded ? 



Captain Albers. That is right, sir. 



BUREAU OF TARDS AND DOCKS CONCURRED IN DESIGN CRITERIA 



Mr. Kendall. Did the Bureau of Yards and Docks make any study 

 of the oceanographic factors involved ; the ocean waves and wind, and 

 so forth ? 



Captain Albers. Could I refer that question to Mr. Ayers, who is 

 a member of the technical staff ? 



Mr. Kendall. Yes, certainly. 



Mr. Ayers. Yes, the Bureau of Yards and Docks did review the de- 

 sign criteria and wind and wave forces which were to be used in the 

 design of the Texas tower. 



Mr. Kendall. When you say "reviewed," you mean they reviewed 

 the work of the design engineers, is that correct ? 



Mr. Ayers. Yes, sir. 



Mr, IvBNDALL. The design engineers are the ones who made the 

 study and the original evaluation ? 



Mr. Ayers. That is correct. 



Mr. Kendall. And the Navy merely reviewed it and finally con- 

 curred in it ? 



Mr. Ayers. Yes, sir, and we saw to it that it was in consonance 

 with our own ideas. 



Mr. Kendall, Briefly, what design criteria was finally adopted ? 



Captain Albers. Four basic criteria: Combinations of wind and 

 wave : With a 70-mile per hour wind, a 60-foot nonbreaking wave ; with 

 a 125-mile per hour wind, a 40-foot nonbreaking wave; with a 125- 

 mile per hour wind, a 35-foot breaking wave, which, for the greater 

 part of design, is the controlling factor. 



Mr. Kendall. That is the critical criterion ? 



Captain Albers. Yes ; 50 miles an hour with a 16-foot wave, which 

 was used during the erection procedures. 



Mr. Kendall. In order that we may all understand what you are 

 talking about, CapteJn, when you refer to a 35-foot wave, how is it 

 measured ? 



Captain Albers. From trough to crest. 



Mr. Kendall. Then approximately what portion of the wave would 

 be above mean sea level ? 



Captain Albers. About 60 percent, sir. 



Mr. Kendall. So actually, when you are talking about a 35-foot 

 breaking wave, you are talking about a wave approximately 20 feet 

 above sea level, is that true ? 



