So not only have the safety of the bolts used to secure the bridge during an earthquake been called into question, but news has surfaced over the last few days regarding the rods used to secure the single tower on the still-under construction eastern span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.
It seems they were treated with Hydrochloric acid to prepare their surfaces prior to galvanization, a process which can increase the likelihood of hydrogen-related brittleness under stress. Although this practice was banned by Caltrans, it somehow was overlooked in the quality control process.
Amazing.
I think I'll stick with driving across the San Mateo Bridge, instead.
The Sacramento Bee has been covering this issue with great accuracy over the last couple of years, check out the article here.
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