3 ms·

Before the fall there was already a lot of talk about the constant, excessive maintenance and repairs needed by the bridge; there was discussion if the best way

Before the fall there was already a lot of talk about the constant, excessive maintenance and repairs needed by the bridge; there was discussion if the best way to go forward was a major overhaul or just demolition (of course such talk could have gone on for years or decades before anything was made). In the '80s the support structures were already reinforced and apparently it took years of filling the subsidences in the asphalt surface for it to stabilize and provide a level surface for the cars. I'm not a structural engineer and I am in no position to judge, but there definitely was the suspicion that the design of the bridge was flawed, even before today.

jaclaz 8y ago
>I'm not a structural engineer and I am in no position to judge, but there definitely was the suspicion that the design of the bridge was flawed, even before today. The bridge was - at the time - a bleeding edge of concrete technology, designed by the greatest expert in concrete (and pre-compression) in Italy (and probably in the world), Riccardo Morandi. He designed also the Maracaibo Bridge: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Rafael_Urdaneta_Bridge https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Rafael_Urdaneta_Bridge Allow me to doubt that the design had structural flaws, though it is true that at the time some aspects of long span pre-stressed concrete structures were not yet fully undestood, namely creep and shrinkage: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creep_and_shrinkage_of_concrete https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creep_and_shrinkage_of_concret... Which have definitely increased the need for maintenance, shortening the expected working life of similar structures. However from the little it can be seen from the photos that have been posted here and there, it seems like the initial point of failure was not the bridge (meaning the deck) but rather the pier, causing the two adjoining spans to collapse.
- practice9 8y ago
  Experts do make mistakes sometimes
  - deleted 8y ago
    [deleted]

jaclaz 8y ago

>I'm not a structural engineer and I am in no position to judge, but there definitely was the suspicion that the design of the bridge was flawed, even before today. The bridge was - at the time - a bleeding edge of concrete technology, designed by the greatest expert in concrete (and pre-compression) in Italy (and probably in the world), Riccardo Morandi. He designed also the Maracaibo Bridge: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Rafael_Urdaneta_Bridge https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Rafael_Urdaneta_Bridge Allow me to doubt that the design had structural flaws, though it is true that at the time some aspects of long span pre-stressed concrete structures were not yet fully undestood, namely creep and shrinkage: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creep_and_shrinkage_of_concrete https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creep_and_shrinkage_of_concret... Which have definitely increased the need for maintenance, shortening the expected working life of similar structures. However from the little it can be seen from the photos that have been posted here and there, it seems like the initial point of failure was not the bridge (meaning the deck) but rather the pier, causing the two adjoining spans to collapse.

practice9 8y ago
Experts do make mistakes sometimes
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]