Engineering Judgment and the Design That Got Away

Abstract

This paper examines an ethical dilemma related to the residential construction industry in Florida, where homes must be engineered to withstand extreme load conditions induced during high wind events. Overwhelming contractor pressure to minimize construction costs has resulted in the propagation of inadequate construction designs. The overwhelming adoption of these inadequate designs weakens the integrity of our industry, creating the impression that market pressure can influence our judgment despite conflicting results gained through engineering analysis. This paper illustrates the frailty of engineering judgment as a design fundamental. Further, it raises the question as to what extent professional engineers should substitute engineering judgment for concrete evidence such as numerical analysis or experimental verification.