Latent resistance mechanisms of steel truss bridges after critical failures.

ABSTRACT: Steel truss bridges are constructed by connecting many different types of bars (components) to form a load-bearing structural system. Several disastrous collapses of this type of bridge have occurred as a result of initial component failure(s) propagating to the rest of the structure^1-3. Despite the prevalence and importance of these structures, it is still unclear why initial component failures propagate disproportionately in some bridges but barely affect functionality in others^4-7. Here we uncover and characterize the fundamental secondary resistance mechanisms that allow steel truss bridges to withstand the initial failure of any main component. These mechanisms differ substantially from the primary resistance mechanisms considered during the design of (undamaged)

SUBMITTER: Reyes-Suarez JC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12408385 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature