CALCIUM CHLORIDE FOUND IN COLLAPSED BRIDGE BEAMS

This article discusses the catastrophic collapse of a 25m long span of a bridge over the Route 29 highway in North Carolina on 20 May 2000. The collapse occurred as thousands of spectators used it to leave a stadium after a motor racing event at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Hundreds of people fell 5m onto the carriageway below, and over 100 people were injured, several critically. Speedway engineers confirmed that there were high levels of calcium chloride in the grout used in the construction of the bridge beams. US prestressed beam manufacturer Tindall Corporation accepted that the grout caused vital steel strands to occur at midspan, and is investigating how the wrong type of grout entered its manufacturing process. It insisted that the problem was an isolated incident. NC Department of Transportation is responsible for ensuring the correct conduct of the accident investigation and repairs to the bridge, but the speedway is responsible for the bridge itself, even though it crosses a state highway. Specialist outside engineers have been brought in to assist the investigation. All possible causes of the corrosion are being studied, but weight load does not seem to have been a factor. The other three spans of the bridge were demolished a week after the accident, and a second, similar footbridge remains closed while tests continue.

• Corporate Authors:

  EMAP CONSTRUCT LIMITED

  151 ROSEBERY AVENUE
  LONDON,   United Kingdom  EC1R 4QX
• Authors:
  • OLIVER, A
• Publication Date: 2000-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 4-5
• Serial:
  • NEW CIVIL ENGINEER INTERNATIONAL, TESUNG KWAN O SUPPLEMENT
  • Issue Number: 64
  • Publisher: EMAP CONSTRUCT LIMITED

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Beams; Bridges; Calcium chloride; Corrosion; Crashes; Evaluation and assessment; Failure; Grout; Highways; Injuries; Material reinforcement; Prestressing; Reinforcing materials; Repairing; Steel
• Geographic Terms: United States
• ITRD Terms: 1643: Accident; 3472: Beam; 3455: Bridge; 7315: Calcium chloride; 5252: Corrosion; 9020: Evaluation (assessment); 5520: Failure; 4729: Grout; 2755: Highway; 2163: Injury; 4777: Prestressing; 3471: Reinforcement (in mater); 3635: Repair; 4542: Steel; 8122: USA
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00799660
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Oct 6 2000 12:00AM