Many different types of engineers work in designing bridges to suit all of our different needs. From mechanical to civil and even materials engineers, many professionals work in creating better and safer bridges. Read the following articles to learn more about bridges and engineering.
- Forces in Bridges
- Types of Bridges
- Famous Bridges of the World
- Bridge Disasters
- Types of Engineering
Bridge Disasters
Engineers must be concerned about safety at all times. Lives are at stake when bridges collapse so engineers must design bridges to withstand all kinds of weather conditions, ground types and loads. While the goal is to have no design fail, engineers examine and learn from past mistakes to avoid such failures in the future.
- Hyatt Regency Walkway Collapse, Kansas City, Missouri (failed in 1981)
- Point Pleasant/Silver Bridge, Ohio River (failed 1967)
- Tacoma Narrows Bridge, Tacoma, Washington (failed in 1940)
- Falls View Bridge, Niagara Falls (failed 1938)
- Quebec Bridge, St. Lawrence River (failed 1907,1916)
- Tay Bridge, Scotland (failed in 1879)
Point Pleasant/Silver Bridge Disaster
Connecting Point Pleasant, West Virginia and Kanuga, Ohio, the Silver bridge extended over the Ohio River. Built in 1928, the Silver Bridge was a suspension bridge which used "eyebars" instead of the conventional wire cables.1 "Eyebars" resemble dog bones with an "eye" or hole at each end, and are linked together with huge pins.2
On December 5, 1967, at 5:00 p.m., the bridge collapsed killing 46 people and injuring 9 others. The collapse was caused by the extra load applied due to the Christmas rush. It took about 1 minute for the bridge to completely fall into the river below.3
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Aerial picture of Silver Bridge collapse4 |
A close-up of the collapse5 |
One of the main reasons for the collapse was the material used to build the bridge -- carbon steel, which tends to crack. Further testing showed that the bridge failure was due to stress corrosion and corrosion fatigue, two concepts that were unknown when the bridge was built. As a result of the collapse, the National Bridge Inspection Standards were implemented which mandated periodic inspection of the nation's bridges.6
For more information about the Silver Bridge Disaster visit:
http://www.corrosion-doctors.org/Bridges/Silver-Bridge.htm