VIDEO - Bridge demolition going wrong

June 17, 2015
A bridge demolition job went spectacularly wrong in Finland recently. Luckily for all concerned, there were no casualties, but it could have quite easily been a different story. A demolition contractor was using an excavator fitted with a hydraulic breaker to break up the structure, but the work was carrying on despite live traffic flowing on the road under the bridge.

Note too the behaviour of drivers on the route after the initial collapse.

This video came just as the European Demolition Association headed to Finland’s capital Helsinki to discuss best practice.

The Viitostiellä Mikkelissä bridge collapsed following a few blows from a hydraulic hammer to the deck, suggesting the structure was in a very poor condition indeed.

Related Content

  • Collapsed Italian bridge to be replaced
    September 5, 2018
    Plans are being drawn up for a new structure to replace the Morandi Bridge in Italy, which collapsed recently with disastrous results. The Italian road firm Autostrade per l'Italia (ASPI) has a draft design that features eight supports, unlike the failed Morandi Bridge, which was designed with 11 supports. The new bridge design also includes a deck that features emergency lanes, which were not included on the old Morandi Bridge.
    Read More
  • Right ways to deter wrong-way
    August 6, 2020
    After research, California’s Caltrans is reviewing its highway design standards.
    Read More
  • Australian bridge slides into position
    July 18, 2012
    A heavy rail crossing as part of Australia's EastLink motorway demanded great ingenuity and careful planning Most of the 88 bridges on the EastLink tolled motorway in, Melbourne, Australia were kept as simple and straightforward as possible. Contractor Thiess John Holland (TJH) developed its own precast yard 150km from the city, which provided many of the prefabricated materials required for the structures. This offered speed and economy while logistics and sequencing were vital for their erection. But the
    Read More
  • Demolition underway on bridge structure in Cleveland, Ohio
    June 9, 2014
    Demolition work is progressing on track on the old Innerbelt Bridge in the US city of Cleveland and spanning the Cuyahoga River. At present a demolition contractor is breaking up the structure in stages, using cutting gear and cranes to remove portions of the bridge in a phased programme of works. Once the demolition moves to a certain stage in a few months, the contractor will then be able to use explosives to demolish the remaining structure. Four of the truss bridge’s nine spans are being dismantled usi
    Read More

Highlighted Content