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NOVA: Why Bridges Collapse

NTSB drone image of Francis Scott Key Bridge and Cargo Ship Dali
NTSBgov, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
NTSB drone image of Francis Scott Key Bridge and Cargo Ship Dali

Wednesday, May 8, 2024 at 10 p.m. on KPBS TV / Stream now with KPBS Passport! + Encore Sunday, May 12 at 10 p.m. on KPBS 2

In 2018, Italy’s Morandi Bridge collapsed, tragically killing 43 people. For 50 years, the iconic bridge had withstood the elements — and stress from ever-increasing traffic. What went wrong that fateful day? And how can new engineering technology protect bridge infrastructure to prevent such tragic failures in the future? NOVA investigates and explores other bridge collapses across the United States.

In a single-point bridge failure, one component breaks and brings down an entire structure. See how this happened 52 years ago to West Virginia’s Silver Bridge.
In August of 2018, an 800-foot section of Genoa, Italy's Ponte Morandi Bridge collapsed, killing 43 people. Two survivors reflect on the event.

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