Creative Speculation
In reply to the discussion: The Great Thermite Debate... [View all]eomer
(3,845 posts)That the floor sagging would have occurred (to the same extent) and would have resulted in collapse even without high temperatures and weakening of columns is an interesting theory but there is no model that says that. The "more severe" model (that shows collapse) included the higher temperatures and weakening of columns that you say wasn't needed. The "middle" model doesn't include the higher temperatures and weakening of columns but it also doesn't show collapse like you theorize. So you've got an interesting theory but it has no model or any other analysis that you can point to to support it.
And regarding justification for boosting temperatures, the point is that your explanation isn't the only possible one. NIST's findings are also consistent with a theory that it was their "middle" model that was the more accurate one and that rather than boost temperatures to make it collapse what they actually needed to do was to factor in additional help (from therm*te or other). This latter explanation is consistent with all their findings so they haven't ruled it out.