NTSB final report outlines ‘load and capacity calculation errors’ caused 2018 FIU bridge collapse

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fiu bridge collapse
View of the in-place bridge structure, from under the deck looking to the south three days prior to the March 15 collapse. (Source: NTSB; photo by Munilla Construction Management, MCM as published in ENR)

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) says in its final report about the 2018 Florida International University (FIU) pedestrian bridge collapse that the disaster that killed six people was caused by “load and capacity calculation errors made by FIGG Bridge Engineers, Inc., (FIGG) in its design of the main span truss member 11/12 nodal region and connection to the bridge deck.”

Read the NTSB final report here

“Contributing to the collapse was the inadequate peer review performed by Louis Berger, which failed to detect the calculation errors in the bridge design,”the NTSB says. “Further contributing to the collapse was the failure of the FIGG engineer of record to identify the significance of the structural cracking observed in this node before the collapse and to obtain an independent peer review of the remedial plan to address the cracking.

“Contributing to the severity of the collapse outcome was the failure of MCM; FIGG; Bolton, Perez and Associates Consulting Engineers; FIU; and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to cease bridge work when the structure cracking reached unacceptable levels and to take appropriate action to close SW 8th Street as necessary to protect public safety.”

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