1. Engineering Ethics

2. Ethical decisions – Error

3. Applications of Ethical Decision Tools
We have discussed the principles and methods that can help us making better ethical decisions.
Now we see their applications
One of the most crucial questions is how to handle errors and mistakes.

4. Error
Remember a case when you made an error.
What did you feel then? What were your fears?
What were your first thoughts? What did you want first?
What were your mind engaged in? What were your thoughts dealing with?
Be honest with yourself.

5. Why Decision Tools are IMPORTANT?
Ethically important decisions are difficult with high stake.  STRESS  Stress makes us narrow-minded.  We tend to forget about important factors, weigh them inappropriately etc.  BAD DECISION. (Ethical blindness.)
Principles and tools help us to cope with our narrow-mindedness, to process information systematically and correctly.
Case studies will show these.

6. Case: Citicorp Center I.
„The Fifty-Nine-Story Night Crisis”. The New Yorker Magazin o. ( and
Height: 279 m
Office space: m2
Opening: 1977, N.Y. C., Manhattan
Costs: cca.: 200 m$
Structural design: William LeMessurier
A case for how to handle an error

7. Case: Citicorp Center II.
LeMessurier learned a year later:
The 45 degree wind pressure is 40% bigger than he calculated.
The original plan was modified during construction and the crossbeams were mounted with bolts to the pillars instead of welded joints to reduce costs.*
Results:
110 km/h wind can ruin the structure. Such wind is to be expected in every 16 year in N.Y.C.
* LeMessurier checked the modifications and approved them. (Cf. Kansas Hyatt Hotel) However, he did not calculated the effects of the 45 degree wind pressure.

8. Case: Citicorp Center III.
How would you decide what to do in this case if you were the designer of the structure?
What would you do?

9. Case: Citicorp Center IV.
Options: 1. remain silent, 2. initiate repairs (3. kill yourself etc.)
Try to apply the rational decision-making methods!
Subjective Expected Utility calculation with decision tables/trees: We should take all the stakeholders values into consideration.*

10. Case: Citicorp Center V.
Consequences are considered ONLY from the designer’s viewpoint!!! (p=1)*
Criteria
Weighting/p
Remain silent
Expected value
Initiate repairs
costs (paying damages for the investor + your work)
-200 m$
<
-10 m$
Reputation (in terms of income)
-Total future income
-50% income for the next 2 years
Shame / disgrace
-A1
-A2
Legal and ethical consequences
Remuneration for the injured (+costs)
Imprisonment
(costs above)
ethical blame (at worst)
Feeling guilty
-B1
-B2
Total:
* The point is here is that the expected utility of the initiate repair option is bigger even for the designer alone. It is obviously bigger for all other stakeholders. All in all, the preferable option would be the same if every party involved were taken into consideration.

11. Case: Citicorp Center VI.
What did LeMessurier?
Consulted with his legal advisors and his insurance company.
Made a plan for repair
Talked to the President & Vice Pres of Citicorp. They supported the plan.
Building authority of N.Y.C.
Sensors were installed on the structure.
Organized a meteorological alert system
Emergency services, evacuation plan
Tried to keep everything in secret to avoid panic
Steel plates were welded to the joints at night.
Luckily nothing leaked out to the press. Press was on strike in N.Y.C. in this period of time

12. Case: Citicorp Center VII.
Result?
Repair costs: 8 m$-ba
Citicorp sued LeMessurier’s company for compensation of costs and other damages. They settled out of court in 2 m$. It was exactly the maximum that was covered by his third party insurance. The insurance company payed the money to Citi instead of him.
LeMessurier’s reputation and income increased.
LeMessurier is our example today for ethical behavior.

13. An interesting stabilizer: Citicorp Center
Hidraulic damping the swinging of building (400t of mass)

14. MANDATORY Home assignment
Read the Code of Ethics; American Society of Civil Engineers:
Due: next class

15. Home assignment
Give an example for ethical or engineering (or everyday) mistake. Show how our rational decision-making model can be applied.