Shear Failure at the support of the bridge deck(bow string type)

The hydraulic support is sitting firmly on the wooden support provided below the bridge deck.

The hydraulic support slipped due to the weak wooden support(due to old & wet wood) below the bridge deck.

Today i went to the Bridge site around 5.30 pm, it was drizzling moderately and i managed to reach upto the top of the bridge deck by the steel ladder provided. The wooden support given under the bridge deck was very old, cracked and wet due to the rainy season. The Executive Engineer from Railways Department inspected the support provided and told the respective authorities to change them to a new and strong wooden supports for both the corner supports on all edges. Some wooden logs were kept in mid span below the bridge deck for additional safety, in case of failure of the corner supports. Around 7.30 pm, some workers were replacing old wooden pieces with a new piece on one corner. Suddenly, the bridge deck tilted slightly due to slipping of the hydraulic support(I thought it was a big earthquake because i was standing on top of the bridge deck). Fortunately, none was injured and i was a shocked & nervous to experience the slippage because the bridge deck was located above the Over Head Line (20000 volts) in the railway track. Any major slippage would have caused fatal to more lives and mine too. Then the Site Engineer decided to change the wooden supports and replace them with iron cribs which will be connected by bolted connections. Today was a Wonderful Experience and Great Learning regarding the failure of the wooden supports and Safety needed for the supporting the Bridge Decks.

Comparision between Chennai Railway stn and Tokyo Railway stn

Scene at Tokyo railway station

                  

Automatic ticket vending machines in Tokyo



This gate opens only if you have an appropriate ticket. This would generate more revenue to Indian railways, if they are installed in all stations.



Scene at chennai (Mambalam Railway station)

                 

India has everything, IT super power, Second largest democracy, Still our citizens are suffering like this.

Unfortunate fact is that, most of the software used in Tokyo (Japan) for automatic ticket vending machines and the ticket checking machines are coded by Indian software professionals. When the same software professional lands on Menambakkam airport from Tokyo. he has to wait on the Queue to purchase the EMU ticket at Trisulam station to reach mambalam railway station.

I think the Indian railways has to do something for its Passengers comfort and their safety. 

My Bridge Experience

My Love towards Bridge Engineering started when i was in 10th grade while visiting kerala (india). I was very curious how they built bridges in the water (the one i saw was being built on the river). when i googled about bridges, i learnt many interesting facts about bridges and their construction methods. Even though my love was towards computer during that time but after watching the bridge construction, I was obsessed with bridges. Fortunately, I got a place in civil engineering dept. in Meenakshi Sundararajan Engineering College(One of the top private engineering colleges in Tamil Nadu) through Merit. In my college days, we used to have a lot of industrial visits and in-plant training during semester holidays. Fortunately, this Railway over bridge was located near my college and home. I used to visit this bridge site after my college hours and during my holidays for past 2 years. I have learnt a lot of ideas and construction methods in practical by visiting the site regularly. It also helped me to maintain a good score in all my Structural Subjects in my Under Graduation. Now this railway over bridge is in near completion and scheduled to be opened on march 2011. I have an immense pleasure and happiness by watching the bridge growing from its inception in the underground(I meant the piles) to the Sky.