San Francisco-Bay Bridge in Danger of Rusting

The new $6.5 billion San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge is already in trouble; some of the cable sections and rods are rusting, according to the Sacramento Bee. 

Because the bridge and tower are held up by a single cable, according to the Bee, and inside one of the chambers where the cable is attached, the cable strands and rods are rusting, the bridge is in danger. Laboratory tests confirmed steel rust in the chamber.

In the time between December 2011 and one year later, the chambers were covered with water as they were constructed. Three engineering experts told the Bee that the rust leaves the rods and cable strands capable of cracking. If that happens where the strands are attached, the vibration from heavy vehicles on the bridge could exacerbate the problem.

University of California, Berkeley engineering professor Abolhassan Astaneh-Asl told the Bee’s Charles Piller: “The implications are structural–and very serious. This bridge is fracture critical, which means if any important element of this bridge fails…the bridge is going to collapse.”

Bridge spokesman Andrew Gordon said “there is no concern” about the rust.