FL - Pedestrian bridge collapses at Florida International University, Miami, 2018

[MaryG12]

I don't think the many bridge engineers involved in this project could have been dumb or unprofessional enough to risk building something that might fall down. They may have been 'pushing the envelope' with some innovative methods and features, but I'm sure they believed it would be safe.

I've been looking at this photo:

It appears as though the bridge deck simply slid down the front of the concrete pier it was resting on, like a book sliding off the edge of a table. Neither it, nor the pier, show signs of cracking or crumbling.

Looking at this photo of the installation

(from the other side of that same northern end), the pier appears to have been built angled forward, towards the bridge.

So the physics of the collapse might be that the pier or the soil gave way below ground level, and the pier was pushed into a more vertical position by the pressure from the span, so then it was no longer directly underneath that end of the bridge.

In that case , it could possibly have been something like a miscalculation about how solid the ground was around the foundation of the pier, or how deep they needed it to go.

I'm not a bridge engineer, but that visually jumped out at me.

Wow thank you for those photos - you know, I think you may have the solution as to how and why the bridge collapsed.

And of course I am thinking, had this bridge been done right since its conception - it probably would not have collapsed.

 

[lonetraveler]

Seems so fundamental.....

Investigators of collapsed Miami bridge will look into lack of central tower
Cable-stayed bridges have towers and cables at early stage of construction
Experts say the bridge built at FIU may have skipped the usual sequence
Federal investigators say lack of central tower will be one of issues they look at

The bridge did not have the central tower in place, even though experts say it is usually placed at the early stages of construction.
In the absence of a tower, there is usually a temporary support, though in this case it is unclear what the builders were using in the absence of a central structure.
‘Whoever is going to investigate, they will ask the fundamental question: shouldn’t the tower be there, and the cables ready to connect to the structure, when you lift it?’ said Amjad Aref, a professor at University at Buffalo’s Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering.

Cable-stayed bridges are built in stages. First, planners will locate a clear piece of land with stable ground and a good location.
They will then conduct a subsurface investigation which involves lab testing on the soil to make sure that any proposed structure would be supported by the geological conditions at the site.
If those tests permit, engineers would then erect piers – the upright supports for a structure like a bridge or an arch - and the support span.
After building the main piers, engineers usually begin construction of the central tower.
After the tower is built and the stay cables are installed, engineers then begin work on extending the central span.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...lace-without-central-tower.html#ixzz59wDRtYPE
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

This is exactly the way this should have gone.

 

[Satchie]

Wow thank you for those photos - you know, I think you may have the solution as to how and why the bridge collapsed.

And of course I am thinking, had this bridge been done right since its conception - it probably would not have collapsed.

I'm really not sure, it's just an idea. If it collapsed first in the middle, perhaps that end of the bridge deck subsequently slid off the pier.

ETA: I guess my point is, the fault could have been with, for eg, the geotechnical assessment of the soil, rather than the bridge engineering. So many possibilities at this stage.

 

[Spellbound]

WaPo doesn't always work for everyone without a paid subscription, but I just got this notice:

searching for more victims in the rubble - The Washington Post https://apple.news/AuySdcUGzQMSvrerC66r_HA
MARCH 16 AT 8:54 PM
BREAKING: Engineer on Florida bridge project called state two days before deadly collapse to report crack. The Florida Department of Transportation on Friday night released the transcript of a call from an engineer with FIGG Bridge Engineers that the agency got Tuesday. “Calling to, uh, share with you some information about the FIU pedestrian bridge and some cracking that’s been observed on the north end of the span.” The message was left on a land line and not retrieved until Friday.

 

[Spellbound]

[FONT=&amp]http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article205627294.html

March 16, 2018 08:42 PM
Updated 16 minutes ago

Two days before a pedestrian bridge collapsed at Florida International University, killing at least six, an engineer with the firm that designed the structure called the state to report cracks in the concrete span.
While it’s unclear if those cracks were a contributing factor to the catastrophic collapse Thursday, they were observed at the north end of the structure, which appeared to be the section that failed. The FIGG Bridge Group employee, Denney Pate, left a message with the Florida Department of Transportation Tuesday in which he acknowledged the structure needed to be repaired but dismissed the significance of the problem.
“Hey Tom, this is Denney Pate with FIGG bridge engineers. Calling to, uh, share with you some information about the FIU pedestrian bridge and some cracking that’s been observed on the north end of the span, the pylon end of that span we moved this weekend,” Pate said, according to a transcript released Friday night by FDOT.

[/FONT]“Um, so, uh, we’ve taken a look at it and, uh, obviously some repairs or whatever will have to be done but from a safety perspective we don’t see that there’s any issue there so we’re not concerned about it from that perspective although obviously the cracking is not good and something’s going to have to be, ya know, done to repair that. At any rate, I wanted to chat with you about that because I suspect at some point that’s gonna get to your desk. So, uh, at any rate, call me back when you can. Thank you. Bye.”
FDOT said the voicemail wasn’t heard by any of its employees until Friday, the day after the bridge fell.
“This voicemail was left on a landline and not heard by an FDOT employee until Friday, March 16 as the employee was out of the office on assignment,” the department said in a late evening press release. “When the employee returned to his office today, Friday, March 16, he was able to listen to the voicemail.”

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article205627294.html#storylink=cpy[FONT=&amp]


Soundcloud recording:
[/FONT]https://soundcloud.com/miamiherald/voicemail-from-engineer-about-cracks-in-fiu-bridge[FONT=&amp]
[/FONT][FONT=&amp]
[/FONT]

 

[Eloise]

I'm really not sure, it's just an idea. If it collapsed first in the middle, perhaps that end of the bridge deck subsequently slid off the pier.

ETA: I guess my point is, the fault could have been with, for eg, the geotechnical assessment of the soil, rather than the bridge engineering. So many possibilities at this stage.

Have you watched the video of the bridge collapsing? Looks to my very untrained eye like it doesn't collapse first in the very centre, but towards one of the ends.

 

[Spellbound]

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article205627294.html

continuing the work:

 

[Spellbound]

Bridge collapses @ 2:58:
[video=youtu;QXNgAEQoAyg]http://youtu.be/QXNgAEQoAyg[/video]

 

[Tillicum]

[FONT=&]http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article205627294.html

March 16, 2018 08:42 PM
Updated 16 minutes ago

Two days before a pedestrian bridge collapsed at Florida International University, killing at least six, an engineer with the firm that designed the structure called the state to report cracks in the concrete span.
While it’s unclear if those cracks were a contributing factor to the catastrophic collapse Thursday, they were observed at the north end of the structure, which appeared to be the section that failed. The FIGG Bridge Group employee, Denney Pate, left a message with the Florida Department of Transportation Tuesday in which he acknowledged the structure needed to be repaired but dismissed the significance of the problem.
“Hey Tom, this is Denney Pate with FIGG bridge engineers. Calling to, uh, share with you some information about the FIU pedestrian bridge and some cracking that’s been observed on the north end of the span, the pylon end of that span we moved this weekend,” Pate said, according to a transcript released Friday night by FDOT.

[/FONT]“Um, so, uh, we’ve taken a look at it and, uh, obviously some repairs or whatever will have to be done but from a safety perspective we don’t see that there’s any issue there so we’re not concerned about it from that perspective although obviously the cracking is not good and something’s going to have to be, ya know, done to repair that. At any rate, I wanted to chat with you about that because I suspect at some point that’s gonna get to your desk. So, uh, at any rate, call me back when you can. Thank you. Bye.”
FDOT said the voicemail wasn’t heard by any of its employees until Friday, the day after the bridge fell.
“This voicemail was left on a landline and not heard by an FDOT employee until Friday, March 16 as the employee was out of the office on assignment,” the department said in a late evening press release. “When the employee returned to his office today, Friday, March 16, he was able to listen to the voicemail.”

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article205627294.html#storylink=cpy[FONT=&]


Soundcloud recording:
[/FONT]https://soundcloud.com/miamiherald/voicemail-from-engineer-about-cracks-in-fiu-bridge[FONT=&]
[/FONT][FONT=&]
[/FONT]

Oh my. I've commented very little on this tragedy because I just have no words to express my sadness for all of these victims and their families and friends. Whether or not the cracking was responsible, I can't imagine how the victims' loved ones will feel hearing this message.

 

[MaryG12]

Here's a video of the bridge collapsing in action:

https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2018/....cnn/video/playlists/florida-bridge-collapse/

 

[MsMarple]

[FONT=&]http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article205627294.html

March 16, 2018 08:42 PM
Updated 16 minutes ago

Two days before a pedestrian bridge collapsed at Florida International University, killing at least six, an engineer with the firm that designed the structure called the state to report cracks in the concrete span.
While it’s unclear if those cracks were a contributing factor to the catastrophic collapse Thursday, they were observed at the north end of the structure, which appeared to be the section that failed. The FIGG Bridge Group employee, Denney Pate, left a message with the Florida Department of Transportation Tuesday in which he acknowledged the structure needed to be repaired but dismissed the significance of the problem.
“Hey Tom, this is Denney Pate with FIGG bridge engineers. Calling to, uh, share with you some information about the FIU pedestrian bridge and some cracking that’s been observed on the north end of the span, the pylon end of that span we moved this weekend,” Pate said, according to a transcript released Friday night by FDOT.

[/FONT]“Um, so, uh, we’ve taken a look at it and, uh, obviously some repairs or whatever will have to be done but from a safety perspective we don’t see that there’s any issue there so we’re not concerned about it from that perspective although obviously the cracking is not good and something’s going to have to be, ya know, done to repair that. At any rate, I wanted to chat with you about that because I suspect at some point that’s gonna get to your desk. So, uh, at any rate, call me back when you can. Thank you. Bye.”
FDOT said the voicemail wasn’t heard by any of its employees until Friday, the day after the bridge fell.
“This voicemail was left on a landline and not heard by an FDOT employee until Friday, March 16 as the employee was out of the office on assignment,” the department said in a late evening press release. “When the employee returned to his office today, Friday, March 16, he was able to listen to the voicemail.”

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article205627294.html#storylink=cpy[FONT=&]


Soundcloud recording:
[/FONT]https://soundcloud.com/miamiherald/voicemail-from-engineer-about-cracks-in-fiu-bridge[FONT=&]
[/FONT][FONT=&]
[/FONT]

Thanks Spellbound and the rest of y'all for the updates. I can barely follow this story as I have ties to two professors and other people connected to FIU. I'm sad beyond words to see this tragedy.

 

[Pamela_Brewer]

"Project engineers also had a permit to close the road below the bridge, but they never made the road closure request, FDOT said."

https://www.facebook.com/11Alive/posts/10155395773755496

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[Spellbound]

Oh dear, MsMarple. these tragedies are even worse for the ones who have any sort of connection to the people who go through them. I am sad to hear you know people with such close ties. I do hope they were not in the area at the time. :hug:

it seems so unreal to me still. How this can happen, especially with a brand new, unfinished construction. I see the video and am shocked at how quickly it all came down. Many emotions right now.

 

[Spellbound]

"Project engineers also had a permit to close the road below the bridge, but they never made the road closure request, FDOT said."

https://www.facebook.com/11Alive/posts/10155395773755496

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Jeez-o-pete :stormingmad:

 

[gregjrichards]

Bridge collapses @ 2:58:
[video=youtu;QXNgAEQoAyg]http://youtu.be/QXNgAEQoAyg[/video]

It is always very hard watching videos of tragedies like this knowing you are witnessing the last seconds of a person's life.

 

[Tillicum]

I think many are going to be held responsible for this but it can never bring these victims back. I can only hope the punishment will be strong enough to possibly prevent this from happening again. My heart breaks a little more each time we learn new information.

 

[ATasteOfHoney]

Do you have a link to the video?

He must have a boss that doesn't give a damn.

Don’t get me started on FL (& GA) being both an Employee At Will and a Right To Work State in its absolute sense. The only worker protections are for the Federally protected classes, except if you belong to a Union. This FL and GA labor law practice is taken to the extreme. It makes me wonder why companies in those 2 states bother with having HR departments when in reality, the employer can terminate you at any time and without reason.

Hard to believe but you can be following the handbook of your company to a “t” but it doesn’t matter—if your boss doesn’t care for you and you’re out. No recourse (except if there are Federally protected classes allegations).

What this does is insidious......employees keep their head down and say nothing even if they see something. We all live in fear of being fired, anyday, any time. I’ve lived in many States but I haven’t seen anything like I have seen in FL during my past 6 years. It’s scary, folks.....like the Wild West down here in FL.

Will this be a part of the bridge collapse where some workers saw concerns but were afraid/intimidated to say or do anything about it? My guess it will. And I hope changes are made because of it.

 

[ATasteOfHoney]

Wow, what a witness statement, if the worker said nothing; holy chit batman!

This is exactly what I was talking about in my previous post.

 

[Gardenista]

Brian Entin
‏Verified account

@BrianEntin

.@MiamiDadePD says early this morning they were able to remove two vehicles from under the bridge rubble. They discovered three bodies inside the vehicles. @wsvn

https://twitter.com/BrianEntin/status/975027500295360513

 

[KinderedSpirits]

What a horrible nightmare!! I'm so sick over this! The video shows the second vehicle being taken out. It's completely flat. I don't even know how they'll recover the body. I just hope pray that all of this happened so quickly that none of the victims suffered! We have to cherish each day!

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article205657319.html


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk