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Jesus Malverde

(10,274 posts)
Tue May 12, 2015, 05:28 AM May 2015

Bay Bridge revelations are 'game changers,’ panel chief says

Source: SFGate

The head of the panel overseeing the new Bay Bridge eastern span acknowledged Monday that revelations of possible saltwater flooding at the base of the landmark tower and anchor-rod failure “are game changers,” as he and his colleagues approved spending up to $4 million in toll payers’ money to find out how bad the problems are.

“We need to get to the bottom of the situation at the tower — if we’ve got problems, we need to fix them,” said Steve Heminger, executive director of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and chairman of the three-member bridge oversight panel that also includes the heads of Caltrans and the state Transportation Commission.

The panel voted for spending the money one week after one of the tower’s 400-plus anchor rods failed a key test — suggesting it may have corroded from exposure to water and fractured — and after tests showed significant levels of corrosive chloride in some of the sleeves holding the 25-foot-long steel rods at the base of the tower.

“In my view, those are game changers,” Heminger said at the panel’s meeting Monday in Oakland.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Bay-Bridge-woes-are-game-changers-official-6256914.php

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turbinetree

(24,632 posts)
1. Lets
Tue May 12, 2015, 07:13 AM
May 2015

ask why did they use the steel coming out of China.

And the bolts which failed

And this bit of information:

"California officials have estimated that they’ll save at least $400 million by relying on low-wage Chinese labor. Former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger visited the Chinese plant praising “The workers that are building our Bay Bridge.”

http://www.pri.org/stories/2011-10-19/california-turns-chinese-company-labor-build-most-new-bay-bridge-span

This was under the Arnold Schwarzenegger time frame, I know it's already after the fact, but---------------this is going to cost taxpayers money

CreekDog

(46,192 posts)
8. They actually said they couldn't have a piece that large fabricated anywhere else
Tue May 12, 2015, 02:03 PM
May 2015

Despite the problems, that part of the bridge is not the part causing problems. It is instead the steel rods and construction decisions made here in the USA. This is not to say quality control in China is good, and not to say that American quality control is bad, but in this case, the problems can't be pinned on not using 100% American sources of steel.

Xithras

(16,191 posts)
11. Schwarzenegger didn't want the tower at all
Tue May 12, 2015, 05:53 PM
May 2015

The state under Schwarzenegger just wanted to build the bridge as an inexpensive concrete viaduct to get it up as quickly and cheaply as possible. When it became clear that a "simple" bridge was going to be politically untenable to Bay Area residents, Sacramento switched gears and OK'd the tower, cutting every corner possible to keep the cost down. In the long run, going cheap will end up costing the state a hell of a lot more.

A number of very respected engineers have expressed doubts about the bridges ability to survive an earthquake. While the state still proclaims that the bridge is safe, one of their recent public statements was that a major quake that broke half the rods would only displace the bridge "by a few inches". While this assessment means that it won't fall into the Bay and kill everyone on it, they failed to explain that an offset of several inches would effectively condemn the bridge to being demolished and rebuilt. The people on it would survive, but the bridge itself would be a total loss.

In other words, even according to the optimists, this bridge may only be good for one quake. And not everyone is an optimist about it.

NBachers

(17,001 posts)
3. Wasn't there already some kind of bridge there?
Tue May 12, 2015, 08:42 AM
May 2015

I seem to dimly remember some kind of structure like that.

CreekDog

(46,192 posts)
9. I think you're confusing the Interstate 880 collapse with the Bay Bridge damage
Tue May 12, 2015, 02:06 PM
May 2015

Interstate 880 collapse (not the Bay Bridge)+


Bay Bridge damage (Interstate 80)

KeepItReal

(7,769 posts)
14. The design was too rigid and the section failed. Damn near pancaked like the other one.
Tue May 12, 2015, 07:31 PM
May 2015

Upper and lower sections displaced

Sunlei

(22,651 posts)
6. suppose the republicans & their darling Arnold got a warranty on their Chinese bridge deal?
Tue May 12, 2015, 01:18 PM
May 2015

they did a lot of damage, decades of future problems to California economy in such a short time.

CreekDog

(46,192 posts)
10. You can't blame the latest news on the Chinese components
Tue May 12, 2015, 02:12 PM
May 2015

The latest developments are about the American fabricated steel and the way the foundation was laid.

I wouldn't take any pleasure if I found that those things were provided by China, we'd still have an issue here.

But the idea that the primary flaw of the bridge is that part of it was fabricated in China is factually incorrect. The most pressing problems at the moment seem to be the American fabricated and constructed portions. The manufacturer of the rods, in Ohio, seems to have taken some shortcuts and worse, the overall design seems to be exacerbating the issues with the rods (i.e. they are more susceptible to corrosion and the design they are being used in makes it almost impossible to keep them dry, making things yet worse).

Oy.

Xithras

(16,191 posts)
13. IIRC, the bolt manufacturer was largely cleared of wrongdoing.
Tue May 12, 2015, 06:39 PM
May 2015

CalTrans tried to point the blame at them, but the manufacturer delivered what the state ordered. It turned out that the state ordered the wrong kind of steel in the first place.

The fact that they "bent" the bridge when they were building it doesn't help either.

Angel Martin

(942 posts)
16. they were able to build the Golden Gate
Tue May 12, 2015, 08:28 PM
May 2015

during the depression.

here we after 80 years of "progress", the inflation adjusted cost of this bridge is much higher and it's a failure.

Denver airport, the Channel Tunnel, Boston Big Dig, that underground highway in Seattle... the list goes on and on.

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