Analysis of Causes of Failure and Collapse of the 305-Meter Telescope at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico

美国国家科学、工程和医学院（NASEM）、基础设施和建设环境委员会（BICE）将召集一个特设研究委员会，对2020年12月美国国家科学基金会支持的位于波多黎各阿雷西博巴里奥埃斯佩朗萨的阿雷西博天文台305米望远镜的故障和倒塌进行独立评估。2020年12月1日，阿雷西博天文台305米望远镜发生灾难性故障，导致900吨重的平台和支撑塔结构倒塌和破坏。此前，2020年8月10日，4号塔的辅助电缆从连接器上脱落，2020年11月6日，同一座塔的主电缆发生故障。辅助电缆是在20世纪90年代添加的，以支持格里高利圆顶增加的重量。2020年12月活动的详细信息和视频，以及坍塌前准备的工程摘要，可在以下网站找到：https://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/arecibo/。NASEM研究委员会将发表一份报告，解释造成故障的因素和可能的原因，并建议采取措施防止未来对其他科研设施造成类似的损害。在为期12个月的研究结束时，委员会将发布一份NASEM报告，该报告将在NASEM网站上提供，该报告将介绍委员会的分析、发现和建议。由八名成员组成的NASEM研究委员会将评估阿雷西博设施的环境、物理和设计考虑因素，以及可能导致2020年12月故障的行政或管理实践。该委员会的报告将提供在多种危险环境和载荷条件下的拉索结构性能的见解，例如腐蚀、蠕变以及最近波多黎各的飓风和地震事件。该研究还将确定行动和最佳做法，以限制或防止其他大型设施的损坏或故障。它还将评估可能导致失败的监督和管理政策和做法，包括施工和维修期间的承包商选择和采购、维护计划和监督、检查和结构审查。根据这一分析，委员会的研究报告可能会对nsf支持的科学研究设施的物理状况、完整性和功能（包括设计寿命结束的考虑）的监督和响应行动建立最佳实践产生影响，并可能为旧的或超过设计寿命的、仍服务于科学目的的研究基础设施的主要资本重组决策过程提供见解。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), Board on Infrastructure and the Constructed Environment (BICE), will convene an ad hoc study committee to conduct an independent assessment of the December 2020 failure and collapse of the 305-Meter Telescope at the NSF-supported Arecibo Observatory in Barrio Esperanza, Arecibo, Puerto Rico. On December 1, 2020 the 305-meter telescope at the Arecibo Observatory suffered a catastrophic failure, which resulted in the collapse and destruction of the 900-ton platform and supporting tower structures. This followed the loss of an auxiliary cable which pulled away from its connector at Tower 4 on August 10,2020, and a main cable failure on same tower on November 6, 2020. The auxiliary cables were added in the 1990's to support the added weight of the Gregorian dome. Details and video of the December 2020 event, as well as an engineering summary prepared before the collapse, can be found at the following web site: https://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/arecibo/. The NASEM study committee will issue a report explaining the contributing factors and probable cause(s) of the failure and recommendations for measures to prevent similar damage to other scientific research facilities in the future. At the end of the twelve-month study, the committee will issue a single NASEM report, which will be available on the NASEM web site, that will present the committee's analysis, findings, and recommendations.The eight-member NASEM study committee will assess the environmental, physical, and design considerations for the Arecibo facility as well as administrative or management practices that may have been contributing factors to the December 2020 failure. The committee's report will provide insight on the performance of tensioned-cable structures under multi-hazard environmental and loading conditions, such as corrosion, creep, and the recent hurricane and earthquake events in Puerto Rico. The study will also identify actions and best practices for consideration to limit or prevent other large facility damage or failure. It will also assess oversight and management policies and practices that may have been contributing factors to the failure, including contractor selection and procurement during construction and repair, maintenance planning and oversight, inspection, and structural review. Drawing from this analysis, the committee's study report may have implications for establishing best practices for oversight and response actions for the physical condition, integrity, and function, including end of design life considerations, for NSF-supported scientific research facilities and may provide insight into decision processes for major recapitalization of older, or beyond design-life, research infrastructure still serving scientific purpose.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.