How to Strengthen a Bridge
Major bridges have collapsed over the years, owing in part to structural weaknesses exacerbated by climatic and environmental conditions. Deterioration and cracks in the primary structures are usually the cause of collapse. Thorough investigations into the safety of bridges before they deteriorate leads to potentially life-saving maintenance and repair procedures. The key to avoiding accidents and loss of life is strengthening bridges so that collapses are unlikely.
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Instructions
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Ensure the bearings connecting the bridge to its supporting structures are properly aligned and there is no evidence of decay. Small amounts of shift misalignment on bearings can negatively affect their operational lifespan; this can be catastrophic because it increases the load on bearings, couplings and seals. Decay is as destructive for another reason: it weakens bearings and thus the support on which the bridge relies to remain erect.
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Use only the strongest material for substructures -- the square-shaped blocks on which the bridge's columns or ''legs'' rest -- as these can crack depending on the settling of the foundation. In addition, water flowing around a new substructure will inevitably erode soil from around the structure, leaving it precariously exposed to the elements.
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Create a fully functioning draining facility to ensure water is efficiently drained from the surface of the bridge. If water is permitted to drain off haphazardly, it will, over time, damage the concrete structures holding up the bridge. This occurs because water seeps into porous areas and erodes the concrete, deepening cracks and weakening the bridge.
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Clear the main bridge joints of debris regularly. Allowing any form of debris -- leaves, branches or litter -- to clog up the joints will eventually prevent the movement a bridge needs to relieve the stress created by the weight of its superstructure. This movement or flexibility is normal -- the Forth Road Bridge in Scotland, for instance, moves about 23 feet at its central point when the wind blows at 110 mph.
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Repair surface corrosion regularly to ensure the bridge is strengthened against the mass of weight it shoulders. Vibration is an insidious force as it contributes to corrosion and causes metal fatigue and stress. The destructiveness of this stress is exacerbated by the suspension of trucks crossing the bridge, their speed and the state of the road surface.
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Tips & Warnings
Dry up any water left standing on the deck. Water will, over time, corrode the steel reinforcements supporting the bridge.
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