What we're learning about bridge safety in Maryland from Key Bridge collapse

We all saw it captured on camera, and engineers will study it for years to come - the moment the Key Bridge collapsed.
And as we speak, leaders in the field asking two questions: could this happen again, and if so, can we prevent it?
That includes Greg Shafer, Bridge Technical Manager at Parsons in Baltimore, and Paul Wiedefeld, Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary.
So, question one - could this happen again?
"It's very difficult, if not impossible, for a structure to be impacted by a vessel of that magnitude going that speed and not incur significant damage and possible collapse," Shafer tells WMAR-2 News.
But ships of that size, going that speed, travel through our waterways every day. And thousands of bridges, just like the Key Bridge, were designed and built before that was the norm. The Key Bridge was built in 1976.
"We also need to recognize the scale of the ships and, you know, the laws of physics are the laws of physics. So,we have to think through, you know, to what level could we possibly prevent something like this from ever happening again?" Wiedefeld said.
www.wmar2news.com/keybridgeco...

[@alanstevens1296]

I don't see any of the bridge protection systems that I have seen that would protect from 100,000+ tons moving at 8 knots. From a design standpoint, you would have to allow for at least 200,000 tons and up to 12 knots. They keep showing photos of the Sunshine Skyway bridge. The angle of approach of the Dali would miss the pylon and would hit that little island around the main pier. The tower would be destroyed and the entire suspended spans would collapse.

[@stephenbender7593]

Dolphins and pilings before the pier would have a least slowed the ship. Unfortunately, the FSK bridge didn't have any of that.

[@alanstevens1296]

@@stephenbender7593 Yes the FSK bridge has 4 dolphins, 2 on either side of the main piers. I could post a photo if KZbin allowed it. Slowing the ship won't prevent destruction of the bridge pier. In the case of a huge container ship, even if you could stop the ship suddenly, you would have thousands of tons of containers surging forward and hitting the bridge pier. It would be toast.

[@stephenbender7593]

@@alanstevens1296 I stand corrected.

[@practicalteachingchronicle6631]

Soundsike it was a plan, just like 911. These pirates don't care who has to die to get the illusion and deception alive.

[@leifjohnson617]

Why can't the federal govertnement do a survey of ALL fracture-critical bridges to determine which ones would benefit the most from the addition of or enlargement of support dolphins?

[@mrcoz1764]

We saw a bad designed bridge fall in seconds,,, I have already seen pics of the new bridge,,, And in luie of the fact we are cleaning up a disaster,,,Some kind of deflectors would be shown in place to keep this from happening again,,,,,,Start there and build a bridge around it

[@UQRXD]

Need a Pyramid at very least. Fracture critical =cheap bridge.

[@alanstevens1296]

What a load of garbage, focusing on the bridge! If all federally mandated laws, safety regulations and protocol were followed the bridge and it's workers would still be here. Whoever greenlighted the Dali as seaworthy has blood on his hands. Whoever was in command of this vessel has blood on his hands as well. Many reasonable questions are so far unanswered. Let's see how the NTSB report due out any day puts a spin on it.

[@practicalteachingchronicle6631]

All planned

[@paulmichael778]

Whenever the cleaning up is over then I should if I am interested in rebuilt ING the bridge.pnm." I would not feel good about me till then...