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BREAKING: Motorway bridge COLLAPSES – dozens of motorists feared dead as cars plunge 100m
Daily Star (UK) ^ | August 14 | Charlotte Ikonen

Posted on 08/14/2018 4:12:54 AM PDT by PghBaldy

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To: Yo-Yo

“... it was a weakened concrete pylon that failed, not a terrorist attack. “

Tony Soprano’s construction firm?


61 posted on 08/14/2018 7:06:05 AM PDT by VanShuyten ("...that all the donkeys were dead. I know nothing as to the fate of the less valuable animals.")
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To: yesthatjallen

Definitely. Two bright flashes coming from the base of the bridge support, most likely terrorism.


62 posted on 08/14/2018 7:25:17 AM PDT by OregonRancher (Some days, it's not even worth chewing through the restraints)
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To: SMGFan

Yes. Here is live coverage Sky News
Started streaming 2 hours ago
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Khm_8zcc6w


63 posted on 08/14/2018 7:41:16 AM PDT by PghBaldy (12/14 - 930am -rampage begins... 12/15 - 1030am - Obama's advance team scouts photo-op locations.)
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To: wbarmy

50 year old structure


64 posted on 08/14/2018 7:56:14 AM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
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To: yesthatjallen
I looked at the video from points 18:40-18:44 and slow motioned it. There does appear to be a flash. If you slow mo it as you watch it appears more pronounced.
65 posted on 08/14/2018 8:22:08 AM PDT by CaptainK ("no collusion, no obstruction, he's a leaker")
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To: Fresh Wind
From the ABC story above

Witnesses said the bridge toppled after it was struck by lightning.

66 posted on 08/14/2018 8:32:40 AM PDT by CaptainK ("no collusion, no obstruction, he's a leaker")
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To: PghBaldy

Massive corruption or incompetence the construction of the bridge


67 posted on 08/14/2018 9:26:37 AM PDT by RedMonqey ("Those who turn their arms in for plowshares will be doing the plowing for those who didn't.")
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To: CaptainK
Guessing lightning, ungrounded properly, blew the concrete away from the steel. removing either the steel or the concrete results in the failure.
68 posted on 08/14/2018 9:33:33 AM PDT by Slicksadick (We accept the love we think we deserve.)
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To: PghBaldy

.
Sounds like a compression failure of a PCC slab.

Rare, but it happens sometimes when excessive rebar is used in the design.

This is why engineers need to be tested thoroughly in the licensing process.


69 posted on 08/14/2018 9:38:28 AM PDT by editor-surveyor (Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
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To: CaptainK

Every tall building in the world is designed with the possibility of lightning strikes. If designed properly, there is no damage.

Surely the designers of this bridge took that into consideration. It’s not rocket science.

And again, that bridge lasted 50 years or so before it collapsed. I can’t believe this was the first time lightning struck.

I wonder if copper thieves stole the ground cables?


70 posted on 08/14/2018 9:40:30 AM PDT by Fresh Wind (Trump: "I am Batman!")
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To: wbarmy

.
Compression failures are always sudden and catastrophic.

Tension failures usually give abundant warning, except when they’re caused by quakes.


71 posted on 08/14/2018 9:43:19 AM PDT by editor-surveyor (Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
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To: mewzilla

.
>> “It’s Italy. My bet is corruption.” <<

My bet is incompetence.

It tends to be prevalent in “Public” projects.

One of the best arguments against socialism in any form.


72 posted on 08/14/2018 9:46:19 AM PDT by editor-surveyor (Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
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To: Fresh Wind

.
Grounding cables probably had nothing to do with it.

Lightning causes tremendous heat, which is an enemy of reinforced concrete.


73 posted on 08/14/2018 9:49:09 AM PDT by editor-surveyor (Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
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To: PghBaldy

RIP.


74 posted on 08/14/2018 12:30:24 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj ("It's Slappin' Time !")
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To: yesthatjallen

I can’t imagine why the entire tower at the base would fail like that from design, corrosion, etc. I was thinking what if a train derailed and hit it? I haven’t watched the video.

And once the base of the tower by the little building went, it dragged the two upper parts of the two towers farther away.

Wow.


75 posted on 08/14/2018 12:38:24 PM PDT by 21twelve
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To: PghBaldy

The flashes look to me like flashes you would see when a building is being razed with explosives. I am not buying the lightning strike story.


76 posted on 08/14/2018 12:48:45 PM PDT by 4yearlurker ("There stands mother under the oleanders,open the windows." A dying cowboys last words,1879.)
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To: editor-surveyor
Why don't skyscrapers topple when hit by lightning?

Answer? Grounding cables.

77 posted on 08/14/2018 1:51:29 PM PDT by Fresh Wind (Trump: "I am Batman!")
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To: Fresh Wind

Steel frame structures are their own grounding cable.


78 posted on 08/14/2018 2:13:07 PM PDT by editor-surveyor (Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
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To: 4yearlurker

.
Cutting charges don’t make a big flash.


79 posted on 08/14/2018 2:14:55 PM PDT by editor-surveyor (Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
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To: editor-surveyor

https://www.aisc.org/globalassets/modern-steel/archives/2016/10/lightning.pdf


80 posted on 08/15/2018 12:31:16 AM PDT by Fresh Wind (Trump: "I am Batman!")
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