Miami Bridge Collapse

[hollohas]

GP's last picture had something interesting in it to that I didn't catch right away. Rebar sticking straight up out one end and not the other.

The rendering in the link Ah Pook posted is accurate. I was wrong and wasn't seeing the entire picture. The rebar sticking up from the end is for the suspension support mast. The trusses are not symmetrical because they match up with where the suspension cables were going to be.

This bridge design may have been just fine. It was much more incomplete than I originally thought. It is without a doubt a suspension bridge. They removed the temp supports, without ANY of its suspension structure installed. None. And let people under it.

Whoever gave the go-ahead to remove the temp supports is in deep doo doo.

The tower is usually installed first. This bridge failed exactly where you would expect it would. Right by where the tower should have been.

[hollohas]

I am not an engineer, but some engineers said civil engineers should have asked REAL engineers to inspect numbers.

What sort of engineer is a REAL engineer?

[Duman]

ABC - Accelerated Bridge Construction, Build the bridge next to the highway and then install in 48-72 hours.
Saves up to years of road diversion, etc.

"All progress requires change, but not all change is progress" (Dean Bennett)

More like ACME bridge construction, represented by Wile E. Coyote.....

[Duman]

The title 'engineer' has been used and abused over the years.

Like 'sanitation engineer', 'imagineer' or some other [fill in the blank]-engineer.

Electrical, mechanical, industrial, civil, or other accredited engineering degree (from a four year university) typically have a good nature rivalry, each taking pokes at the other.
ME says to EE, "Don't let the smoke out".
EE to ME, "You're a glorified grease monkey"

A two year degree from a college is NOT an engineering degree...regardless of how vigorously they disagree.

Anything related to safety typically requires professional registration, including technical exams, and continuing education. Civil engineering is high on the list requiring professional licensing.

Civil engineering is highly regulated, so there has to be more to the story besides the obvious lack of safety precautions. Failure on the part of the contractors, state regulators, etc..

[Ramsker]

Voice mail from bridge builder engineer to FDOT released . . . cracks were spotted before the collapse:

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/03/16...s-surface.html

"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. 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."

[Gman]

..

[CapLock]

Hey now, I was a sanitation engineer employed by Inyo County when I was 15 to 18 years old. I picked up garbage at my transfer station better than anyone.

[Rucker61]

What sort of engineer is a REAL engineer?

One with PE license.

[Grant H.]

The title 'engineer' has been used and abused over the years.

Like 'sanitation engineer', 'imagineer' or some other [fill in the blank]-engineer.

Electrical, mechanical, industrial, civil, or other accredited engineering degree (from a four year university) typically have a good nature rivalry, each taking pokes at the other.
ME says to EE, "Don't let the smoke out".
EE to ME, "You're a glorified grease monkey"

A two year degree from a college is NOT an engineering degree...regardless of how vigorously they disagree.

Anything related to safety typically requires professional registration, including technical exams, and continuing education. Civil engineering is high on the list requiring professional licensing.

Civil engineering is highly regulated, so there has to be more to the story besides the obvious lack of safety precautions. Failure on the part of the contractors, state regulators, etc..

Kinda like how civil engineers build targets and electrical engineers build weapons?

LOL...

One with PE license.

This. Getting the PE license is incredibly involved, requiring extensive knowledge and testing.

I work with PE's frequently, building comms towers, and there are good ones and bad ones.

[Duman]

One with PE license.

A PE license is not required for a lot of engineering jobs.

A lot of engineers choose not to become licensed for any number of reasons. I could easily pass the EE PE exam, but it's not a requirement for the type of engineering work I perform.

As Grant H. said, there are good engineers and not so good engineers. Just as with doctors, lawyers, or any other profession.