Cracks found on FIU pedestrian bridge weeks before collapse, report shows Broward College to get new leader
MIAMI — A key concrete support truss in the doomed Florida International University pedestrian bridge developed worrisome cracks 10 days before the structure was lifted into place over the Tamiami Trail, photographs and an internal email unintentionally released by the school show.
The documents, released in response to public records requests from the Miami Herald, show that FIU’s construction and engineering team discovered potentially problematic cracks in the bridge earlier than officials have previously acknowledged.
The cracks were found in late February at the base of a diagonal support member at the north end of the span. Independent engineers have identified that as the point where the structure shattered on March 15 while under construction, sending the 950-ton bridge crashing onto the roadway below and claiming six lives.
Three independent engineers who examined the photos, records and bridge blueprints at the Herald’s request concurred that the cracks were a red flag signaling potentially critical structural problems. Outside experts have zeroed in on that truss member, identified in plans as No. 11, as being “underdesigned” — that is, not strong enough to withstand the pressure from the weight of the bridge it was supposed to hold up.
The location and diagonal shape of the cracks shown in the FIU team’s photos support that theory, the engineers said. They said the cracks should have prompted work on the bridge to stop for an in-depth review that likely would have resulted in the truss connection being re-engineered and significantly reinforced.
“Knowing the stresses that member was under and what happened, that crack was something that in hindsight should have been investigated,” said David Beck, a New Hampshire engineer who helped uncover mistakes in Boston’s $10.8 billion Big Dig project.
Linwood Howell, who runs a Texas engineering firm that specializes in bridge design and inspection, said the cracks were signs of the structure’s “imminent failure.”
“There’s nothing they could have done short of starting over and redesigning the structure,” Howell said.
A third engineer consulted by the Herald concurred with the first two but asked not to be named.
A fourth bridge engineer, Ralph Verrastro of Naples, said the cracks did not appear significant to him.
“The photos don’t clearly provide any clues to me related to ultimate failure,” Verrastro said in an email. “I would assume these cracks would have been repaired by epoxy injection before the bridge was moved.”
Broward College’s newest president will be announced this morning in downtown Fort Lauderdale.
The candidate will be chosen from one of three finalists selected from a pool of 22.
The announcement will be made at 8 a.m. at the school’s Willis Holcombe Center, 111 E. Las Olas Blvd., building 33, room 1208. The finalists are: Cliff Davis, president, Table Rock campus and vice chancellor of the system, Ozarks Technical Community College.
Greg Haile, general counsel and vice president for public policy and government affairs, Broward College.
Elliot Stern, vice president of instruction, Lake Washington Institute of Technology.
The new president will be the seventh in the school’s history and is expected to assume office this summer.