Kozhikode: Kifby with the explanation in the incident where the concrete beams of the Koolimad bridge collapsed. The explanation is through a Facebook post. Kifby says the cause of the girders collapse was mechanical failure of the hydraulic jacks and that the girders were secure.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the accident was not the result of any defects in the quality or procedures of any of the materials used in the construction. The real reason is the mechanical failure of the hydraulic jacks used to lift the girders. Kifby said the accident was not caused by a quality problem but by some workmanship issues and that the cube strength of the girders was “absolutely satisfactory”.
The contractors for the project are the Uralungal Labor Society. Construction of the bridge began on March 7, 2019. The project was expected to be completed in 24 months. The foundation and infrastructure were completed accordingly. Work on the superstructure is currently in progress. Construction progress is seventy-eight percent. The girders were built on the site itself. The girders were built in the middle of the pear cap with temporary support and truss.
The approximate weight of each girder is ninety metric tons. After the first stage of stressing, each of the girders will be moved to its respective position. These girders will be lifted into wooden blocks using hydraulic jacks with a capacity of 100-150 MT before being deployed to the correct positions. On May 16, an attempt was made to bring the third girder back to normal using two hydraulic jacks on either side of the river.
The movements of these two hydraulic jacks were coordinated. After the lowering of the first stage, the piston of the jack on one side suddenly turned inwards and the third girder tilted to one side. Following this, the third girder fell out of the second girder. As a result of this impact the second girder overturned and fell on the nearby first girder. The first girder fell into the river following the impact. That is, the accident was caused by a momentary fall in the operation or operation of the hydraulic jack. “All the quality standards, including the cube strength of the girders, are absolutely satisfactory,” Kifby said.