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"Strong focus on aesthetics" contributed to collapse of Norway timber bridge

dezeen.com

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Re: "Strong focus on aesthetics" contributed to collapse of Norway timber bridge

#11

Post by bell-cot »

wrycoder wrote: post #8
bell-cot wrote: post #5

Sounds miserably similar to this one: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_International_Universi... Though the FIU one collapsed within a week of the fatally flawed span first being installed .

That was due to a design calculation error, not some aesthetic concern.

> The new pedestrian bridge was designed to connect the campus to student housing in a dramatic, sculptural way and also to showcase the school's leadership in the ABC method of rapid bridge construction.[16][17]

And from my recollection of coverage at the time - FIU's administrative pressure to deliver their dramatic & leading-edge-construction bridge, quick and cheap, lead to all sorts of corner cutting in the engineering & fabrication.

Re: "Strong focus on aesthetics" contributed to collapse of Norway timber bridge

#12

Post by Animats »

wrycoder wrote: post #8
bell-cot wrote: post #5

Sounds miserably similar to this one: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_International_Universi... Though the FIU one collapsed within a week of the fatally flawed span first being installed .

That was due to a design calculation error, not some aesthetic concern.

No, it was due to a really lame attempt to make something that looked like a cable-stayed bridge but wasn't.

Here's the bridge in Norway, before collapse.[1] That is something that should never have been made of wood.

[1] https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2022/08/tretten-bridge-nor...

Re: "Strong focus on aesthetics" contributed to collapse of Norway timber bridge

#13

Post by hilux »

voisin wrote: post #3

Architects’ first commandment: always prioritize function over form.

Unsurprisingly, this is Wurster Hall, home of the Architecture School (aka "College of Environmental Design") at UC Berkeley: https://www.sosbrutalism.org/cms/15892267

Re: "Strong focus on aesthetics" contributed to collapse of Norway timber bridge

#14

Post by rdtsc »

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tretten_Bridge

The ironic part is "The bridge replaced a steel truss bridge built in 1895 at the same location". Engineers in 1895 knew how to use steel trusses and built a bridge that lasted 100+ years, and in 2012 they decided to use glued wooden beams and it fell apart in 10 years.

Well perhaps Plan Arkitekter and Norconsult can take a trip to the archives and see what the engineers in 1895 knew before building any more structures.

Re: "Strong focus on aesthetics" contributed to collapse of Norway timber bridge

#16

Post by jandrese »

Animats wrote: post #12
wrycoder wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That was due to a design calculation error, not some aesthetic concern.

No, it was due to a really lame attempt to make something that looked like a cable-stayed bridge but wasn't. Here's the bridge in Norway, before collapse.[1] That is something that should never have been made of wood. [1] https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2022/08/tretten-bridge-nor...

It just looks so wrong that the cross members don't switch direction in the middle. I can't even look at that bridge without getting creeped out.

Re: "Strong focus on aesthetics" contributed to collapse of Norway timber bridge

#17

Post by replygirl »

Animats wrote: post #12
wrycoder wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That was due to a design calculation error, not some aesthetic concern.

No, it was due to a really lame attempt to make something that looked like a cable-stayed bridge but wasn't. Here's the bridge in Norway, before collapse.[1] That is something that should never have been made of wood. [1] https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2022/08/tretten-bridge-nor...

that's a pretty political spin. if i remember correctly the bridge in florida was entirely feasible but they got the pre-tensioning and assembly wrong.

Re: "Strong focus on aesthetics" contributed to collapse of Norway timber bridge

#18

Post by bell-cot »

Animats wrote: post #12
wrycoder wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That was due to a design calculation error, not some aesthetic concern.

No, it was due to a really lame attempt to make something that looked like a cable-stayed bridge but wasn't. Here's the bridge in Norway, before collapse.[1] That is something that should never have been made of wood. [1] https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2022/08/tretten-bridge-nor...

Nor of any other material. Between the insanely shallow truss depth at the right end of it, and the "can't tell compression from tension" decision to slant all the diagonal members in the same direction - that bridge is a poster child for "I Flunked Engineering 201".
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