I-35W Bridge Collapse Research Articles

Route Choice Set Generation on High-Resolution Networks

This study seeks to find a strategy to capture the most observed trajectories with a minimum number of algorithms. GPS information on 4,538 real trips from 131 travelers in 2008 was collected and analyzed in Minneapolis-St. Paul (the Twin Cities) as part of the I-35W Bridge Collapse study. The high-resolution road network of the Twin Cities includes 108,561 nodes and 277,747 links. Labeling and link penalty approaches are combined to generate alternatives based on either observed or free-flow speed. Overall, with the best 10 labels, on average, 40 unique routes are generated for each origin-destination pair, and around 80% of all observed trips could be captured with an 80% overlap threshold. About 88% of all observed trips have an average deviation within 50 m compared with the best matching result when combining all labels introduced in this study. Freeway-preferred routes cover more observed trips than freeway-avoided routes, and the peak coverage occurs when freeway travel is weighted between 0.8 to 1 of travel on non-freeway links. A random effects panel model is used for predicting the overlap between alternative route and observed trajectory. Multinomial and mixed logit models with a path-size term are applied to model the route selection. These models indicate that alternative routes which are shorter in distance, have faster average free-flow speed, contain a higher freeway percentage, and incur fewer traffic lights, are more likely to have higher overlap with observed trajectories and are more likely to be selected.

Learning to Build Resilience into Transportation Systems

There is increased recognition of the value of resilience thinking yet few studies have examined key experiences and lessons for the transportation industry. This paper presents eight case studies on natural and man-made disasters focusing on transportation impacts, lessons learned, and efforts to increase resilience. The cases are the Atlanta snowstorm, I-35W bridge collapse, Boston Marathon bombing, Puna lava highway closing, superstorm Sandy, Hampton Roads sea level rise study, Fukushima disaster, and the Oregon Resilience Plan. The cases are used to inform transportation agencies to better respond to and recover from disasters, as well as improve the resilience of transportation systems. In addition to integrating resilience into the management of transportation assets, new technologies and tools relevant to transportation resilience are described.

Failure of Chauras bridge

Sudden collapse of 190m long Chauras bridge in Uttarakhand, India, which was a three span (40m+110m+40m) continuous deck type truss bridge, took place during casting of the deck slab after successful launching of the truss. The incidence occurred when 52.5m length of the deck slab was cast starting from middle of the 110m span towards the right pier. Whereas, collapse of I-35W bridge took place due to failure of one of its gusset plates, analysis results show that Chauras bridge collapsed due to buckling of its U13U14 top chord compression members when 173.8N/mm2 stress in the member occurred against calculated permissible compressive stress of 149.8N/mm2. Sudden collapse of the bridge claiming six lives with it, due to slight increase in stress beyond the permissible compressive stress indicates that steel girder bridges must also be checked for reserve strength at the limit state of strength. As per Indian and European Standards, in addition to 1.1 material safety factor and 1.5 load factor used for compression and tension members in limit state of serviceability for fatigue design, additional load factor of 1.5, both for dead and live loads, for laterally unsupported compression members should be used for checking the design at the limit state of strength. No such additional load factor for tension members and joints is required.

I-35W Bridge Collapse and Response

I-35W Bridge Collapse and Response

Closure to “I-35W Bridge Collapse” by S. Hao

Closure to “I-35W Bridge Collapse” by S. Hao

The I-35W Bridge Collapse: Crimes of Commission and Omission Resulting from the Confluence of State Processes and Political-Economic Conditions

The Interstate-35 West Bridge collapse offers a unique case of state crime. First, it illuminates a new topical area in the state crime literature, public infrastructure. Second, it illustrates how the bridge collapse was not a discrete act (Tombs in State Crime 1(2):170–195, 2012), but rather the outcome of relationships between different social institutions. Specifically, it demonstrates how processes within a state, in confluence with the broader political economy, produced decisions (omissions) not to invest in infrastructure repair, take expert advice, and improve coordination between agencies. Simultaneously, these same processes resulted in deliberate actions (commissions) to invest in new infrastructure rather than in maintenance and repair of existing infrastructure, and to reduce both regulatory oversight and safety procedures. We provide a detailed overview of the bridge collapse, then utilizing Kauzlarich and Kramer’s (Crimes of the American nuclear state, Northeastern University Press, Boston, 1998) integrated theoretical framework, contextualize the causes of the collapse and highlight how state processes and political-economic conditions resulted in the simultaneous occurrence of crimes of omission and commission on the part of the state.

Modeling the day-to-day traffic evolution process after an unexpected network disruption

Although various approaches have been proposed for modeling day-to-day traffic flow evolution, none of them, to the best of our knowledge, have been validated for disrupted networks due to the lack of empirical observations. By carefully studying the driving behavioral changes after the collapse of I-35W Mississippi River Bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota, we found that most of the existing day-to-day traffic assignment models would not be suitable for modeling the traffic evolution under network disruption, because they assume that drivers’ travel cost perception depends solely on their experiences from previous days. When a significant network change occurs unexpectedly, travelers’ past experience on a traffic network may not be entirely useful because the unexpected network change could disturb the traffic greatly. To remedy this, in this paper, we propose a prediction–correction model to describe the traffic equilibration process. A “predicted” flow pattern is constructed inside the model to accommodate the imperfect perception of congestion that is gradually corrected by actual travel experiences. We also prove rigorously that, under mild assumptions, the proposed prediction–correction process has the user equilibrium flow as a globally attractive point. The proposed model is calibrated and validated with the field data collected after the collapse of I-35W Bridge. This study bridges the gap between theoretical modeling and practical applications of day-to-day traffic equilibration approaches and furthers the understanding of traffic equilibration process after network disruption.

Evaluating the effects of the I-35W bridge collapse on road-users in the twin cities metropolitan region

This study evaluates the effects of the I-35W bridge collapse on road-users in the Minneapolis-St Paul, Minnesota Twin Cities metropolitan area. We adopted the Twin Cities Seven-County travel demand model developed in previous research, re-calibrated it against July 2007 loop detector traffic data, and used this model to carry out an evaluation of economic loss incurred by increased travel delay in alternative scenarios before and after the bridge collapse. We conclude that the failure of the I-35W bridge resulted in an economic loss of US$71,000 to US$220,000 a day, depending on how flexible road-users in the system adjusted their trip destinations in response to the bridge closing. We also estimate that the major traffic restoration projects Minnesota Department of Transportation has implemented in quick response to the bridge collapse can save road-users US$9500–17,500 a day. This translates into a benefit–cost ratio of 2.0–9.0, suggesting these projects are highly beneficial in an economic sense. In this analysis, the use of a simplified, scaled-down travel demand model enabled us to carry out the analysis quickly and accurately, which could see its contributions in transportation planning under situations such as emergency relief and comprehensive design.

Discussion of “I-35W Bridge Collapse” by S. Hao

Discussion of “I-35W Bridge Collapse” by S. Hao

Distributed damage creates flaw tolerance

A qualitative micromechanical fracture mechanics model is presented that shows how a structure that is sensitive to the presence of a single crack or hole can be rendered flaw tolerant by the presence of an interacting distribution of such flaws. The simple model was inspired by the ductile fracture experienced by the under-designed gusset plates recovered from the I-35W Bridge collapse and by the experimentally measured increase in toughness of concrete damaged by fire.

Too big to fall: America's failing infrastructure and the way forward

This book evaluates how the I-35W Bridge in Minneapolis collapsed in August 2007, which killed 13 people and injured 145 others. Investigations following the tragedy revealed that it was not an unavoidable accident, but one that could have been prevented. The book shows how this type of tragedy threatens to be repeated at many thousands of bridges located across the nation. Already more than 50 percent of our bridges are past their intended lifespan. Using the I-35W Bridge as a starting point, the book chronicles the problems that led to that catastrophe, poor bridge design, shoddy maintenance, ignored expert recommendations for repair, and misallocated funding. The book then explores the responses to the tragedy, including the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) document which failed to report the full story to the nation. From here the book evaluates what the I-35W Bridge collapse means for the country as a whole and outlines the possibility of a nationwide infrastructure breakdown. The author exposes government failure on a national as well as state level and uncovers how the nation’s transportation system prioritizes funding for new projects over maintenance funding for aging infrastructure. The author explains the imperatives for why this country must maintain an effective infrastructure system, and how it plays a central role in supporting both the nation’s economic strength and national security. Written both for those who can effect change and for those who must demand it, the book presents an eye-opening critique of a bureaucratic system that has allowed political best interests to trump those of the American people.

I35W Bridge collapse: Lessons learned and challenges revealed

This article discusses issues of structural design revealed by the collapse of I35W Bridge on August 1st, 2007. The article is based on analysis of the original bridge design drawings, a series of detailed finite elements computations, and material evidence disclosed by National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) official investigation. These issues include (i) redundancy considerations for multi-span bridge; (ii) reason for under-designed bridge elements; (iii) effects of lateral force on gusset plates' load capacity in a steel-truss structure; (iv) criterion of gusset plate's stability and thin-plate theory-based model for load-rating. This analysis concludes that the lessons learned from the I35W Bridge collapse may have certain significance for the safety assessments of similar steel bridges. According to recent surveys, there are scores of this kind of aged bridges that are still in service.

Age, gender, and information-seeking patterns following an urban bridge collapse

Previous research suggests that mediated information seeking may be especially strong during crises and other times of uncertainty, however, little is known about sex differences in both information seeking and responses under these conditions. The current study explores these differences using data collected from Minneapolis residents following the I-35W bridge collapse.

Revisit of I35W Bridge Collapse: A preliminary analysis at 2007 and conclusions today

August 1st of 2007, 6:05PM, the interstate highway I35W Bridge in the City Minneapolis, Minnesota, collapsed suddenly. The 8 traffic-lane, 1000-foot-long deck of the 1907-foot-long bridge fell into Mississippi River within seconds, resulted in 13 fatalities and 145 injuries. This paper is based on a report of a preliminary analysis of this disaster [27], which was submitted to the related administrative agencies at the September of 2007. By comparing the results in that report with the materials' evidences of National Safety Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) official investigation[1,2] and recent in-depth analyses [28,29], it seems that the issues addressed in this earlier analysis may still have certain significance for the safety assessment of those similarly-structured steel bridges today. A bridge's service life is 75 years or longer. According to a NTSB's document [37], there are more than hundreds this kind of bridges still on service [4].

Psychological responses and coping strategies after an urban bridge collapse.

Breakdowns in infrastructure can cause both physical and psychological harm. Examining the coping strategies of individuals and the subsequent results of those strategies can aid recovery workers and inform emergency practitioners on how to prepare to meet the needs of the general population in such an event. Following the 2007 I-35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis, Minnesota, a self-report questionnaire was used to address the emotional state and coping behaviors of local residents. Consistent with prior work indicating that individuals respond to crisis-related stress with information seeking and other behaviors, the present study found that emotional distress in the period immediately following the collapse was related to the endorsement of a number of coping strategies. Furthermore, women reported experiencing higher levels of psychological distress than men and endorsed thinking and seeking information about the event more than men. Regardless of gender, thinking about the crisis was associated with a decrease in feelings of fright between the initial period after the crisis and several days after the event.

I-35W Bridge Collapse in Minneapolis, Minnesota on 01 August 2007

I-35W Bridge Collapse in Minneapolis, Minnesota on 01 August 2007

Gender Differences in Negative Psychological Responses to Crisis News: The Case of the I-35W Collapse

Although past research suggests that media dependencies may be especially strong during crises and other times of uncertainty, little is known about gender differences in both information seeking and responses under these conditions. This study explores these differences using data collected from Minneapolis residents following the I-35W bridge collapse. Results do not support gender differences in information seeking, but indicate substantive differences in negative psychological responses. Recent research on rumination is offered as a potential explanation for these findings.

STUDY ON SOCIAL IMPACT OF THE I-35W BRIDGE COLLAPSE IN MINNEAPOLIS

2007年8月の米国ミネソタ州での鋼トラス橋落橋事故の社会的影響を行政機関等の資料に基づき総括的に調査整理した．その結果，1）事故は，直接損失および間接損失（交通迂回損失，経済損失）に加え，橋梁の安全性に関する国民の不安を生んだ．その不安を受け，全米での道路橋の緊急点検，点検厳格化の連邦法案，連邦および州による追加的な橋梁改築などの多様な追加安全対策（事故前より安全の水準を引き上げ）が講じられている．2）追加安全対策は，全米で実施され，時間的にも事故から10年程度あるいは永続的に実施されるものもあり ,その総額は，直接および間接損失よりかなり大きい．3）追加安全対策のなかには，点検厳格化の連邦法案など合理性に問題があると指摘されている対策もあることがわかった．

I-35W Bridge Collapse

The I-35W bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, Minnesota, collapsed suddenly on August 1, 2007. This note briefly summarizes an analysis based on original design drawings, an investigation of material evidence provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and a full-scale load rating of the bridge superstructure. The results of the investigation and conclusions of the analysis include. (i) The thickness of gusset and the thickness of the side wall of the upper chords were designed proportional to the bending moment solution of a one-dimensional influence line analysis. This fact reveals that the NTSB-disclosed undersized gusset plates are the consequence of a bias toward a “one-dimensional model” in the original design that did not give sufficient consideration to the effects of the forces from diagonal truss members. (ii) Although the bridge’s truss-cell structure was appropriately designed, the design of the node that connected the floor members to the main truss-frame was in...

Towards an Emergency Response Report Card: Evaluating the Response to the I-35W Bridge Collapse

On August 1, 2007 at about 6:05 pm, during the height of the evening rush hour, the I-35W Bridge collapsed into the Mississippi. The collapse was unanticipated, surprising the response community and public alike and robbing them of any warning that would have allowed for the closing of the bridge. Based on the characteristics of the collapse, the response should have been an exceptionally complicated endeavor. However, in spite of the very complicated scene confronting the response community, the response activities have been praised as being very successful. This article examines the literature on emergency response to determine what characteristics are thought to be necessary for success. It then examines the emergency response to the I-35W Bridge collapse based on those criteria. It concludes with an analysis of what failed, met expectations, and really succeeded in the response.