The Column Failure Theory is Inapplicable

The fires were not hot enough to cause column failures.

• Theory (Bazant & Zhou) assumes all columns on a floor were raised to 800º C.
  
  • Fires never covered an entire floor of the South Tower.
  • None of the features of 700+º C fires were observed:
    • Steel glowing red-hot
    • Extensive window breakage
    • Big bright emergent flames
    • Light smoke (not seen after first few minutes)
• Fires have never caused column failure in steel structures.
• Steel structures stay far below flame temperatures, because of steel's thermal conductivity.
  • Corus Construction performed extensive tests subjecting uninsulated steel-frame carparks to prolonged hydrocarbon-fueled fires.
    The highest recorded steel temperature was 360º C.