Comments on: Money Well Spent? http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/07/11/money-well-spent/ Summum nec metuas diem, nec optes - Marcus Valerius Martialis Tue, 02 Aug 2011 22:27:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Blue Crab Boulevard » Blog Archive » Big Dig - Big Headache http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/07/11/money-well-spent/comment-page-1/#comment-10449 Blue Crab Boulevard » Blog Archive » Big Dig - Big Headache Fri, 14 Jul 2006 00:37:25 +0000 http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/07/11/money-well-spent/#comment-10449 [...] Now I had a commenter on my original post on this subject that blamed the failures on Republican governors. Only it turns out the governor has had no authority over the project from the get-go apparently. Mitt Romney is trying to get a bill passed that would give him some control of the project. Romney's legislation would give the executive branch the authority to oversee inspections of the failed ceiling system in the tunnel, which has been closed since the accident Monday night that killed 38-year-old Milena Del Valle and injured her husband, who was able to crawl out of the mangled car. [...] [...] Now I had a commenter on my original post on this subject that blamed the failures on Republican governors. Only it turns out the governor has had no authority over the project from the get-go apparently. Mitt Romney is trying to get a bill passed that would give him some control of the project. Romney's legislation would give the executive branch the authority to oversee inspections of the failed ceiling system in the tunnel, which has been closed since the accident Monday night that killed 38-year-old Milena Del Valle and injured her husband, who was able to crawl out of the mangled car. [...]

]]> By: Roland Hesz http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/07/11/money-well-spent/comment-page-1/#comment-10077 Roland Hesz Wed, 12 Jul 2006 15:06:43 +0000 http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/07/11/money-well-spent/#comment-10077 Yes I know it can happen. I just can't really see why and how. On these kinds of projects more than one engineer design, check recheck, model, prototype. recheck the whole plan. All of them missed this flaw? We got a lot of nice, useful stuff to help with modelling and simulating exceptional events, normal events, whatever you want. And then, I can't accept the "only 200 ft" thing. If it has 200 feet of bad designed and/or implementation, then it has more, I bet. And yes, I got angry with sloppy work. I am a maximalist with mine. I am a harsh critic of anyone's - including my own - work, always trying to make it better -- if not perfect. And it's not that my failures could kill people. It's just simple work ethics. And can't accept that anyone would dare to skip on his. Yes I know it can happen. I just can’t really see why and how.
On these kinds of projects more than one engineer design, check recheck, model, prototype. recheck the whole plan.
All of them missed this flaw? We got a lot of nice, useful stuff to help with modelling and simulating exceptional events, normal events, whatever you want.

And then, I can’t accept the “only 200 ft” thing.
If it has 200 feet of bad designed and/or implementation, then it has more, I bet.

And yes, I got angry with sloppy work. I am a maximalist with mine. I am a harsh critic of anyone’s – including my own – work, always trying to make it better — if not perfect.
And it’s not that my failures could kill people. It’s just simple work ethics.
And can’t accept that anyone would dare to skip on his.

]]> By: Gaius http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/07/11/money-well-spent/comment-page-1/#comment-10068 Gaius Wed, 12 Jul 2006 13:21:39 +0000 http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/07/11/money-well-spent/#comment-10068 If the support is designed badly, or installed badly, there is a tendency toward a domino failure. It happens, Roland. If the support is designed badly, or installed badly, there is a tendency toward a domino failure. It happens, Roland.

]]> By: Roland Hesz http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/07/11/money-well-spent/comment-page-1/#comment-10067 Roland Hesz Wed, 12 Jul 2006 12:53:17 +0000 http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/07/11/money-well-spent/#comment-10067 Yes, but safety ones are exectly there to prevent the domino effect. At least they are supposed to be. Yes, but safety ones are exectly there to prevent the domino effect.
At least they are supposed to be.

]]> By: Gaius http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/07/11/money-well-spent/comment-page-1/#comment-10065 Gaius Wed, 12 Jul 2006 10:06:57 +0000 http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/07/11/money-well-spent/#comment-10065 It's a domino effect. One support gives way and thros additional weight on the next support causing it to fail, etc. Same thing happened at a hotel in the US a while back. Walkways collapsed into a crwod when a support failed. It’s a domino effect. One support gives way and thros additional weight on the next support causing it to fail, etc. Same thing happened at a hotel in the US a while back. Walkways collapsed into a crwod when a support failed.

]]> By: Roland Hesz http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/07/11/money-well-spent/comment-page-1/#comment-10062 Roland Hesz Wed, 12 Jul 2006 09:32:56 +0000 http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/07/11/money-well-spent/#comment-10062 What I can't get, how <b>one</b> tieback giving way could casue the slab to fall? How many did they use? What about safety measures, backup parts, etc.? I studied mechanical engineering, and we were taught that you don't use <b>one</b> supporting part for anything. You can always have an inherently flawed part, and it wouldn't be good if a snapped bolt caused the whole machinery to fall apart. And here we talk about safety measures to prevent human injuries and death, not the breaking of a simple tool. What I can’t get, how one tieback giving way could casue the slab to fall?

How many did they use? What about safety measures, backup parts, etc.?

I studied mechanical engineering, and we were taught that you don’t use one supporting part for anything.
You can always have an inherently flawed part, and it wouldn’t be good if a snapped bolt caused the whole machinery to fall apart.

And here we talk about safety measures to prevent human injuries and death, not the breaking of a simple tool.

]]> By: Roland Hesz http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/07/11/money-well-spent/comment-page-1/#comment-10061 Roland Hesz Wed, 12 Jul 2006 09:20:07 +0000 http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/07/11/money-well-spent/#comment-10061 I think it was the usual - oh, we will just cut back a bit on spending. Not a rare thing, happens frequently in construction works, on paper everything is first rate, and then, you just dig a bit, and you find out that it is not exactly what you paid for. It is an absolutely politics free stuff. I think it was the usual – oh, we will just cut back a bit on spending.
Not a rare thing, happens frequently in construction works, on paper everything is first rate, and then, you just dig a bit, and you find out that it is not exactly what you paid for.

It is an absolutely politics free stuff.

]]> By: Gaius http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/07/11/money-well-spent/comment-page-1/#comment-10027 Gaius Tue, 11 Jul 2006 18:51:38 +0000 http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/07/11/money-well-spent/#comment-10027 I'm willing to bet, having been around for a while now, that the governors had very little to do with the project directly. More the bureaucrats, most of them career, not appointees. I’m willing to bet, having been around for a while now, that the governors had very little to do with the project directly. More the bureaucrats, most of them career, not appointees.

]]> By: Ed http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/07/11/money-well-spent/comment-page-1/#comment-10023 Ed Tue, 11 Jul 2006 18:46:52 +0000 http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/07/11/money-well-spent/#comment-10023 Well what do you expect after 16 years of management by Republican Governors. Massive incompetence and kickbacks to the likes of Republican contributors Bechtel/Parsons & Modern Continental. And, yes, Matt Amarello is a Republican appointed by Republican Paul Celluci. Well what do you expect after 16 years of management by Republican Governors. Massive incompetence and kickbacks to the likes of Republican contributors Bechtel/Parsons & Modern Continental.

And, yes, Matt Amarello is a Republican appointed by Republican Paul Celluci.

]]> By: Roland Hesz http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/07/11/money-well-spent/comment-page-1/#comment-9970 Roland Hesz Tue, 11 Jul 2006 13:46:46 +0000 http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/07/11/money-well-spent/#comment-9970 uhm.. and there is no possibility, that when that 200 feet give way, it will weaken the structure of the surrounding area, causing it to fall down, thus weakening further the structure.... There could be a bloody big hole, and that, having a city over the tube, is not a good thing. And I wouldn't put say "only 200 feet". That's a rather long section if you compare it to a ~13 feet long car. That tunnel should be closed down an thoroughly inspected. You don't want to have, say 8 cars in that section when it falls down... uhm.. and there is no possibility, that when that 200 feet give way, it will weaken the structure of the surrounding area, causing it to fall down, thus weakening further the structure….

There could be a bloody big hole, and that, having a city over the tube, is not a good thing.

And I wouldn’t put say “only 200 feet”. That’s a rather long section if you compare it to a ~13 feet long car.

That tunnel should be closed down an thoroughly inspected.
You don’t want to have, say 8 cars in that section when it falls down…

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