Hasselt Bridge (Belgium): Difference between revisions
Created page with "The 74.5m-span Hasselt Bridge over the Albert Canal failed catastrophically in 1938, after about 14 months service. Fortunately, no lives were lost. It was one of about 50 Vi..." |
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Albert Canal and the Campine Canal between 1933 and 1938. They were the first significant applications of electric arc welding in Belgium. | Albert Canal and the Campine Canal between 1933 and 1938. They were the first significant applications of electric arc welding in Belgium. | ||
On 14 March 1938 the | On 14 March 1938 the bridge suffered brittle failure. This is generally | ||
regarded as the first brittle failure of a large all-welded structure | regarded as the first brittle failure of a large all-welded structure | ||
and received much attention at that time. Similar bridges also suffered serious cracking problems. Brittle failures had also occurred in Germany, and would later afflict US-built Liberty Ships, but it would be | and received much attention at that time. Similar bridges also suffered serious cracking problems. Brittle failures had also occurred in Germany, and would later afflict US-built Liberty Ships, but it would be some years before the phenomenon was adequately addressed. | ||
The above information is drawn from an | The above information is drawn from an interesting Paper by Bernard Espion <ref>'The Vierendeel bridges over the Albert Canal, Belgium – their significance in the story of brittle failures' by Bernard Espion. Steel Construction 5 (2012), No. 4. DOI: 10.1002/stco.201210029</ref> | ||
The Hasselt failure attracted worldwide attention. A report in Engineering in June 1938 expressed surprise at the brittle nature of the fractures | The Hasselt failure attracted worldwide attention. A report in ''Engineering'' in June 1938 expressed surprise at the brittle nature of the fractures. It raised doubts about the quality of the steel and the quality of some of the welds, but the author (O. Bondy) had little information on which to base any meaningful conclusions.<ref>[[Engineering 1938/06/17]] pp.669-70, 682</ref> | ||
Latest revision as of 15:56, 5 September 2024
The 74.5m-span Hasselt Bridge over the Albert Canal failed catastrophically in 1938, after about 14 months service. Fortunately, no lives were lost.
It was one of about 50 Vierendeel-type bridges erected over the Albert Canal and the Campine Canal between 1933 and 1938. They were the first significant applications of electric arc welding in Belgium.
On 14 March 1938 the bridge suffered brittle failure. This is generally regarded as the first brittle failure of a large all-welded structure and received much attention at that time. Similar bridges also suffered serious cracking problems. Brittle failures had also occurred in Germany, and would later afflict US-built Liberty Ships, but it would be some years before the phenomenon was adequately addressed.
The above information is drawn from an interesting Paper by Bernard Espion [1]
The Hasselt failure attracted worldwide attention. A report in Engineering in June 1938 expressed surprise at the brittle nature of the fractures. It raised doubts about the quality of the steel and the quality of some of the welds, but the author (O. Bondy) had little information on which to base any meaningful conclusions.[2]
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ 'The Vierendeel bridges over the Albert Canal, Belgium – their significance in the story of brittle failures' by Bernard Espion. Steel Construction 5 (2012), No. 4. DOI: 10.1002/stco.201210029
- ↑ Engineering 1938/06/17 pp.669-70, 682