> Here you go. I saw this and thought it was interesting.
In a related vein can someone tell me how the bridge worked
structurally. I've guessed that the center span (the one that went in
the river) was was supported off cantilevered end spans like the
Firth of Tay bridge in Scotland. The Wiki article <http://
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I-35W_Mississippi_River_bridge> describes it as
a deck-arch truss bridge which seems to be about the same idea on the
center span carries loads as an arch. Does anyone know how the
structure works.
When I saw the video of the collapse, it looked like both ends of the
center span dropped pretty much simultaneously, with the south end
dropping slightly ahead of the north end. I figured the center span
support connections let go and the end spans just tipped outward
because the load wasn't balanced. I was really only guessing, though.
Does anyone have any insight into the sequence of the collapse? Apart
from a long discussion on the corrosive properties of pigeon droppings.
Christopher Wright P.E. |"They couldn't hit an elephant at
chrisw@skypoint.com | this distance" (last words of Gen.
.......................................| John Sedgwick, Spotsylvania
1864)
http://www.skypoint.com/~chrisw/
******* ****** ******* ******** ******* ******* ******* ***
* Read list FAQ at: http://www.seaint.org/list_FAQ.asp
*
* This email was sent to you via Structural Engineers
* Association of Southern California (SEAOSC) server. To
* subscribe (no fee) or UnSubscribe, please go to:
*
*
http://www.seaint.org/sealist1.asp
*
* Questions to seaint-ad@seaint.org. Remember, any email you
* send to the list is public domain and may be re-posted
* without your permission. Make sure you visit our web
* site at: http://www.seaint.org
******* ****** ****** ****** ******* ****** ****** ********