RM requests cheaper bridge, gets cheaper bridge that fell down hours after being finished

[ranwhenparked]

@CB As a representative of the construction and building materials industry, I do want to assure people that this is not very typical. There are lots of bridges around and very seldom does this happen, don't want people thinking our infrastructure is unsafe

[MidEngine]

A bridge collapsed in Montreal and the province/municipality argued over who was going to replace it. So they closed the exit off the highway for four years. I don't know who ended up paying for it, but it's been replaced. Four years later.

[CB]

@ranwhenparked said in RM requests cheaper bridge, gets cheaper bridge that fell down hours after being finished:

@CB As a representative of the construction and building materials industry, I do want to assure people that this is not very typical. There are lots of bridges around and very seldom does this happen, don't want people thinking our infrastructure is unsafe

I know this is a serious post, but your wording reminds me of "The Front Fell Off".

[Future Next Gen S2000 Owner]

The picture doesn't seem to be a pile issue, rather a connection issue from overloading. For what it's worth, you can skip geotechnical surveys but only under very specific conditions.

For example, I'm leading a project that replaces a trash rake system. We've drilled about 25-50 bore holes on the site(it's relatively small). It is by far the most drilled place I've ever seen. We didn't have to do it but ultimately decided to as there was one place that was never drilled. Granted, my project was unique. You have to have very good data in a very small area to skip one.

Even when you do drill though, you can't drill everywhere. You only drill certain spots and interpolate between the locations.

[Sovande]

@ibRAD it's been my experience that the engineers job seems to be to hide language in the specs that absolve them completely of any liability regarding anything they have drawn.

I had an engineer tell me the other day that his drawing "matched exactly" the site conditions when we showed him that it was actually only one dimension he got right. His response was "well yes, but Note 6 stipulates that this is plan just for reference and the GC is responsible for designing blah blah blah."

We brought the engineer out on another project to explain his solution to a problem and after looking at the site he said "huh, this doesn't look like the plans. What do you suggest?" I told him I would suggest hiring a competent engineer to design the system in question.

I deal with these morons every single day.

[ibRAD]

@Sovande Sounds like you got the same engineer that designed the bridge mentioned above!

[gmporschenut also a fan of hondas]

@Just-Jeepin @CB figure 24' wide 2 lane road, from google maps 90' long, lower end 1' deep. /27 roughly 80 cubic yards, *min 2k pounds per yard. guestimate 160 tons of process.
I'm suprised it didn't collapse during construction.

[zipfuel]

@Highlander I don't see how you could actually calculate the size and quantity of piles required without knowing what you are putting them on/into. It's quite literally the underlying assumption for the whole thing so yeah the guy was negligent.
In such a case you could always apply the Victorian method of massive overkill.
"Well without knowing the ground conditions I've got be conservative and recommend 250 steel 12" micropiles driven 20' into the bedrock."
"For a 2 car garage?"

[Poor_sh]

@ranwhenparked as a resident of Rhode Island, our infrastructure is unsafe. Built through 75% corruption. And not maintained at all.

[Sovande]

@Poor_sh yeah, but it sure is pretty up there. I loved living in Rhode Island.

[pip bip]

@CB fucking geniuses!

[Highlander]

@zipfuel you could assume clay and no bedrock or sand/gravel layers for support. Then the bridge would have large and deep piles probably costing 75% of the bride construction costs.

[Golden_Auto]

@CB This reminds me of a quote "If you think safety is expensive, try an accident"

[spacekraken]

@CB Always check the rocks before you build things into the rocks! Because sometimes the rocks are sand.

[Dash-Doorhandle-and-Bondo]

@CB yup, "we can just farmer it, it'll be fine" should be on our flag next to crushed pilsner can.

[dogisbadob]