The Sinking of the Titanic
Keywords:
ENGI 8751, CASE STUDY, CIVIL, TITANIC, SINKING, SAFETY, LIFEBOATS, SOLASAbstract
The Titanic was a British luxury passenger ship completed in 1912 that was one of the largest of its kind at the time. When built it was widely deemed to be virtually unsinkable, but the ship met with disaster after hitting an iceberg on its maiden voyage. This resulted in the sinking of the vessel and the deaths of over 1,500 of the 2,224 passengers and crew. Although impact with the iceberg was the catalyst, investigation has suggested that material failures and design flaws, as well as outdated safety requirements, all played a role in the large scale destruction and loss of life. In particular, this paper will focus upon the impact of the brittle steel used for the hull, the failure of key rivets, the flawed design of the watertight compartments, the inadequate number of life boats onboard, and the excessive speed of the vessel under the conditions. It will also review changes to marine design and safety requirements that resulted from the tragedy, including the formation of the International Ice Patrol (IIP).References
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