www.sefindia.org

[Dr. N. Subramanian]

Read how a team of architects and engineers debated on what structure they should choose for the Bay Bridge in California: the more conventional span called a cable-stayed bridge or the novel, self-anchored suspension design. They decided on the  self-anchored suspension design against the wishes of most the influential and visionary structural engineers of the 20th century, Tung-Yen (T.Y.) Lin. The design “was chosen on the basis of aesthetics and broader community input without a full appreciation of the complexity of the undertaking and the potential for problems and cost overruns”.

The result is over the years, as challenges mounted and costs soared.
A batch of galvanized rods needed for extra seismic strength on the unusual bridge cracked, adding more than $45 million in costs. A Chinese crane maker won the money-saving contract to make pieces of the bridge, but turned out shoddy welds and produced ill-fitting road decks at risk of premature cracking.


Connecting the self-anchored suspension span to the skyway portion of the bridge turned out to be “the fabrication challenge of a lifetime,” and slowed down the project by a year and added $145 million to the bill.
More at:
https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Bay-Bridge-s-troubles-How-a-landmark-became-a-6021955.php