The guy on the news said this thing was built on the side of the road. When it reached a certain completion point, it was picked up, spun around, and set on the side supports. It's 174 feet long, and there was NO center support.

I'm no engineer, but I don't believe I would have done that.

It was built in some new fashion that sped up the build process considerably. Seem now like they should have taken a bit more time . Imagine how much worse it would have been, had it been full of students going to and from classes.

quote:

It's 174 feet long, and there was NO center support.

I'm no engineer, but I don't believe I would have done that.

A 174 foot span is nothing. Plenty out there that are much longer and support far higher weights.

This thing was either designed wrong, built wrong, or damaged while setting in place.

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:

quote:

Originally posted by YellowJacket:
Obviously very misleading to say it was built in one day. It was installed in place in one day after being constructed next door over many months.

Where did you read that it was "built" in one day?

Built off site and then connected in a day. This isn't Rome you know.

All of the men in my family are engineers. My nephew is an engineer that works for a prestigious bridge design and construction company. He told me that FIGG is:

“small, but very well known. They specialize in segmental post tensioned concrete bridges (i.e., start at the pier and build segments on each side, working towards the center of the spans). FIGG also had a problem with a bridge in VA, in 2012…”

I don't understand not having a central support when the opportunity is there.
It's like someone made a bet.

And here it is happening - the fracture zone looks very localised....

https://www.liveleak.com/view?t=ssd8Q_1521180310

tac

“Timelapse videos of the construction and installation of the new pedestrian bridge which collapsed atFlorida International University on Thursday reveals its quick - and now controversial - construction method. …”

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/artic...ation-technique.html

quote:

Originally posted by Pipe Smoker:
All of the men in my family are engineers. My nephew is an engineer that works for a prestigious bridge design and construction company. He told me that FIGG is:

“small, but very well known. They specialize in segmental post tensioned concrete bridges (i.e., start at the pier and build segments on each side, working towards the center of the spans). FIGG also had a problem with a bridge in VA, in 2012…”

in college i worked for a small post tension engineering firm. this type of construction is rather exact, and my limited knowledge working there, i just dont see how it is a good idea to move such a large post tension constructed bridge with a crane.

i remember working there we had an incident at a construction site, the engineers and myself were frantic to figure out what happened. i did the check of all the elasticity numbers myself. we ended up finding out, the construction company ordered "special" cables that had large variances in diameter...making some not anchor up correctly and others snap and violently destroy half a floor of a building. thankfully it was at the construction phase with no injuries...
what a mess.

I read this morning that the engineering and construction company have had a lot of recent problems with other jobs. They were doing a stress test with large weights but traffic was allowed to pass under the bridge.
Sounds like there was a lot of fail here.

quote:

Originally posted by 220-9er:They were doing a stress test with large weights but traffic was allowed to pass under the bridge.

Yeah, what could possibly go wrong? Well, it could collapse...

Oh sh*t. It just did.

A tragedy that their test proved fatal for a number of people.

I predict that the final bill will be in the hundreds of millions.

tac

I'd guess the design is sound (but that isn't sure) and that it will turn out that the construction was faulty. Or that while the design is sound, it is too hard to erect safely.

But at this point we are all guessing.

Someone fucked up is all we can say with confidence. This will be dissected to the nth degree.

quote:

Originally posted by tacfoley:

quote:

Originally posted by 220-9er:They were doing a stress test with large weights but traffic was allowed to pass under the bridge.

Yeah, what could possibly go wrong? Well, it could collapse...

Oh sh*t. It just did.

A tragedy that their test proved fatal for a number of people.

I predict that the final bill will be in the hundreds of of millions.

tac

I think the lawsuits on this one may exceed this projection by a lot.

Performing stress tests with live traffic passing below? Beyond stupidity!

quote:

Originally posted by Pipe Smoker:
All of the men in my family are engineers. My nephew is an engineer that works for a prestigious bridge design and construction company. He told me that FIGG is:

“small, but very well known. They specialize in segmental post tensioned concrete bridges (i.e., start at the pier and build segments on each side, working towards the center of the spans). FIGG also had a problem with a bridge in VA, in 2012…”

As a builder I find this construction method fascinating.
Here is a video showing the replacement Bonner Bridge construction in the Outer Banks of NC going on with the suspended segments seemingly hanging in this air...
There are several more videos if you'd like to see them as well..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dD4cSa_F5Ag

I see the FBI has joined the investigation. Now we will get to the bottom of it!

And speaking of the Feds, would this fall under the purview of the NTSB?

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...i just dont see how it is a good idea to move such a large post tension constructed bridge with a crane.

This particular bridge used two vehicles that look like Space Shuttle crawler-transporters under the bridge to maneuver it into position and lower it onto the permanent support structures on each side of the road.

A co-worker has a relative working on the periphery of this project.

He advised that they significantly over-tensioned cables during the stress test for inspector, which lifted the bridge off supports and snapped cable(s) when the tension was relieved and the bridge came back onto supports.

Tragic for the affected without a doubt. I also question doing stress testing with traffic present.

The live leak video, although not showing the whole bridge seems to show it failing about 15-20' from the end support point. As someone pointed out earlier it is most likely engineering, materials, or construction. Usually it is combination of little errors and failures that collide at the same point in time.

quote:

Originally posted by soflaac:
I also question doing stress testing with traffic present.

Agree like a bazzzilion percent with that.

quote:

Originally posted by RHINOWSO:

quote:

Originally posted by soflaac:
I also question doing stress testing with traffic present.

Agree like a bazzzilion percent with that.

That was my question too, why didn't they close the road while they were testing.