The Silver Bridge over the Ohio River at Point Pleasant collapsed in 1967 due to a brittle fracture of an eye-bar of the suspension system. Additionally, the dead load of the suspension bridge should be significant compared to other types of load.2 Why suspension bridges fail Additional research is required on this topic, which would be beneficial to the industry.Īs it pertains to structural evaluation of suspension bridges carrying railroad traffic and/or vehicular traffic, it is important to include in the design of a suspension bridge that the centerline of the railroad tracks and associated structures are symmetrical with respect to the transverse centerline of the suspension bridge to avoid unnecessary and/or additional torsional forces. Thereafter, necessary repair/rehabilitation can be executed with minimum funding. Proper non-destructive testing (NDT) can identify most of the structural problems. Normally, visual inspections (including 100 percent hands-on inspection of fracture-critical fatigue prone details) are done for structural evaluation of critical components of a suspension bridge.Įxtending the service life of aging suspension bridges is important for the transportation industry. Suspension bridges are showing signs of distress due to aging, improper repair or rehabilitation or lack of proper maintenance. This contributes greater redundancy in case of structural failure. The main suspension cable of modern bridge cables are made from multiple strands of wire. The anchorage should be strong enough to take the high-tensile forces of suspension cables. Their spans have grown from 50 to 2,000 meters (164 to 6,561 feet) with designs for 3,000 meters (9,842 feet) under consideration.1Ī suspension bridge is a special type of bridge in which loads from the bridge deck are carried by vertical suspenders that are supported by suspension cables suspended between towers and anchored at both ends of the bridge. A greater utilization of advanced NDT methods can help spot potential problems in suspension bridges.ĭuring the past 200 years, suspension bridges have been at the forefront in all aspects of structural engineering. (C), Metropolitan Transit Authority – New York City Transit. A greater utilization of advanced NDT methods can help spot potential problems in suspension bridges.
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