Check out this link below. The bridge is a major east-west link in Seattle and it’s unavailability will cause further traffic problems for the city, and for me as many of my jobs have been in West Seattle… Now I’ll have to go 5 miles or so south to get to West Seattle.
Any idea of the cause?
Dik
That’s yet to be determined, but I fear it has to do with design, leading to the comment … “if ever”. I was working with ABKJ in Seattle in 1982 - 1984 when the bridge was designed. They were responsible for the approach spans, not the main span where the cracks occurred. I believe that portion was designed by another firm in California. PS segmented cantilevered box girder construction. Very specialized both in design and sequence of construction.
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Thanks… Mike.
Dik
I wonder if this is a similar situation as the Hammersmith Flyover in London, England. I was watching one of those engineering disaster shows about bridge a year or so ago. numerous PT cables had broken due to road salt. What was interesting is that the owner used acoustic monitoring to find the broken cables. the entire viaduct had to be shored while new PT cables were installed.
Believe me, I’m trying!!!
No problem, always blame the Italian guy. 