Tuesday 28 January 2020

Climate change ‘could damage thousands of bridges across the US’

Climate change could damage thousands of bridges across the US.

That's the prediction made by civil engineers from Colorado State University, who say simple steel-span bridges, constructed with a deck on top of two girders and supported by concrete pillars, are susceptible to temperature variations.

It warns as climate fluctuates, the girders expand and contract - debris and dust can fall into these gaps and block the joint, leading to cracking.

Researchers warn tens of thousands of steel-girder bridges across the US could be affected, with around a quarter potentially failing within the next 20 years.