The New Bay Bridge: Earthquake Makeover - KQED QUEST

Its been more than two decades since part of the upper deck of the Bay Bridge collapsed in the Loma Prieta earthquake. The new self-anchored suspension bridge being built to replace the vulnerable eastern span of the Bay Bridge is scheduled to open in 2013 and will be seismically and aesthetically revolutionary in its design. QUEST explores the engineering features that will give the new bridge the strength and flexibility to withstand the next big one.

[briansabeans]

What a tribute to human ingenuity. As someone who drives across the old Bay Bridge every day, I'm really excited about this incredible project.

[ShyGuy]

I'm always surprised Hollywood or Netflix has never made a movie or mini series about the '89 Earthquake, even a fictionalized or semi fictionalized dramatization.

[CraigMammalton]

Thumbs up; very succinct and made a lot of technical details super clear. Newspaper articles always mention the shear plates on the tower, but I could never really visualize or understand their function before watching this vid. Think I finally understand the looping single cable, too, now.

[PatriotIzzy]

Awesome. Can't wait until it's finished :D

[transformationinternationa]

Compare the damaged and then missing span at 0:55 to the repair at 2:38. That's an impressive fix up job! Is there any video of how they did it?

[Unknown-wwzw]

Im sorry but at 3:17 why is there only 3 towers?

[LADIEGO]

8:56 ... "The place I'd rather be, if an earthquake occurs, is probably at the top of the tower of the bridge." Says the the engineer. Well, I guess for 6, 300, 000, 000 USD he has to tell us SOMEthing.

[donnadreyer]

Why didn't they rebuild it as a double decker bridge ?

[youngdu]

Cool. "The bridge is dancing to the earthquake."

[priceandpride]

what was it designed to withstand? 8.0M?

[geomodelrailroader]

the new bridge is ready for the quake (and it has passed the test when one hit Nampa last year). the new bridge is quake proof  because it is self anchored like a crossbow and can take the energy. the old Bay Bridge is not quake proof when Loma happened the Cantilever telescoped and eyebars fell onto the deck (one eyebar stayed attached but broke in 2013) the shock went from the E3 footing to Pier 9 and severed it. the decked collapsed all along the bridge at Pier 9 a car drove into the gap and was crushed others went into the water. on the Nimitz Touchdown in Oakland the top deck, middle deck, and lower deck collapsed and landed in the street. cars got crushed and trains on Cyprus Street and Market derailed containers in the Oakland Yard below the freeway kept it up until they buckled under the weight and they too were crushed and then it was over. The Nimitz Freeway was rebuilt and Cyprus Street was moved but California tabled Bay Bridge until now. soon the old bridge will be no more and the new bridge will take over to bring Interstate 80 traffic into The City By The Bay.

[zoeybatterup]

right when i get away from tdi here you are

[nogod]

Six times over budget and five years behind the schedule.

[youlldietrying]

the old one looks like a friggin tressle in Mississippi or some place

[NoNotALaughingMatter]

How was the tunnel in that earthquake, then?
7:20
"turn the blue prints into reality"
That is not so, reality is in fact where the blue prints originated.
.
Matter is not real only thinking is.
.
.
Cheers.
from,
del-boy

[cheshzone]

6.3 billion was 5 billion more than original

[freshfruit]

OMG!!! THE BRIDGE IS DANCING!!! Bridges shouldn't do that mister!

[youngdu]

@7:21 hooray for female construction workers.

[myphonyaccount]

$7, 000, 000, 000 final cost. Same suspension style could have been done with NON-FUNCTIONAL tower and wires for $700, 000, 000 by DELETING unneeded wide ship crossing space underneath that required costly construction to accommodate. Since ALL tall ships cross under the west span anyway, $6, 300, 000, 000 was WASTED.