1. The U-VA Balcony Collapse
By: Gabe McGinnis

2. Problem
A balcony at the University of Virginia collapsed during a graduation ceremony, killing 1 and injuring 18.
The balcony was an exterior balcony that was supported from above, not from below.
The balcony was built in Thomas Jefferson's time.

3. Problem
This is the front of Pavilion 1, the pavilion that suffered the balcony collapse.

4. Cause
Here is a side view of Pavilion 1. The bars supporting the balcony are called tension rods.

5. Cause
The cause of the collapse was that one of the two tension rods snapped.
When one rod snapped, the other couldn’t hold up the balcony, so it collapsed.
13 people were on the balcony when it collapsed. Two managed to get off in time, while the other 11 fell and crashed to the ground below, injuring another 7.

6. Root Cause
The root cause of the failure was that the rod was over 150 years old. The balcony had been designed by Thomas Jefferson.
There was interior rust inside the tension rod that wasn’t visible from the outside, even though it was recently inspected.

7. Root Cause
Here you can see the corroded tension rod in all of its glory. The corrosion was caused by age and possible moisture.

8. Root Cause
Here is another picture of the tension rod in less detail. As you can see, the rod went through a wood beam. The corrosion happened on the part inside the beam.

9. Solution The solution would be to install new tension rods.
The new rods would be made of a nicer material and stronger than the originals.
They would look identical to the old rods.
This is a stainless steel tension rod, the ideal replacement.

10. Solution Pros
The balconies would be much less likely to collapse in the future.
It would make people feel safer and happier on the balconies.
The balconies would be stronger.
If people were happier, they would be more likely to come.

11. Solution Cons It would take a long time to install the modifications.
It would cost a lot of money.
The balconies would be unusable until they were fixed.

12. Solution Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons

13. What We Need the City Council to Do
Require annual inspections
Specialized inspections for historic building
Specialized inspections for balconies
Not simply visual inspections
Pay special attention to water damage
Explore cutting edge technology for oxidation detection
Write all of the above into law

14. Why Should the City Council Spend?
The City Council should spend their money to prevent future injuries and deaths. This should matter to the City Council because one of their jobs is to protect the city’s reputation.
The city could lose money. Fewer people would attend the college if they think it’s not safe, which means less money for the city.
If the City Council doesn’t help, then they may lose their jobs. People won’t continue to vote for them if they won’t keep people safe.

15. Conclusion
In conclusion, the University of Virginia collapse was a tragic event in US history, and should be prevented by renovating the balconies.