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Is Boston's Big Dig Becoming One of Engineering's Biggest Mistakes?

Posted by: Chris Steins
Thanks to: Slashdot
1 August 2006 - 7:00am

Forums and blogs are appearing on the Internet where many engineers are anonymously speculating about the range of problems to come for the Big Dig/Central Artery Tunnel Project.

"While doubts about the infrastructure’s safety are only coming to light now – a December 1998 Inspector General’s Report reviewing the project’s use of anchor bolts documents numerous problems with the bolts and glue used to secure the ceiling in the Ted Williams Tunnel which opened to traffic in 1995. The I-90 connector connects the Mass Pike with the Ted Williams Tunnel."

..."One blogger, whose profile notes that he is an ICC Reinforced Concrete Special Inspector and an ICC Pre-stressed Concrete Special Inspector, among other specialties, says he has nearly 20 years of experience performing both placement and post-placement inspections of rebar, post-tensioning systems, concrete, masonry, etc. He says if structural engineers who specify epoxy for dowels and the like believe that the work is being done correctly then they live in a world unfamiliar to him. 'The key instructions to correctly epoxy in a dowel are either unknown to or widely ignored by contractors. You would be astonished at the number of so-called epoxied dowels that I can pull out with one bare hand,' he posted."

Full Story: Boston’s Big Dig – One of Engineering’s Biggest Mistakes?
Source: Design News, July 28, 2006
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My Opinion

Submitted by NAUTF on Tue, 08/01/2006 - 12:37.

I started following this project more in depth when i heard about the "disaster." I am in no way demeaning the death of someone. but i dont think that incident can be considered a disaster, especially in todays world with everything else thats going on. anyways, on to the point. I dont think it is one of engineers biggest mistakes. i think this assumption is being brought on by sesationalizing stories and building them up the way they did with the unfortunate death of the woman in the tunnel. yes, they had setbakcs, and cost grew exponentially, but, it is still one of the best things to happen to boston. it has eased traffic, almost gotten rid of that horrible eyesore, central artery, and made the city a more beautiful place to live, as if it werem't already. when they fix the problems that the previous builders created, it will be fully functional and i think, one of the best engineering feats of our generation, as was the brooklyn bridge at its time.

NAUTF | North American Urban Transit Forum

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