I may (already have) get run off but I've got to ask.
This is from an grizzly old codger that has seen a lot of money spent for the wrong things.
Failure analysis was my stock in trade for 42 years and realize the need for it but there are times where it becomes a waste of money that could be spent elsewhere. In this case inspecting similarly constructed bridges. We are going to drop sevral millions of dollars into this failure analysis that will conclude that it failed. We know this is a very poor design and is subject to catastrophic failure at any time. The bridge had been categorized as a bridge in
a failing mode, they were in a wait ans see mode. This bridge is now a non-entity and is no longer a threat to anyone. Give an experienced engineer a couple of hundred grand and couple of good technicians and let him evaluate the failed structure.
The NSTB has come up with all types of teams and groups to do this and that, none of which has any bearing on any other bridge. They are hiring a consulting firm for a ton of money. Their walk-in fee will probably be in excess of 2 million dollars.
The cause of failure of this particular bridge will not help anyone in future failures of other bridges. There will be no failure if you detect the cracking and fix it instead of waiting to examine the fracture surfaces
What really set me off is that they have a survivability team. This is quite evident all you have to do is count the number of people that got off and the number that died. If the bridge doesn't fail everyone survives.
If you build a good bridge and keep in good repair it want fall down.
This is from an grizzly old codger that has seen a lot of money spent for the wrong things.
Failure analysis was my stock in trade for 42 years and realize the need for it but there are times where it becomes a waste of money that could be spent elsewhere. In this case inspecting similarly constructed bridges. We are going to drop sevral millions of dollars into this failure analysis that will conclude that it failed. We know this is a very poor design and is subject to catastrophic failure at any time. The bridge had been categorized as a bridge in
a failing mode, they were in a wait ans see mode. This bridge is now a non-entity and is no longer a threat to anyone. Give an experienced engineer a couple of hundred grand and couple of good technicians and let him evaluate the failed structure.
The NSTB has come up with all types of teams and groups to do this and that, none of which has any bearing on any other bridge. They are hiring a consulting firm for a ton of money. Their walk-in fee will probably be in excess of 2 million dollars.
The cause of failure of this particular bridge will not help anyone in future failures of other bridges. There will be no failure if you detect the cracking and fix it instead of waiting to examine the fracture surfaces
What really set me off is that they have a survivability team. This is quite evident all you have to do is count the number of people that got off and the number that died. If the bridge doesn't fail everyone survives.
If you build a good bridge and keep in good repair it want fall down.