Minneapolis Bridge Collapse

Of course, news here are full of that, and people questioning if such could happen here, too.
According to engineers, such is most impossible in Germany (and Europe), since we don't have such bridge constructions.

The bridge received a rating of 4 on a scale of 1 to 10. A bridge receives a rating of 4 when there is "advanced section loss, deterioration, spalling, or scour."

Anyone remember the collapse of the Silver Bridge?



The Silver Bridge was an eyebar chain suspension bridge built in 1928 and was named for the color of its aluminum paint. The bridge connected Point Pleasant, West Virginia and Kanauga, Ohio (near Gallipolis, Ohio) over the Ohio River.


The collapsed Silver Bridge, as seen from the Ohio side.On December 15, 1967, the Silver Bridge collapsed while it was choked with rush hour traffic, resulting in the deaths of 46 people. Investigation of the wreckage pointed to the cause of the collapse being the failure, due to a small defect, of a single eye-bar in a suspension chain. It was also noted that the bridge was carrying much heavier loads than usual.

I've recently read reports on safety of bridges (not sure if it was about Germany or just about one state). Just one bridge was a-okay. All of the rest had some kind of structural deficiency.

That doesn't mean they're not safe - they use a rating scale, too.

How long before the Longfellow Bridge in Boston meets the same fate?

Anyone who's crossed this bridge knows the sidewalk along the road has king sized holes in it and, I'm surpirsed someone hasn't fallen or tripped through one of these holes.

(Incidentally, I've crossed the Minnesota bridge several times in the past .)

I have a theory on what might have caused this...

I have a theory on what might have caused this, but I will refrain from speculating until more details are known.

I have a theory on what might have caused this, but I will refrain from speculating until more details are known.