German bridge demoltion

[clanhanson]

I think it's interesting that the bridge itself is not connected securely to the pillars keeping it WAY up there. It's just resting on top of them. I understand there are reasons for that. Think about that when your driving across one of those kinds of bridges?

The girders are either on rollers or pinned. They allow horizontal movement but don't allow for lifting or transverse movement in normal condition states but the demolition was more than those joints could handle. Bridges are living and breathing beasts with defined weaknesses and strengths. If not allowed to move in some fashion they will beat themselves to death.