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fork(2) [soylentnews.org] writes:

      NPR's All Things Considered [npr.org] reported on West Virginia's flooding problems where floods have destroyed hundreds of bridges, most of them small, serving only a few houses. During the rebuilding, a different style of bridge is becoming popular -- one designed by Mennonite engineers. From the ATC story:

A few miles away, a bulldozer clears away the remnants of two washed out bridges next to a creek. With so many damaged bridges in the state, other religious organizations are stepping up. Mennonites from around the country are working with Baptists from the state, including Jack Cobb.

      JACK COBB: This is phenomenally well-designed. And what's fantastic about this is this is a model that's exportable. With minor changes, this bridge could be 20-foot long. It could be 30-foot long. It could be 40-foot long.

      GLYNIS BOARD: The Mennonites designed the bridges and created an easy-to-replicate process to get the bridges rebuilt and fast. And they're doing it differently. Mennonite engineer Johann Zimmermann says rather than building a complete concrete structure, they're using wooden decking and steel beams anchored to bedrock. It's quickly built, more easily maintained and more resilient than what they're replacing.

      Floodwaters like those that wrecked communities in June tested his design. All are still intact. Zimmerman says the most impressive feature of the new bridges is not the design, but the collaboration between local, federal, private and religious organizations.

      From a Popular Science [popsci.com] article about the bridges in March:

Over the last half-century, floods have become more frequent [nsf.gov] in the Midwest, including in West Virginia, according to a paper published in the journal Nature Climate Change. This trend is set to continue.

      The Third National Climate Assessment [globalchange.gov] warns that, in the future, West Virginia can expect more severe storms and heavier rainfall, driving up the risk of floods. River flooding, notes the report, "will increase the vulnerability of the region's residents, especially its most disadvantaged populations."

      While the federal government has made a push for climate-resilient public infrastructure [whitehouse.gov], individuals are often left on their own. Lacking federal assistance, flood-struck homeowners, like those in West Virginia, must rely on crowd-sourced rebuilding efforts. This is especially true where aging infrastructure cannot withstand the rigors of a changing climate.

Original Submission