Bridges with limb-inspired architecture can withstand earthquakes, cut repair costs:
In a study published in the journal Structure and Infrastructure Engineering, Texas A&M University and the University of Colorado Boulder researchers have conducted a comprehensive damage and repair assessment of a still-to-be-implemented bridge design using a panel of experts from academia and industry. The researchers said the expert feedback method offers a unique and robust technique for evaluating the feasibility of bridge designs that are still at an early research and development phase.
"Bridges, particularly those in high-seismic regions, are vulnerable to damage and will need repairs at some point. But now the question is what kind of repairs should be used for different types and levels of damage, what will be the cost of these repairs and how long will the repairs take -- these are all unknowns for new bridge designs," said Dr. Petros Sideris, assistant professor in the Zachry Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. "We have answered these questions for a novel bridge design using an approach that is seldomly used in structural engineering."
[...] "Fixing bridges is a slow process and costs a significant amount of money, which then indirectly affects the community," said Sideris. "Novel bridge designs that may have a bigger initial cost for construction can be more beneficial in the long run because they are sturdier. The money saved can then be used for helping the community rather than repairing infrastructure."
Journal Reference:
Jakub Valigura, Mohammad Salehi, Abbie B. Liel, et al. Seismic Repair Assessment of Hybrid Sliding–Rocking Bridge Columns through Integrated Experimentation and Expert Panel Solicitation, Journal of Structural Engineering (DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)ST.1943-541X.0002776)
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Tuesday October 27 2020, @12:16PM
... and you'll pay them through your nose.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 27 2020, @02:09PM (2 children)
"The money saved can then be used for helping the community "
Sure, that's where it'll go.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 27 2020, @03:59PM
Hey! Politicians pockets are part of the community too!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 27 2020, @06:31PM
If you seriously think that then you've been living under a bridge this whole time.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by khallow on Tuesday October 27 2020, @03:33PM (10 children)
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 27 2020, @04:28PM (5 children)
Why not just do what the people who built megaliths that last 1000 years did?
Use ball joints to connect everything so when it shakes there is some give and the energy goes to the ball spinning.
(Score: 2) by captain_nifty on Tuesday October 27 2020, @06:49PM (4 children)
The article isn't 100% clear on the type of joint, but that is exactly what they are doing. Replacing fixed connection points with carbon fiber joints that can flex in an earthquake.
Also bridge it a terrible choice of word, they are testing joints in vertical support columns most often used in elevated roadways and their design has nothing to do with the actual horizontal supporting "bridge" portion.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 27 2020, @07:03PM
Interesting thanks. I'd like to see the carbon fiber approach compared to just digging out a hemisphere from each side and putting a sphere in there.
(Score: 2) by Gaaark on Tuesday October 27 2020, @08:54PM (2 children)
Do you have access to the paid site?
I'd love to send the info to my dad (a civil engineer) but i'm not willing to pay for it, lol.
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 27 2020, @09:08PM (1 child)
look up sci hub
(Score: 2) by Gaaark on Wednesday October 28 2020, @12:32AM
Spanks! You get my Internets!
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday October 27 2020, @04:41PM (3 children)
Yup. Real world experience trumps thousands of man-years spent in the lab and on the drawing table. Every bridge design that has ever existed looked great in the designer's mind, and on paper. It's real world experience that has taught us that some of those designs were better than others, while some designs were real crap.
Still, it's good that someone is thinking, experimenting, and working on the next great design.
(Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 27 2020, @04:52PM (2 children)
More rightwing BS, Trump never spent any time in a lab and he hates scientists.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday October 27 2020, @05:15PM (1 child)
Learn English. I didn't capitalize the word, and it has nothing to do with whatever nonsense you are spouting.
(Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 27 2020, @07:07PM
Correct. I had to capitalize and punctuate your poor English for you.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 27 2020, @06:27PM (1 child)
I wonder if they can design modular bridges kinda like they have modular homes. Pre-construct the components off site and move them on site for installation. Compartmentalize the bridge into individual easily replaceable components.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 28 2020, @02:01AM
This is how it's often done. Look for installations of the spans of many bridges over water--the central span is towed out to the location on a big barge(s) and then lifted into place.