I worked for loads of different companies deep sea. As those jobs dried up I ended up in Dover on the cross channel ferries. Sealink, Stena line, P&O Stena line then P&O Ferries. I even did a short stint on the hovercraft.
No I took early retirement in 2016.
An average size cargo ship travelling at 10 knots has around 1800MJ of kinetic energy. A lot of that energy will be dissipated by the deforming of the hull of the ship in any collision, but still more than enough to rip a reinforced iron/steel bridge from its foundations.Flimsy? Don't think there is a bridge in the world that takes the momentum of a cargo ship to its suppost and stays up.
Again, it depends on the type and design of the bridge. Placing concrete dolphin protection devices (unconnected to the structure like at the Sunshine Skyway bridge in Florida) or starlings (bulwarks like at Tower Bridge) might not stop the impact but it may reduce the energy being transferred to the bridge. Then the design of the bridge needs consideration, some designs work better than others. Trestle bridges like this one transfer the impact energy across its full length as they have little dampening by their very design. There are better designs for bridges these days.I have seen older bridges like this have large concrete guards built in front of support structures to avoid boats hitting them, but I doubt they would make much of a dent in a container ship.
There's an engineer on BBC at the moment talking about how progress has been made to help reduce damage to bridges being struck like this since this one was built in the seventies. Some of this can be retro-fitted, so therefore some will get damaged less than others.
Love how many experts are on here with experience of almost anything that pops up.Again, it depends on the type and design of the bridge. Placing concrete dolphin protection devices (unconnected to the structure like at the Sunshine Skyway bridge in Florida) or starlings (bulwarks like at Tower Bridge) might not stop the impact but it may reduce the energy being transferred to the bridge. Then the design of the bridge needs consideration, some designs work better than others. Trestle bridges like this one transfer the impact energy across its full length as they have little dampening by their very design. There are better designs for bridges these days.
Why are we having this argument? I said they look flimsy 'to me'. Looking at it, I would expect more damage to that design than by a ship of the exact same weight and speed hitting a suspension bridge of a modern design.That still doesn't make the bridge 'flimsy'. It is a huge force that hits it, at one of two main support points.
And the captain and helmsman weren't much better.Awful mate.
Love how many experts are on here with experience of almost anything that pops up.
Thanks for the info.