Seongsu Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Seongsu Bridge is a bridge over the Han River
in Seoul
, South Korea
. The bridge links the Seongdong
and Gangnam
districts. The cantilever bridge
was completed in 1979 and its total length is 1160 m. It became infamous when it collapsed on October 21, 1994.
The bridge collapsed early in the morning when one of its concrete slabs fell due to a failure of the suspension structure. This structural failure
was caused by improper welding
of the steel trusses of the suspension structure beneath the concrete slab roadway.
In the accident 32 people died and 17 were injured. Afterwards, the bridge was supposed to be repaired, but because of a weakness in the structure, it had to be completely redesigned and rebuilt. The new design was finished on 15 August 1997, and is similar to the original design.
Han River (Korea)
The Han River is a major river in South Korea and the fourth longest river on the Korean peninsula after the Amnok, Duman, and Nakdong rivers. It is formed by the confluence of the Namhan River , which originates in Mount Daedeok, and the Bukhan River , which originates on the slopes of Mount...
in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. The bridge links the Seongdong
Seongdong-gu
Seongdong-gu is one of the 25 gu which make up the city of Seoul, South Korea. It is situated on the north bank of the Han River. It is divided into 20 dong .The mayor of this district is Hojo Lee since July 2006....
and Gangnam
Gangnam-gu
Gangnam-gu is one of the 25 gu which make up the city of Seoul, South Korea. It is one of the most affluent areas of Seoul and is located in the southeast of the city...
districts. The cantilever bridge
Cantilever bridge
A cantilever bridge is a bridge built using cantilevers, structures that project horizontally into space, supported on only one end. For small footbridges, the cantilevers may be simple beams; however, large cantilever bridges designed to handle road or rail traffic use trusses built from...
was completed in 1979 and its total length is 1160 m. It became infamous when it collapsed on October 21, 1994.
The bridge collapsed early in the morning when one of its concrete slabs fell due to a failure of the suspension structure. This structural failure
Structural failure
Structural failure refers to loss of the load-carrying capacity of a component or member within a structure or of the structure itself. Structural failure is initiated when the material is stressed to its strength limit, thus causing fracture or excessive deformations...
was caused by improper welding
Welding
Welding is a fabrication or sculptural process that joins materials, usually metals or thermoplastics, by causing coalescence. This is often done by melting the workpieces and adding a filler material to form a pool of molten material that cools to become a strong joint, with pressure sometimes...
of the steel trusses of the suspension structure beneath the concrete slab roadway.
In the accident 32 people died and 17 were injured. Afterwards, the bridge was supposed to be repaired, but because of a weakness in the structure, it had to be completely redesigned and rebuilt. The new design was finished on 15 August 1997, and is similar to the original design.