Closing the river to barge traffic is going to be a real cluster, let alone the traffic detour. That is a nasty looking fracture but kudos to the inspectors that caught it in time before the bridge failed. We've seen that scenario and it is always tragic.
Look up the 911 call from the Bridge inspectors. Engineers using fancy names for the problem talking to somone who needed to be told, "The damn bridge is broke and fixing to fall into the river."
One has to wonder if there has been settling on one of the piers. Boxed beam sheared top plate, and both sides, indicating that one side of the break is lower than the other side. It has also shifted laterally a couple of inches ... which may just be distortion of the beam after separation of the 3 plates.
It's ugly. Heads' up play by the inspector calling 911 and getting the bridge shut down. I bet she or he was a little sick to the stomach until traffic was off the bridge. That was a painful 911 call (not that any of them are comfortable).
Last edited by NoZero; 05-13-2021 at 09:07 AM.
1985 Ranger 340v w/ 1985 Johnson GT150 Crossflow
2018 BassCat Pantera Classic w/ 2018 Mercury 200 ProXS
Better yet, just stay out of that cesspool
Weld it up then thick steal plates on each side welded on and open the bridge back up.
This picture puts a little better perspective on the size of the break. The beam is 24" x 30".
War Eagle Blackhawk 2170 - Suzuki 150, MG Xi5
Lowrance HDS 7" & 9" - Twin Talon 12' Anchors
I cross that bridge for work 5 days a week. Traffic is gonna be a nightmare for the foreseeable future.
Dude is tied off to the wrong side of that beam! hahahaha... I guess if it went South, it wouldn't matter where you were tied on, but he's attached to the long side.Originally Posted by okhawg
This picture puts a little better perspective on the size of the break. The beam is 24" x 30".
1985 Ranger 340v w/ 1985 Johnson GT150 Crossflow
2018 BassCat Pantera Classic w/ 2018 Mercury 200 ProXS
This debacle begs for some Paul & Artie
How do they fix something like this? Welt it up with some steel plates? Replace the whole beam? blow the bridge up and rebuild it?
I'm assuming the rest of the bridge will be getting a real close inspection before it gets opened back up too.
I think the "how" will depend greatly on the "why".
1985 Ranger 340v w/ 1985 Johnson GT150 Crossflow
2018 BassCat Pantera Classic w/ 2018 Mercury 200 ProXS
Vaccinations, forced if need be..
But pick up Your FREE gas voucher if You can lift Your arms after
bring your own bag?Vaccinations, forced if need be..
But pick up Your FREE gas voucher if You can lift Your arms after
Makes you wonder if some bored barge guy, going under the bridge, just happened to look up and say "Wow, that can't be good!".
Most likely cause is fatigue from inadequate stress transfer from the tube into the extremely stiff connection (note the gusset plates). Typically you would gradually increase member cross section as you get closer to the connection. There's a lot of cyclical lateral and vertical movement in these structures.
2006 Ranger Z20 / 225HP Merc Pro XS
That was my thought exactly. That doesn't look like a fresh crack?
2018 BassCat Lynx
Mercury 300R
Beautiful Grand Lake
Grove Oklahoma
Looks like a job for the First Engineer Battalion
Then have them 'do math' and convert into 'liquid'
Reply With Quote
