The Most Well-Known Infrastructure Failures Through History
If you know anything about the history of our modern infrastructure, you’re probably aware of how far we’ve come since the dawn of our species. Once making homes out of sticks and mud, now designing towering complexes that seem to stretch as far as the eyes can see—our advancements have truly been astounding. However, none of our construction success stories would exist without some of our past mistakes. Unfortunately, while we learned from these blunders, it doesn’t change the tragic nature of some of our most well-known infrastructure failures.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa (1378)
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is a prime example of what can happen if you fail to establish the proper foundation for a large structure. Designed and erected between 1173 and 1372, this iconic building is a testament to early architecture and a beloved Italian tourist attraction to this very day. Initially, the tower was going to house the main church bell of the Pisa Cathedral Complex. However, only five years after its completion, with a foundation of clay and limestone, one side of it began to sink and create its characteristic lean.
The Quebec Bridge Collapse (1907)
Jumping ahead to 1907, Canada’s Quebec Bridge was a tragic chain reaction of poor supporting beams and unsafe rigging practices. This structure collapsed into the St. Lawrence River not once but twice within a ten-year period, causing the tragic deaths of several workers. The direct cause of the initial crumbling was a buckling support cable, which triggered other beams and fixtures to become unstable. In the second collapse in 1916, the middle section had insufficient support as well, which led to a partial collapse and several more deaths. This project showed how important structural support and balance is during a build and how workers must use the best rigging practices to prevent uprooting that foundation.
The Tacoma Narrows Bridge Collapse (1940)
The Tacoma Narrow Bridge Collapse in Washington is another well-known infrastructure failure in our history for its flexibility and insecure cable issues. This bridge stretched for nearly a mile across the Puget River and showed severe rocking and twisting even during moderate winds. For this reason, it was incredibly unstable, and it ultimately collapsed four months after opening for public use.
