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Steve Keeley - Bob Kelly - Was I-95 collapse preventable? Engineering expert explains how the disaster happened - fox29.com - city Philadelphia
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Was I-95 collapse preventable? Engineering expert explains how the disaster happened
PHILADELPHIA - Plumes of jet black smoke and raging flames fill the skies as large concrete slabs of concrete come crumbling down.That was the scene on Interstate 95 in Philadelphia Sunday morning as an overpass of the critical roadway collapsed after a tanker fire erupted just feet below.The devastating collapse has caused major concerns for commuters and residents, leaving several questions unanswered: how did it happen; was it preventable; can the bridge be re-built?RELATED COVERAGE: Commuter Alert: Alternate routes, SEPTA changes mapped out to avoid collapse on I-95 in PhiladelphiaAmir Yaghoob Farnam, an engineering professor at Drexel University, stopped by Good Philadelphia Monday to break crown the collapse, and answer some of those questions.The engineering expert says after analyzing photos and videos, the collapse was likely  the result of two things that just don't mix well - heat and steel.Farnam says the I-95 overpass was constructed with concrete reinforced by girders made of steel, which is very susceptible to heat."Because of extreme heat, steel can lose 40 to 50 percent of its strength," he explained.A tanker truck fire caused an overpass on I-95 to collapse on Sunday morning. FOX 29's Steve Keeley and Bob Kelly discuss the collapse and its impact on traffic in the area.Heat from the tanker fire below made it impossible for the bridge to carry its load, according to Farnam, who says this incident reminds him of the World Trade Center collapse."It was also a heat problem," he said.
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