Despite much technological advancement in recent times, why do bridges collapse? How can this be avoided? PLS!

Answer 1

It's a political matter rather than an engineering problem. For three decades, conservatives have been trying to dismantle government, because they don't understand what it is, what it's for, or how it works. In the process, they have gutted essential services, and now we are seeing the result on a growing scale.

The bridges will be fine if they are inspected and maintained properly. It just requires intelligent government. So that tells you how to vote in the next election.

Answer 2

The advances have occured in the last 50 years. therefore bridges built 50 and more years ago are based on out-of-date criteria. The highway department does "redesign" already built bridges to see if they continue to be adequate. The volume and weight of vehicle traffic has also changed. A 1950s model truck carried 20 to 30 tons. Today they haul twice the weight. Bridges are designed with a "Factor of Safety" so that the original design, while not optimum, may continue to be adequate. If a bridge was not designed to be struck by a 1000 ton barge, then it may fail if that happens. Inspections are also important because they identify any changed conditions, like water erosion around piers or cracks in supports. if the period between inspections is too great, that puts any bridge at risk, new or old, no matter how "good" the design might have been.

Answer 3

Here is what happens....2million is appropriated for repair and maintenance..10 percent is lost in accounting errors,,15 percent is used for administration of the money,, 12 percent is used to fund the transportation and collection of survey reports,,20 percent is used to construct a local impact study ,,20 percent is used for safety barriers ,,18 percent is used for selection of bids to do the work,,,and the last 5 percent is not enough to do the job so they put it off till another appropriation committee can be formed.. The issue of bridge repair is straight forward...Steel Rusts if not painted Salted concrete Cracks and freezes. If you don't fix it it will fall. Somebody needs to get the message don't you think... call your congressman....Good luck from the E..

Answer 4

to build a bridge which could withstand any foreseable conditions would be to build a solid slab, not pretty, not effecient and very time consuming. We must predict what are likely scenarios and calculate to withstand them with little to no defect in order to afford many civil projects.