Failure of Lacey V. Murrow Floating Bridge, Seattle, Washington
by Donald O. Dusenberry, M.ASCE, (Sr. Assoc., Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc., 297 Broadway, Arlington, MA 02174), Mehdi S. Zarghamee, F.ASCE, (Principal, Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc., 297 Broadway, Arlington, MA), Atis A. Liepins, M.ASCE, (Senior Associate, Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc., 297 Broadway, Arlington, MA), Rene W. Luft, M.ASCE, (Principal, Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc., 221 Main St., San Francisco, CA 94105), and Frank W. Kan, A.M.ASCE, (Staff Engineer, Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc., 297 Broadway, Arlington, MA)
Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities, Vol. 9, No. 1, February 1995, pp. 4-23, (doi 10.1061/(ASCE)0887-3828(1995)9:1(4))
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| Document type: |
Journal Paper |
| Abstract: |
In November of 1990, approximately 850 m (2,800 ft) of the 2020 m (6,620 ft) long Lacey V. Murrow Bridge (LVMB), a 50-year-old floating concrete bridge over Lake Washington near Seattle, sank after a major storm. The bridge had been closed for renovations for several months when it sank; there were many structural changes and interim conditions which affected the performance of the bridge. The investigation described herein identifies the most probable causes of the failure. The primary cause of the sinking of the LVMB was water that accumulated in the bridge during construction. Hydrodemolition, rain, and wave splash water entered through construction openings and severed roadway drains. The cause of the failure was unrelated to strength reductions caused by the openings, and the age and condition of the bridge were of minor significance. |
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