Have a failing score on the infrastructure evaluation performed by the American Society of Civil Engineers isnt just embarrassing, its dangerous. To understand the significance, lets take buildings, for example. Buildings are not like cars or bicycles. People get hurt all the time riding a bicycle. You are a little safer in a car, but the danger of an accident is always present. Buildings, by comparison, seem safe - and they are, until they arent. However, it might take a hundred years for that to emerge. We always feel safe inside. But that is deceiving. If a building has a hidden defect, it can kill you in an instant. You just dont realize it. Bridges and roads are just like buildings: they seem indestructible. They look safe and feel safe until suddenly they collapse. (Remember Minneapolis) Engineers calculate the loads and stresses when a bridge gets designed. They intend to achieve both safety and economy. They want the bridge to stand up - just. They dont design over the expectation;.they design to the expectation. Part of their design is the expectation that the structure will be maintained over time. If that piece is missing, then the design intent is not being met. It would be like never changing the oil in your car. Sooner or later, the engine is going to break, if you do that. Ignoring maintenance virtually insures that a catastrophe will happen - sooner rather than later.
Posted on: Fri, 15 Aug 2014 20:04:10 +0000
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