The Infamous Gusset Plates
نویسندگان
چکیده
The collapse resulted in the media’s search for immediate answers to the following two questions; why did the bridge collapse and who is to blame? Speculative answers to the first question were proposed by the “Average Joe” and structural engineering experts alike, and involved the usual suspects; the growth from microscopic to catastrophic lengths of undetected cyclic load-induced fatigue cracks, the reduction in strength of steel components produced by environmentally-assisted corrosion, and settlement of the piers that transfer the weight of the bridge to the ground. The adequacy of the steel truss design, which was used in the longest span of the bridge, was questioned. It is true that steel trusses possess a relatively small level of redundancy. That is, the integrity of a steel truss bridge can be jeopardized if but a few critical members or connections fail. However, the possibility of such catastrophic events is for all intents and purposes eliminated by mandated regularly conducted maintenance, retrofit and inspection procedures. As for blame, fingers were first pointed at the deck repair construction that took place up to the time of the collapse as being the straw that broke the camel’s back. This is understandable considering that a few hours before the collapse hundreds of tons of gravel, sand and water trucks used to repair the concrete deck were placed on the main span, while the traffic loading on the bridge was lightened by the construction-accommodating closing of half of the traffic lanes.
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