Collapse! Aftermath and Investigation

Based on more than 30 years of experience in investigating collapses of major bridges and other structures, this paper describes the immediate considerations in the aftermath of a collapse, as well as key steps in the investigation. The paper describes the role of involved parties and activities at the site immediately after a collapse. The primary considerations in the aftermath of a collapse include rescue and recovery, site security, restoring service or resuming construction, media relations, and preservation of key evidence. Key steps in investigations include documentation of conditions at the site, procurement and testing of construction materials, structural analyses, as well as structural tests of surviving elements and replicas.