Monday, February 3, 2020

Summary, Draft #2

In the article, “I-5 and the Physics of Bridge Collapse,” Hartsfield (2013) has stated that most bridges including the I-5 bridge failed due to inevitable design flaws. The author implies that an optimal bridge design relies on considerable factors of a project such as cost and timeline. The author also quotes the possibilities that can cause a bridge to collapse including construction errors or miscalculations for cantilever, and high external force for suspension bridges. According to Hartsfield (2013), “A truss bridge holds as long as the beams themselves don’t break and the joints stay together.” In this regard, a bridge can collapse once a part of the structural beam fails. He further states that the unfortunate tragedy of the I-5 truss bridge might have been due to the impact caused by a truck, as it crashed into one of the beams. Hartsfield also mentions that nevertheless, it is critical to understand the underlying problem to determine the actual cause of the unpredicted collapse in bridges.

Tom Hartsfield (2013, May 28). I-5 and the physics of bridge collapse. RealClear Science.com. Retrieved fromhttps://www.realclearscience.com/articles/2013/05/29/i-5_and_the_physics_of_bridge_collapses_106544.html

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