FL - Pedestrian bridge collapses at Florida International University, Miami, 2018

[enelram]

I find this quote from the article confusing:



Why didn't Sen. Rubio and Rep. Diaz-Balart ask these questions when they were overseeing the federal grant application for this project? No doubt both were involved in helping secure the federal financing for this project. They had to have seen the plans, heard about the Accelerated Bridge Construction method that the uni and contractors were touting.

Why are they only now asking DOT what the safety standards are for this type of construction? Why didn't they run the proposal by DOT back then, before the plans were approved?

This is just politician- talk for "I'm here to get to the bottom of this" wink, wink.
He's probably having dinner tonight with the GC's family in Miami knowing full well what the outcome will be.

 

[Betty P]

OH, GREAT FIND, BettyP,
No wonder lil' Marco came zooming down to Miami from DC yesterday to get his face on TV.
MSM, a family LLC is made up of Cuban/Americans. Lil Marco is Cuban/American. Thick as thieves, maybe?

I encourage everyone to bookmark Open Secrets (Center for Responsive Politics). They're the first stop I make when reading about anything that happens in the federal government. Follow the money.

 

[Betty P]

This is just politician- talk for "I'm here to get to the bottom of this" wink, wink.
He's probably having dinner tonight with the GC's family in Miami knowing full well what the outcome will be.

JMO, Rubio and Diaz-Balart owe everyone an explanation why they didn't use due diligence in reviewing the safety of this process and the reputation of the contractor BEFORE getting approval for the TIGER grant. That's why USDOT and other federal agencies exist - to give advice and guidance on these kinds of projects. Why not use that expertise to ensure the best quality project possible?

 

[Elley Mae]

First-of-its-kind pedestrian bridge “swings” into place

This project is an outstanding example of the ABC method,” said chair of FIU’s Civil & Environmental Engineering Department and director of FIU’s ABC-UTC Atorod Azizinamini, who is one of the world’s leading experts on Accelerated Bridge Construction. “Building the major element of the bridge – its main span superstructure – outside of the traveled way and away from busy Eighth Street is a milestone.”

https://news.fiu.edu/2018/03/first-of-its-kind-pedestrian-bridge-swings-into-place/120385

Snip

FIU has come a long way since the TIGER grant that funded this pedestrian bridge was awarded in 2013. This project represents a true collaboration among so many different partners at local, state, and federal levels, and in both the public and private sectors,” said Mario Diaz-Balart, U.S. Representative and Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development.

 

[PrairieWind]

I find this quote from the article confusing:



Why didn't Sen. Rubio and Rep. Diaz-Balart ask these questions when they were overseeing the federal grant application for this project? No doubt both were involved in helping secure the federal financing for this project. They had to have seen the plans, heard about the Accelerated Bridge Construction method that the uni and contractors were touting.

Why are they only now asking DOT what the safety standards are for this type of construction? Why didn't they run the proposal by DOT back then, before the plans were approved?

I'm pretty sure a US Senator doesn't oversee the awarding of a bid on a pedestrian bridge. Or even anyone in his office.

 

[enelram]

Someone earlier said MSM co. website was taken down. Here you go.

http://www.mcm-us.com/about-us

 

[Tillicum]

I'm pretty sure a US Senator doesn't oversee the awarding of a bid on a pedestrian bridge. Or even anyone in his office.

Thank you. Politics seem to creep into so many threads.

 

[enelram]

Local article on MSM donating money to Miami politicians-

http://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/give-money-get-contracts-65515

I read where they were awarded 787 million in contracts in Miami/Dade in past 10 yrs. They also have been given
some lucrative Dept. of Defense contracts.

 

[enelram]

more background on MSM-
Louisville Ky. firm oversaw structural integrity monitoring of bridge during construction.

https://heavy.com/news/2018/03/muni...ement-mcm-built-florida-fiu-bridge-collapsed/

 

[Audrey Horne]

Thank you. Politics seem to creep into so many threads.

Makes sense. "Politics" has consequences in every single element of our lives. I realize everyone wants to blame whoever's on the "other" side and don't like to talk about "politics" when it could reflect badly on "their" side, but that's just the way it is.

 

[whitelilac]

Seems so fundamental.....

Investigators of collapsed Miami bridge will look into lack of central tower
Cable-stayed bridges have towers and cables at early stage of construction
Experts say the bridge built at FIU may have skipped the usual sequence
Federal investigators say lack of central tower will be one of issues they look at

The bridge did not have the central tower in place, even though experts say it is usually placed at the early stages of construction.
In the absence of a tower, there is usually a temporary support, though in this case it is unclear what the builders were using in the absence of a central structure.
‘Whoever is going to investigate, they will ask the fundamental question: shouldn’t the tower be there, and the cables ready to connect to the structure, when you lift it?’ said Amjad Aref, a professor at University at Buffalo’s Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering.

Cable-stayed bridges are built in stages. First, planners will locate a clear piece of land with stable ground and a good location.
They will then conduct a subsurface investigation which involves lab testing on the soil to make sure that any proposed structure would be supported by the geological conditions at the site.
If those tests permit, engineers would then erect piers – the upright supports for a structure like a bridge or an arch - and the support span.
After building the main piers, engineers usually begin construction of the central tower.
After the tower is built and the stay cables are installed, engineers then begin work on extending the central span.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...lace-without-central-tower.html#ixzz59wDRtYPE
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

 

[Tillicum]

Makes sense. "Politics" has consequences in every single element of our lives. I realize everyone wants to blame whoever's on the "other" side and don't like to talk about "politics" when it could reflect badly on "their" side, but that's just the way it is.

I prefer to look at whoever is responsible rather than trying to put blame on any particular "side". If any politicians are found responsible in any way, I hope they are prosecuted to the fullest extent regardless of which "side" they're on.

 

[x_files]

Intense video right after it happened

https://twitter.com/taionablunt?lang=en

It was def right after it happened -- and I noticed one gray like van pulling out of the traffic and heading on the other way street/

I thought ............my god you just saw a bridge ahead of you smush people and it appears you
are concerned about running late

then I thought ...........boy if being late to the office is the reason for your behavior you must have one hel# of a boss if bridges murdering people right in front of your own eyes are not a reason to be a dash late ............


jjeezzzzzzzzzzzz

what are we coming to ??

Do you have a link to the video?

He must have a boss that doesn't give a damn.

 

[Betty P]

I'm pretty sure a US Senator doesn't oversee the awarding of a bid on a pedestrian bridge. Or even anyone in his office.

Actually, it would be part of the process FIU would go through in applying for and managing the grant. They would approach their contacts in their senator & Congressperson's district offices to discuss the grant and application. District offices routinely communicate with major institutions in their areas specifically for this purpose, especially universities. Most receive significant amounts of federal funding every year from various programs. It's the job of the district offices to help manage these programs, working with the government relations staff at FIU. Federal grants are complex and require a lot of work, meetings, etc.

 

[whitelilac]

So very sad..

[FONT=&amp]March 16, 2018 02:30 PM
Updated 20 minutes ago
[/FONT]
[FONT=&amp]Florida International University student Alexa Duran was driving her gray Toyota SUV under a pedestrian bridge in front of the university on Thursday when it collapsed, trapping her car beneath the rubble.
Her father, Orlando Duran, confirmed 18-year-old Alexa’s death to el Nuevo Herald on Friday afternoon.
“My little girl was trapped in the car and couldn’t get out. She died when the bridge collapsed on top of her car,” Duran said in Spanish, speaking to el Nuevo Herald from London, where he was traveling when he got the news.
“This is going to be the longest and saddest trip of my life. I don’t want to return,” he said as he waited for his flight home.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article205535334.html#storylink=cpy


[/FONT]

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Why did Miami bridge collapse? More than one reason likely
by Erik Ortiz

Workers continued clearing rubble from the catastrophic collapse of a Miami footbridge on Friday as federal investigators prepared to find out what went wrong — and whether a deadly design flaw or human error was to blame.

Robert Sumwalt, chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, said a 15-member team of experts in civil engineering, materials science and human factors would begin trying to determine "what happened so we can keep it from happening again."

Officials declined to speculate on a cause after Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Giménez raised the possibility that a "stress test" of the 950-ton bridge section was underway Thursday afternoon when the structure pancaked onto at least eight cars on the roadway below...

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/why-did-miami-bridge-collapse-more-one-reason-likely-n857371

 

[enelram]

more liability distancing by State of Florida DOT and Gov.
finger pointing has begun-

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article205426634.html

 

[PrairieWind]

Actually, it would be part of the process FIU would go through in applying for and managing the grant. They would approach their contacts in their senator & Congressperson's district offices to discuss the grant and application. District offices routinely communicate with major institutions in their areas specifically for this purpose, especially universities. Most receive significant amounts of federal funding every year from various programs. It's the job of the district offices to help manage these programs, working with the government relations staff at FIU. Federal grants are complex and require a lot of work, meetings, etc.

That is not how construction bidding process works.

 

[Satchie]

That is not how construction bidding process works.

I don't think the many bridge engineers involved in this project could have been dumb or unprofessional enough to risk building something that might fall down. They may have been 'pushing the envelope' with some innovative methods and features, but I'm sure they believed it would be safe.

I've been looking at this photo:

It appears as though the bridge deck simply slid down the front of the concrete pier it was resting on, like a book sliding off the edge of a table. Neither it, nor the pier, show signs of cracking or crumbling.

Looking at this photo of the installation (from the other side of that same northern end), the pier appears to have been built angled forward, towards the bridge.

So the physics of the collapse might be that the pier or the soil gave way below ground level, and the pier was pushed into a more vertical position by the pressure from the span, so then it was no longer directly underneath that end of the bridge.

In that case , it could possibly have been something like a miscalculation about how solid the ground was around the foundation of the pier, or how deep they needed it to go.

I'm not a bridge engineer, but that visually jumped out at me.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

An employee of a company that provides products to strengthen bridges died in the collapse of the pedestrian bridge connecting Florida International University with the city of Sweetwater.

Navaro Brown, 37, died Thursday, according to Michael Biesiada, a spokesman for Structural Technologies VSL. Two other employees of the company were hospitalized at Kendall Regional Medical Center in Miami and their condition is stable, he said.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article205584729.html