Images circulating on Italian media show the highway through the city with a large section missing. Emergency vehicles are responding fearing cars have fallen into the gap.
One witness has told local Italian newspaper Il Secolo XIX that the bridge was wobbling this morning before the disaster.
He told the paper: 'I walk the Morandi Bridge almost every day. The bridge often oscillates, for trucks, the tails ... but this morning I had the feeling, maybe just the suggestion, that this oscillation was much more marked than usual.
Sounds like the wind speed from the storm was sufficient to induce a forced resonance and that resulted in aeroelastic flutter that caused the span to flex beyond its specifications.
The thing was built of steel-reinforced concrete so the amount of flex it could withstand was catastrophically limited...much like the Cypress freeway in Oakland, California that failed during the 1989 earthquake.
One witness has told local Italian newspaper Il Secolo XIX that the bridge was wobbling this morning before the disaster.
He told the paper: 'I walk the Morandi Bridge almost every day. The bridge often oscillates, for trucks, the tails ... but this morning I had the feeling, maybe just the suggestion, that this oscillation was much more marked than usual.
Sounds like the wind speed from the storm was sufficient to induce a forced resonance and that resulted in aeroelastic flutter that caused the span to flex beyond its specifications.
The thing was built of steel-reinforced concrete so the amount of flex it could withstand was catastrophically limited...much like the Cypress freeway in Oakland, California that failed during the 1989 earthquake.
Maybe. There was a a storm, and a lightning strike which probably didn't help.
Fact is most of the Italian highways were built in the mid-late 60's. All the highway bridges were built of reinforced concrete, and they are all now 50 - 60 years old.
That bridge was in especially bad shape. Fights over maintenance, maintenance delayed, done half assedly, or not at all. The Italian economy has been crap for 20 years now, and this is partially the result of that. There have been other 'incidents', but when only 1 or 2 people die, not much publicity.
This will be another fight for the government with the EU; to stop sending money to Brussels, and get a major bridge repair program going.
I just hope the next bridge can withstand Aeroelastic flutter better.
It will take years to fix this, and will make a mess of traffic over large parts of Northwest Italy for a long time.
"martin14" said Maybe. There was a a storm, and a lightning strike which probably didn't help.
Fact is most of the Italian highways were built in the mid-late 60's. All the highway bridges were built of reinforced concrete, and they are all now 50 - 60 years old.
That bridge was in especially bad shape. Fights over maintenance, maintenance delayed, done half assedly, or not at all. The Italian economy has been crap for 20 years now, and this is partially the result of that. There have been other 'incidents', but when only 1 or 2 people die, not much publicity.
This will be another fight for the government with the EU; to stop sending money to Brussels, and get a major bridge repair program going.
Many bridges in North America also date from the 50s and 60s when governments built the huge highway networks.
Pretty much no politician anywhere (US, Canada, Europe) wants to spend money on rehabilitation and maintenance because there is no flashy photo op to win votes and generate more donations.
"bootlegga" said Pretty much no politician anywhere (US, Canada, Europe) wants to spend money on rehabilitation and maintenance because there is no flashy photo op to win votes and generate more donations.
Revealed: Experts warned two years ago that 50-year-old 'uneven' Genoa bridge should be demolished because no one would pay for its 'exorbitant' maintenance - as Transport Minister says those responsible for 35 deaths 'will have to pay'
Morandi Bridge in Genoa had needed several rounds of maintenance work Bridge, built in 1967, collapsed during fierce storm, killing at least 35 people At the time of collapse, it was undergoing work to strengthen foundations Expert warned in 2016 maintenance more expensive than knocking it down Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli vowing those responsible would 'pay up'
http://www.askanews.it/video/2018/08/14 ... _12391711/
He told the paper: 'I walk the Morandi Bridge almost every day. The bridge often oscillates, for trucks, the tails ... but this morning I had the feeling, maybe just the suggestion, that this oscillation was much more marked than usual.
Sounds like the wind speed from the storm was sufficient to induce a forced resonance and that resulted in aeroelastic flutter that caused the span to flex beyond its specifications.
The thing was built of steel-reinforced concrete so the amount of flex it could withstand was catastrophically limited...much like the Cypress freeway in Oakland, California that failed during the 1989 earthquake.
Or the Tacoma Narrows Bridge (A.K.A. Galloping Gerty) in 1940.
Yeah, but that was a steel bridge and it could take a hell of a lot more punishment than rather inflexible concrete can handle.
The Genoa bridge and every other such concrete bridge is simply not capable of the same performance under stress that steel is capable of handling.
I suspect the new bridge that replaces this one will be steel.
He told the paper: 'I walk the Morandi Bridge almost every day. The bridge often oscillates, for trucks, the tails ... but this morning I had the feeling, maybe just the suggestion, that this oscillation was much more marked than usual.
Sounds like the wind speed from the storm was sufficient to induce a forced resonance and that resulted in aeroelastic flutter that caused the span to flex beyond its specifications.
The thing was built of steel-reinforced concrete so the amount of flex it could withstand was catastrophically limited...much like the Cypress freeway in Oakland, California that failed during the 1989 earthquake.
Maybe.
There was a a storm, and a lightning strike which probably didn't help.
Fact is most of the Italian highways were built in the mid-late 60's.
All the highway bridges were built of reinforced concrete, and they are all now
50 - 60 years old.
That bridge was in especially bad shape.
Fights over maintenance, maintenance delayed, done half assedly, or not at all.
The Italian economy has been crap for 20 years now, and this is partially the result of that.
There have been other 'incidents', but when only 1 or 2 people die,
not much publicity.
This will be another fight for the government with the EU;
to stop sending money to Brussels, and get a major bridge repair program going.
It will take years to fix this, and will make a mess of traffic over large
parts of Northwest Italy for a long time.
Maybe.
There was a a storm, and a lightning strike which probably didn't help.
Fact is most of the Italian highways were built in the mid-late 60's.
All the highway bridges were built of reinforced concrete, and they are all now
50 - 60 years old.
That bridge was in especially bad shape.
Fights over maintenance, maintenance delayed, done half assedly, or not at all.
The Italian economy has been crap for 20 years now, and this is partially the result of that.
There have been other 'incidents', but when only 1 or 2 people die,
not much publicity.
This will be another fight for the government with the EU;
to stop sending money to Brussels, and get a major bridge repair program going.
Many bridges in North America also date from the 50s and 60s when governments built the huge highway networks.
Pretty much no politician anywhere (US, Canada, Europe) wants to spend money on rehabilitation and maintenance because there is no flashy photo op to win votes and generate more donations.
Pretty much no politician anywhere (US, Canada, Europe) wants to spend money on rehabilitation and maintenance because there is no flashy photo op to win votes and generate more donations.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... lapse.html
Revealed: Experts warned two years ago that 50-year-old 'uneven' Genoa bridge should be demolished because no one would pay for its 'exorbitant' maintenance - as Transport Minister says those responsible for 35 deaths 'will have to pay'
Morandi Bridge in Genoa had needed several rounds of maintenance work
Bridge, built in 1967, collapsed during fierce storm, killing at least 35 people
At the time of collapse, it was undergoing work to strengthen foundations
Expert warned in 2016 maintenance more expensive than knocking it down
Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli vowing those responsible would 'pay up'
http://www.retrofutur.org/retrofutur/ap ... 1000111180
Some nice pics of the bridge before here.
http://www.retrofutur.org/retrofutur/ap ... 1000111180
I just LOVE all the rust all over that bridge! FFS how much can it be to paint the few exposed steel components???