Pasta, Pesto and the Bridge-Building Piano

What have we learned about structure, salt and steel? And are they concrete lessons that will stand the test of time?

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The pair of inspections robots survey the entire underside of the bridge every eight hours.

Not a Lasting Legacy

ALAMY
The Morandi Bridge.

Fatal Flaws

The lights on the bridge are all solar-powered, and sensors throughout the bridge monitor movements such as joint expansion, creating what is essentially a kind of futuristic central nervous system.

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Technology Bridges the Gap

New technology that provides accurate and immediate feedback for engineers is critical.

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The inspection and washing robots, working in tandem, on the San Giorgio Bridge.

Technology: Saving Lives and Money

Primary concerns about the structure revolved around the concrete’s ability to protect the steel cables.

Architects, Engineers, CAD and BIM Designers

It was believed that covering the cables in prestressed concrete would eliminate the need for future maintenance.