The collapse of the Tucker’s gym: research impulses in the USA at the end of hypar shells era

Retracing the history of concrete hypar shells is to consider the events contributing to their progressive decline, notably during the 1970s. Despite it appearing to be a minor event, the sudden collapse of the Tucker High School gym (September 1970) influenced the research of the following years. It aroused a fervent debate among the most eminent engineers and academics of the USA, affiliated with theACI Committee 334, regarding the accuracy of the calculation methods used. This paper aims to contribute to the description and discussion of the so-called last season of the thin concrete shell structures in the USA. Retracing the history of the gym project, the collapse, and consequent scientific impulse, the research highlights how the 70s was characterized by seminal scientific contributions, supported by the use of early software using the finite element numerical calculation.