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Bridge collapse in Genoa

brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,027
in A Moving Train
Terrible!

“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













Comments

  • PJ_SoulPJ_Soul Posts: 49,950
    Yes, a terrible tragedy. I am eager to hear from the engineers on this one. Wtf made this bridge collapse like that?!?!
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,027
    PJ_Soul said:
    Yes, a terrible tragedy. I am eager to hear from the engineers on this one. Wtf made this bridge collapse like that?!?!
    I'm wondering the same thing.  It might be a while before we find out.
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • cincybearcatcincybearcat Posts: 16,445
    PJ_Soul said:
    Yes, a terrible tragedy. I am eager to hear from the engineers on this one. Wtf made this bridge collapse like that?!?!
    Budget cuts and low bid contractors ;)

    This is a terrible tragedy. 
    hippiemom = goodness
  • Thirty Bills UnpaidThirty Bills Unpaid Posts: 16,881
    cincybearcat said:
    PJ_Soul said:
    Yes, a terrible tragedy. I am eager to hear from the engineers on this one. Wtf made this bridge collapse like that?!?!
    Budget cuts and low bid contractors ;)

    This is a terrible tragedy. 

    We can place a low bid if we cut back a bit on the amount of steel in the cement!
    "My brain's a good brain!"
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,027
    Thirty Bills Unpaid said:
    cincybearcat said:
    PJ_Soul said:
    Yes, a terrible tragedy. I am eager to hear from the engineers on this one. Wtf made this bridge collapse like that?!?!
    Budget cuts and low bid contractors ;)

    This is a terrible tragedy. 

    We can place a low bid if we cut back a bit on the amount of steel in the cement!
    LOL!

    What's kind of worrisome is that I'm told bridges are not necessarily better built now than in the past.  In his book, The World Without Us, Alan Weisman goes into a fair amount of detail about how massively well built is the Brooklyn Bridge which was completed clear back in 1883.  It's described by some as "over-built" to the point of being able to withstand many times any amount of weight it ever bears at any one time.  My wife reminded me of this little fact the first time we crossed the new span of the Oakland-San Francisco Bay Bridge.  I had been feeling so confident because the old bridge had a partial collapse in the Loma Prieta Earthquake of 1989.  Suddenly, I did not feel so comfortable any more!
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • PJ_SoulPJ_Soul Posts: 49,950
    cincybearcat said:
    PJ_Soul said:
    Yes, a terrible tragedy. I am eager to hear from the engineers on this one. Wtf made this bridge collapse like that?!?!
    Budget cuts and low bid contractors ;)

    This is a terrible tragedy. 
    I'm sure... it's surprising to see it happen outside of a third world country is all. I guess the same happened with that bridge that collapsed in the US a few years ago too, and that pedestrian bridge in Miami too, although I think one wasn't finished yet.
    A friend of mine who works with engineers claims that the vast majority of engineers are total flakes who barely know wtf they're talking about when it comes to real life building. They have theories that look good on paper, but workers are constantly having to tell them that what they're saying is a recipe for disaster for one reason or another. The trades people sometimes have to work really really hard to convince them that what they are insisting on won't fucking work. Sometimes the engineers are so stubborn about it, they insist on their own plans despite strong opposition from the builders, and then only realize the trades people were right after the work is finished... and then it has to be redone. Or not.
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
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