Roderick C. Lopez | December 13, 2024 | Wrongful Death
From 1960 to 2015, there were 35 major bridge collapses worldwide caused by ship or barge collisions, resulting in 342 deaths. That’s more than most people would guess. It’s also the kind of statistic that makes you think differently about the massive structures people take for granted every day.
Common Patterns in Bridges That Collapse
According to the World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure, 18 of those ship-related collapses happened in the United States alone. When you see the same failure happening repeatedly, there’s usually a systematic problem underneath.
When looking at historical data, five main factors emerge in bridge collapses:
- Natural forces (especially floods and earthquakes)
- Design flaws that become apparent only under stress
- Age-related deterioration of materials
- Construction mistakes that weaken the structure
- Accidents like ship or vehicle impacts
Recognizing these patterns is the first step toward preventing future failures.
How Water Contributes To Bridge Collapses
The recent Baltimore Key Bridge collapse demonstrated how even a well-maintained structure can fail catastrophically when hit by a massive container ship. According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, a process called “scour” occurs when flowing water erodes the soil around bridge supports, undermining their foundations.
This phenomenon is particularly threatening because nearly 21,000 bridges nationwide are susceptible to having their foundations undermined during extreme weather events. Scour is especially dangerous for older bridges built before engineers fully understood how water could compromise bridge foundations over time.
Older Bridges Might Be More Susceptible To Collapsing
According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, over 42% of the nation’s 617,000 bridges are at least 50 years old — up from 39% in 2016. Most of these structures were designed for a 50-year service life, and 12% are now 80 years or older.
At the current rate of investment, it will take until 2071 to complete all the repairs that are currently necessary. Additional deterioration over the next 50 years will only compound the problem.
The Human Element
Construction errors are also responsible for a good number of failures. In the Quebec Bridge collapse, 75 workers died because of a simple miscalculation. More recently, the I-35W Mississippi River Bridge collapse in Minneapolis, which carried 140,000 vehicles daily, revealed critical design flaws in gusset plates that engineers had overlooked for decades.
Learning From Failure
Each bridge collapse teaches valuable lessons. The 1980 Sunshine Skyway Bridge disaster in Florida killed 35 people when a freighter hit the bridge during a sudden storm that knocked out the ship’s radar. This led to improved navigation systems and bridge protection measures.
In 1975, a significant section of the Tasman Bridge in Australia collapsed, revealing vulnerabilities in its design, especially regarding pier protection. In response, subsequent bridge designs included more robust protective measures, ensuring that similar infrastructure could better withstand potential impacts from vessels.
The Importance of Bridge Maintenance
Regular inspections can prevent many failures, but they’re not perfect. The Federal Highway Administration requires inspections every two years for most bridges. Yet even with these requirements, detecting all potential problems remains a challenge.
Inspectors can identify visible deterioration and external damage. The difficulty lies in assessing internal structural issues within steel beams and concrete pillars. This problem highlights the need to develop and implement more advanced inspection technologies and methods to detect concerns before they become critical and lead to injuries or deaths.
Preventing Disasters Caused By Bridge Collapses
Engineers are developing better protection systems after seeing multiple ship collisions cause catastrophic failures. As a result, modern bridges are stronger, more resilient, and better monitored than ever before.
Contact the Laredo Wrongful Death Attorneys at Roderick C. Lopez Personal Injury Lawyers. Call Us at (956) 529-7336
If you were injured in an accident in Laredo, TX, and need legal help, contact our Laredo wrongful death lawyers at Roderick C. Lopez Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free case review today.
We are located in Laredo, TX, proudly serving Webb County and surrounding areas. We are located in Laredo, Texas.
Roderick C. Lopez Personal Injury Lawyers
6557 Metro Court, Suite 1 Laredo, TX 78041
(956) 529-7336
