Spectacular bridges, breathtaking buildings, extraordinary structures: our man-made world is awe-inspiring. But in an instant it can crumble before our eyes … To investigate why sometimes our bridges and buildings fail with disastrous consequences. I’m visiting the scenes of some of the world’s worst disasters. Rob Bell, When Buildings Collapse: World’s Worst Engineering Disasters: Miami Bridge, Channel 5 2019
These deadly mistakes cost lives and teach engineers how to save them. ibid.
This is the US41, an 8-lane highway that takes you from downtown Miami to the Everglades national park … 15th March 2018: a bridge collapsing and then crushing the line of vehicles waiting in the light below.
But just five days later that project was literally in ruins. ibid.
Florida International University’s bridge. The collapse resulted in the deaths of six people. ibid.
Kansas: The city’s Hyatt Regency Hotel skywalks 1978: In 1981 1,500 people were attending a social event … The death toll rose: 114 people died that night and a further 216 people were injured. ibid.
A fatal design change turned the skywalks into death traps … So who changed the design and why? ibid.
2018 Jakarta: Another internal suspended walkway … The walkways fell when hanger rods broke away from the ceiling … 77 people were injured. ibid.
Residents have moved out of a south London estate … One type of building in Britain that’s become notorious for its design defects … More tower blocks were built in the same way as Ronan Point. ibid.
The Grenfell fire became Britain’s worst tower block tragedy killing 72 people and injuring at least 70 more. ibid.