COLLAPSE OF TEXAS TOWER NO. 4 231 



TOWER AT 5 5 PERCENT OF DESIGN STRENGTH 



Senator Stennis. All right, I think you made that clear. 



Now, as I understood it, the estimate was made on January 12, that 

 under the conditions then existing the tower was only 65 percent as 

 strong as its original of design strength. 



Mr. Eau. That is right. 



Senator Stennis. Is that right ? 



Mr. Rau. And that was the information I received at 10 o'clock in 

 the morning of January 12. 



Senator Stennis. Wlio was the gentleman who made that estimate, 

 and what was his affiliation ? 



Mr. Rau. Mr. Ted Kuss, a member of the firm of Moran, Proctor, 

 Mueser, & Rutledge. 



Senator Stennis. All right. 



Mr. Counsel, do you have additional questions ? 



Mr. Kendall. I have one or two, Mr. Chairman. 



As I understand it, Mr. Rau, the 55 percent estimate of the original 

 capability was on the assumption that the cable bracing had been 

 installed ? 



Mr. Rau. That is right, Mr. Kendall. 



I would like to make one thing clear here. After receiving this 

 information, as I started to say to Senator Symington before, I called 

 Mr. Kuss up and asked him exactly what he meant by 55 percent, 

 whether that 55 percent was 55 percent of the 125-mile-an-hour wind, 

 which was the original criterion, and 55 percent of 35-foot waves or 

 exactly what it was, and he explained to me then, which I knew and 

 I just wanted explained by him, that the stress on the tower due to 

 wind and wave action is in proportion to the square, so that actually 

 it is not directly proportional, as I had put it. 



Instead of being 55 percent of the original design criteria, maybe 

 80 or 85 percent. He didn't know the exact figure, but promised 

 to get it for me. 



Mr. Kendall. The point I have in mind is that when he made that 

 statement he was not saying that at that time the tower was 55 per- 

 cent as strong as its original design strength. He was saying that 

 when these repairs have been completed some time in the future it 

 will then be 55 percent as strong. 



Mr. Rau. When the cable, diagonal cable, bracing was installed; 

 yes, sir. 



Senator Stennis. Any further questions ? 



Mr. Kendall. Yes, Mr. Chairman. 



Do you recall, Mr. Rau, what the criteria was for wind and waves 

 during the tow ? 



Mr. Rau. I assume you are referring to the towing of the template ? 



Mr. Kendall. Yes, sir. 



Mr. Rau. We employed a consulting engineer to figure what the 

 criteria should be during tlie tow, and he came up with 15-foot waves 

 at a maximum, wliich would stress the members between 10,000 and 

 12,000 pounds per square inch, which is, of course, far below the 

 allowable stress on the members, and this was submitted to the Navy 

 and approved by them. 



Mr. Kendall. That was in combination with a 50-mile-per-hour 

 wind, I believe ; is that right ? 



