re: I-40 MEM bridge a bit serious

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How is it that there’s so much stress on that beam that it cracks it clean through, but then it doesn’t move an inch after breaking?

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It goes to show you how much over engineering went into the design.

The crack looks bad, but the structure is still standing. So, it could have been much worse with a complete unexpected failure.

As far as rust in the crack and the pile shifting means this problem could have been present awhile and an inspector is just now reporting it.

Some TN DOT bridge inspectors have a lot of explaining to do.

I wonder it that pile was ever it by a barge or could the Mississippi River be doing Mississippi River things and compromising the pile and adding stress leading to the fracture.

People are dumb. This bridge deck is not being supported by that longitudinal outer member, its held up from the cables that are connected to both the top arch truss structure at the top and a beams that run perpendicular at the bottom under the roadway, just like sitting on a swing. Now imagine trying to walk across a series of swings without the seats being connected together. The swings wouldn't collapse, they would just want to swing. Well this series of swings actually has multiple connections that prevent them from swinging, including the actual bridge deck itself. This one broken member just puts a little more load in the other members but in no way puts this bridge in jeopardy of collapsing. Traffic has been traveling over it with this issue for at least several weeks to months without any problems and all the sudden some bridge inspectors see this broken member and it's all the sudden unpassable? GTFO.

This repair can be done very easily and quickly by simply adding splice plates on all four sides. Get some plate, mag drills, and bolts patch that mfker and go on with life.

Racist bridge, must be related to
the Claiborne overpass in Nola.

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To think I just went over this bridge a couple months ago, gives me chills.

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One beam crack isn't going to cause a complete failure..

That crack might have been there for 5 years..

Get the engineering ...and repair...

Not a big deal if the rest of the bridge is solid

Southland gaming is cut off.. Tunica casino slots go Brrrrrrrrrr

We need a 39 trillion dollar stimulus bill to fix it.

$8000 / month u employment for all Americans included

Memphis is a shithole. Remove it from every metric in TN statistics and outside bbq it’s worthless.

Trucks are already charging me $4.00 per mile out of Memphis before the bridge crack. Now I can't get anybody to deadhead over to Arkansas because they have to out of route 50-100 miles. Freight cost are so stupid right now. I'm suprised these retailers were able to keep the jump at 4%.

FYI. Freight cost have gone up 150% on most lanes. Things that we were doing for contract @ $950 are now running 1800-2k

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Our infrastructure is a total disaster.

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And it shouldn't be. We pay billions a year in gas tax that is supposed to be put toward this and guess what, it isn't.

Nobody makes more money on a gallon of gas than the government.

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But it becomes a major news story right in front of the massive "infrastructure" bill.

Curious timing for sure.

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Hell - I never even thought of that. For SURE that is why this is being highlighted. They probably do this kind of crap every day. That is why they have structural inspections.

Got to expect similar 'emergencies' to be broadcast every day leading up to the vote.