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San Francisco Chronicle
a day ago
- Automotive
- San Francisco Chronicle
The Golden Gate Bridge is about to see 10 years of intensive construction
The Golden Gate Bridge is not expected to collapse in a major earthquake. But it could suffer enough damage to close for months or longer — and repairs to ensure that won't happen are slated to start next year. The bridge's steel elements are designed to move with seismic forces — as much as 27 feet from side to side at the suspension span's midpoint. But the concrete roadway and pylons (which anchor the span to the ground at either end) are less flexible, a mismatch that could be disastrous during a 1906-level earthquake. 'They won't be moving in sync, and they'll be banging into each other,' said John Eberle, an engineer for the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District. That violent grating could cause bridge elements to 'pop out of alignment,' Eberle said. For example, joints could poke up through the roadway, creating speed bump-like steel hurdles impassable to vehicles. Repairing that damage could take 'months if not years of full closure', said bridge district spokesperson Paolo Cosulich-Schwartz. The seismic retrofit expected to begin in January would make the iconic span resilient enough to open to emergency vehicles within 24 hours and to the public within 72 hours of the Big One, Eberle said. The bridge district plans to award a contract by December for the first of the project's two phases, which in total will cost close to $1.8 billion and take about 10 years to complete. 'The Golden Gate Bridge is a lifeline structure, and we are committed to opening up the bridge after a large-scale event,' Eberle said at a seismic commission meeting earlier this year. 'That's why the extent of the retrofit is what it is.' The bridge lies about six miles east of the San Andreas Fault, and would also see shaking from a major quake along the Hayward Fault in the East Bay. The U.S. Geological Survey estimates a 72% chance of a 6.7-magnitude quake, a 51% chance of a 7.0-magnitude quake and a 20% chance of a 7.5-magnitude quake hitting the Bay Area in the next 30 years. The project is the third and final chapter of a larger retrofit effort that began in 1996 with the viaducts that link the bridge's suspension span to land on either side. This retrofit will focus on the bridge's two 746-foot towers, the two 1,125-foot side spans north and south of the towers, and the 4,200-foot main span between them. A bevy of upgrades is planned to dissipate ground shaking, including 40-foot-tall steel plates to be affixed to the base of both towers; 38 giant shock absorbers, some weighing over 26,000 pounds; and a new, stronger steel lattice system undergirding the suspension span. The upgrades will be mostly unnoticeable to the casual eye, though the white-sheathed temporary platform needed to perform the retrofit will be visible during construction and run underneath the entire span. A close observer peering over the bridge's edge might spot a few of the shock absorbers. The bridge's south tower will also get a fresh coat of International Orange paint, part of the 1.5 million square feet of painting associated with the retrofit. (The north tower, which is subject to milder weather conditions, isn't due for repainting yet.) The work will be split into two phases. The first will retrofit the towers and the spans at the bridge's north and south ends over an estimated five years. Bridge leaders have the $870 million needed to fund the phase, between a $400 million federal grant, $200 million from Caltrans' Highway Bridge Program, and $270 million from the district's reserves. The bridge district has yet to begin seeking funding for the second, roughly $900 million phase, which will focus on the main span between the towers and take a projected four additional years. Officials plan to apply for federal and state grants and do not expect to increase tolls to pay for the work, Cosulich-Schwartz said. Though the bridge will stay open throughout construction, some lanes will be closed starting about six months into the project and lasting for both phases' duration. Authorities expect the closures will mostly occur on weekdays between the hours of 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., similar to during the installation of the bridge's suicide prevention net. Retrofitting the bridge while it withstands daily traffic loads and harsh weather conditions will require precise work. Eberle compared the towers to giant cans of soda — under constant pressure from the immense cables draped over top, which bear the weight of over 100,000 vehicles a day. 'If you're standing on a Coke can and now you have to put little holes in it and put steel plates on it, you have to do that in a very, very controlled fashion so you don't collapse that Coke can,' he said. The retrofit also involves installing a new lateral system, the X-patterned steel lattice undergirding the entire bridge. But workers can't remove the old laterals, which are essential to the bridge's integrity, until the new ones are fully in place. 'You have to put in new elements while the old elements remain, so it's intricate work,' Eberle said. The 38 giant shock absorbers included in the retrofit are designed to redirect some of the force an earthquake would otherwise inflict on the already-burdened bridge. During an earthquake, some of the shaking force would be transferred away from the bridge and into a 'sacrificial bronze disk' inside the shock absorbers, Eberle said. The shock absorbers are immense — some measure more than 26 feet long — and workers will have to add over 800,000 pounds of steel to the towers to support their weight. But without them, the retrofit would have to be even more extensive, Eberle said. The retrofit's complexity in part explains its roughly $1.8 billion bill, but labor laws around lead paint exposure and steel prices driven up by uncertainty around tariffs have contributed, too. Authorities say the retrofit is more than worth the spending. 'I know it's a big price tag,' Eberle said, 'but if you look at what it would take to rebuild the Golden Gate Bridge, you're talking billions and billions of dollars, and years of no good alternate route around the Bay.'
Daily Mail
11-07-2025
- Science
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Powerful earthquake swarm rocks California sparking fears of the Big One
A swarm of earthquakes has struck Southern California near a major fault line that could unleash the infamous 'Big One' and decimate the West Coast. The US Geological Survey (USGS) said that six earthquakes struck the area around the Salton Sea Thursday night and Friday morning, a lake roughly 100 miles from San Diego. The last in the earthquake swarm, which struck at 5:55am ET Friday, was the most powerful, measuring 4.3 in magnitude. Three more earthquakes struck the same spot at the southern tip of the Salton Sea between 4:18am and 4:22am. Each quake was greater than 2.5 in magnitude, stronger enough for people to feel and cause minor damage. The first two earthquakes struck Thursday night at 8:16pm and 8:17pm on the northern side of the lake. USGS measured them at 3.7 and 3.0 in magnitude, respectively. The powerful swarm broke out right along the boundary between the Pacific and North American tectonic plates, a highly active seismic region. The string of new quakes in this area could signal the approaching mega earthquake often called 'The Big One,' which many scientists and Californians believe is inevitable. This is developing story. More updates to follow.
Time of India
06-07-2025
- Time of India
Over 1,000 earthquakes and a viral prophecy: What's really happening in Japan?
Earthquakes hit Japan constantly. About 1,500 a year. It's one of the most tremor-prone places on the planet, perched on the restless Pacific Ring of Fire. So when the ground shakes in the Tokara Islands or southern Kyushu, people usually stay alert but carry on. This summer, though, the panic has a different source: an old manga called The Future I Saw. Written in 1999 by Ryo Tatsuki, now in her seventies, it popped back into the spotlight in 2021 and has sold more than a million copies. In its pages, Tatsuki claims she predicted a megaquake above magnitude 8.0 would strike Japan on 5 July — with a tsunami 'three times the size' of the one that devastated Fukushima in 2011. She wrote, 'A huge tsunami will wash over the countries in the Pacific Ocean.' Even now, she hasn't fully retracted it. Last month, she told Sankei that the disaster 'may not happen' but offered no firm reassurance. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 아픈 사람의 99%는 목이 뭉쳐있습니다. 더 알아보기 Undo 아픈 사람의 99%는 목이 뭉쳐있습니다. 더 알아보기 Undo 아픈 사람의 99%는 목이 뭉쳐있습니다. 더 알아보기 Undo 아픈 사람의 99%는 목이 뭉쳐있습니다. 더 알아보기 Undo No wonder people are uneasy. Science vs speculation Seismologists are frustrated. They point out — again — that predicting the exact date, location and size of an earthquake is impossible. The technology doesn't exist. Live Events Ayataka Ebita from the Japan Meteorological Agency explained, 'With our current scientific knowledge, it's difficult to predict the exact time, place or scale of an earthquake. We ask that people base their understanding on scientific evidence.' His boss, director-general Ryoichi Nomura , was sharper: 'It's regrettable that people are being affected by baseless information in this age of modern science.' Yet the rumour mill keeps turning. Two Hong Kong airlines have pulled flights to southern Japan as nervous tourists cancel their plans. Tokushima's tourism board admitted, 'We are surprised that such rumours have led to cancellations.' Real quakes, real risk The manga might be fantasy, but the danger beneath Japan is real enough. Just days ago, a magnitude 5.5 quake struck the Tokara Islands, its epicentre 19 kilometres below the sea. A second tremor hit days later, measuring 5.4. Since then, more than a thousand tremors have rattled the region in just two weeks. On tiny Akuseki Island, home to only 89 people, local officials decided the safest option was to get everyone off the island. They boarded ships to Kagoshima city and won't return until things calm down. Japan's official hazard maps confirm the worry. The biggest threat is a massive rupture along the Nankai Trough — a 900-kilometre trench off the Pacific coast. Geologists Kyle Bradley and Judith A. Hubbard summed it up as 'the original definition of the Big One.' A government panel reckons there's an 80% chance of a Nankai Trough megaquake in the next 30 years. Worst-case scenario? Nearly 300,000 dead, two million buildings gone. How Japan stays ready The country isn't passive about any of this. Back in March, Japan's Central Disaster Management Council , led by the Prime Minister, signed off on a plan to cut quake deaths by 80% and halve damage within the next decade. They've laid out 200 specific actions — strengthening old buildings, building more tsunami towers, toughening schools, hospitals, roads and bridges. Schools and offices must run evacuation drills twice a year. Shelters will be bigger and stocked properly. The Japan Meteorological Agency will keep monitoring the seabed for unusual signs. Local fire and disaster services will keep drilling. Councils will get money to make sure these plans don't gather dust in a drawer. Between rumour and reality So, what does all this boil down to? A manga spooked people and caused unnecessary fear. But the constant threat below Japan is anything but fictional. As Nomura put it, people shouldn't 'take irrational actions driven by anxiety.' Yet ignoring the risk entirely would be reckless. If Tatsuki's prediction misses — and science says it will — it doesn't mean the Big One isn't coming. It just means nobody knows when. Until then, Japan keeps its shelters stocked, its drills routine, its towers tall. Because prophecies might sell books, but good planning saves lives.
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Half the NASCAR Field Involved in ‘Big One' Crash at Atlanta
Shortly after the start of the second stage in the NASCAR Cup Series Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart race at Echo Park Speedway, formally Atlanta Motor Speedway, a failed push on Denny Hamlin, who was running four cars back on the top line caused the Joe Gibbs Racing driver to spin and collect almost half the field. NASCAR has unofficially counted 23 cars involved in the wreck, which is the most cars involved in a Cup Series crash on a track other than Talladega Speedway or Daytona International Speedway. When Atlanta was repaved and classified as a drafting track four years ago, it joined Daytona and Talladega as a step-sibling, racing similarly and having the opportunity to create 'Big One' crashes like this. This crash feels like it's final initiation into the Superspeedway trio. Some notable drivers involved in the wreck include William Byron, Joey Logano, Austin Cindric, and Josh Berry, who all saw their race ended by the 'Big One' crash. You Might Also Like You Need a Torque Wrench in Your Toolbox Tested: Best Car Interior Cleaners The Man Who Signs Every Car
Los Angeles Times
24-06-2025
- Climate
- Los Angeles Times
Magnitude 2.7 earthquake registered in Los Angeles
A magnitude 2.7 earthquake was reported at 12:22 p.m. Tuesday in Los Angeles, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The earthquake occurred four miles from Burbank and Beverly Hills, five miles from West Hollywood and seven miles from San Fernando. In the last 10 days, there have been no earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby. An average of 59 earthquakes with magnitudes between 2.0 and 3.0 occur per year in the greater Los Angeles area, according to a recent three-year data sample. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 3.2 miles. Did you feel this earthquake? Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS. Are you ready for when the Big One hits? Get ready for the next big earthquake by signing up for our Unshaken newsletter, which breaks down emergency preparedness into bite-sized steps over six weeks. Learn more about earthquake kits, which apps you need, Lucy Jones' most important advice and more at This story was automatically generated by Quakebot, a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS. A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published. If you're interested in learning more about the system, visit our list of frequently asked questions.
