To: jim_trent
Looking at some pictures from the collapse, I could see that it seems that major work was going on at the bridge. There are cones blocking traffic, some cement trucks, looks like they were used for pouring the road and from some pictures of collapsed structure, looks like some parts of the bridge were just “naked” re-bars, perhaps indicating that concrete was broken up and re-bar frame exposed and perhaps weakened the structure.
With indication of some fatigue cracks, the jack hammering would aggravate them and combination with removed concrete perhaps was the cause of break and collapse??? Anyone who saw the repair work could perhaps verify that concrete was being removed, exposing and weakening the segment and initiated the collapse?
To: Leo Carpathian
I can’t see how that would be very important. As I understand (and I’m not a CIVIL engineer), the concrete road sections are non-structural; they’re only for supporting traffic. I think it is common to remove such sections both for simple resurfacing and more intensive repairs. I don’t think they could afford to do this kind of removal regularly if it were a structural piece. Besides, surely they would know that removing the concrete sections would weaken the whole structure if such were true, and wouldn’t do it. Or, even if it does, they would have to prepare the road/bridge to re-distribute forces before removing a section.
53 posted on
08/10/2007 6:30:39 AM PDT by
the OlLine Rebel
(Common sense is an uncommon virtue.)
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