Latest news with #roadbuckling
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
The science of road buckling, amid statewide concerns
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW)— Across the United States, roadways are buckling under the pressure of extreme heat, and Missouri is no exception. In one dramatic incident in southwest Missouri, a vehicle was launched into the air after hitting a road buckle caused by soaring temperatures. Road buckling occurs when concrete pavement expands due to intense heat. Concrete naturally expands in hot weather, but when it exceeds the capacity of the joints built to absorb that movement, the pressure causes the pavement to heave or 'pop,' creating dangerous ridges or breaks in the road surface. As summer temperatures continue to rise, the risk of buckling becomes more serious, including here in St. Joseph. Marty Liles, the Northwest District Engineer, explains that there's no real way to predict when these concert blowups" will occur. However, when temperatures start to rise, Marty and his crew begin closely monitoring the roads for any signs of buckling. Preventative maintenance is key. Road crews typically monitor high-risk areas, inspect expansion joints and may make relief cuts or seal cracks to reduce pressure buildup. Materials like asphalt are less prone to dramatic buckling but still degrade in extreme heat, meaning long-term infrastructure planning is also essential. Marty and his MoDOT crew heavily rely on the public's help when it comes to identifying road issues. "We also rely on our, the public, to call and let us know if they see those issues out there on the roadway. For now, drivers must stay alert for sudden road changes and report any pavement issues they encounter to the Missouri Department of Transportation by calling 1-888-ASK-MoDOT or by visiting their website,
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Bystander captures unbelievable video of moment when road buckles and sends driver airborne: 'The road exploded'
As extreme heat blanketed much of the United States, a bystander captured on video the moment when a roadway buckled and became a ramp that sent a car flying, Fox 13 Tampa Bay reported. "The road exploded and rose over 18 inches, sending a car airborne," Albert Blackwell explained, per Storyful. The heat wave, which hit the eastern two-thirds of the continental U.S., set daily temperature highs from Utah to Michigan, according to The Weather Channel. Temperatures in some regions soared into the triple digits, while humidity also remained high. The video of the road buckling in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, illustrated the severity of the heat, with an estimated 190 million Americans experiencing temperatures in excess of 90 degrees Fahrenheit, per Fox 13. Like most materials, concrete and asphalt expand as they warm, which can cause roads to buckle under extreme heat, according to Pennsylvania State University. While concrete mixtures vary based on the materials used, on average, 100 feet of concrete expands roughly 0.7 inches for every 100 degrees Fahrenheit it warms, per Penn State. While buckling streets create hazardous conditions, other aspects of extreme heat pose much greater risks to human health. From 2000 to 2019, roughly 500,000 people died every year from heat-related causes, a study published in The Lancet Planetary Health found. Tragically, this figure is likely to get worse, as heat-trapping pollution continues to drive global temperatures higher. According to the World Health Organization, the number of people exposed to major heat waves grew by 125 million from 2000 to 2016. While it is not possible to directly connect any extreme weather event to human causes, experts have long established that the release of planet-heating pollution from the burning of fuels such as gas and coal has caused global temperatures to rise. How often do you worry about your energy bills? Every day A few times a week A few times a month Only when I pay it Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. This, in turn, has increased the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, from heat waves to floods. According to the City of Cape Girardeau, the road captured on video was not the only one to buckle in the heat, and officials warned of more to come. "With more high temperatures expected this week, the city may experience more street buckling due to the heat," officials said in a Facebook post. "Please drive carefully and be mindful of city workers who will be out repairing streets. Stay safe out there!" While rising global temperatures might seem like too big of an issue for any of us to do anything about, there are plenty of actions large and small that we all can take to reduce the amount of planet-heating pollution for which we and our families are responsible. For example, you can significantly reduce your environmental impact by installing solar panels, driving an electric vehicle, growing your own food, or replacing your gas-powered lawn tools with electric ones. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Al Bawaba
4 days ago
- Climate
- Al Bawaba
Video: Missouri heatwave splits road, sending car in the air
ALBAWABA - As Missouri faces an extreme heat wave, one scary video went viral on social media after capturing a road suddenly snapping upwards and sending a car airborne. According to USA Today, the footage was captured on Sunday by Albert Blackwell in Siemers Drive, Western Missouri. Blackwell revealed that he was filming a bulge on the road. However, as he shifted to get a better angle, the road split in half, catching the terrifying incident. Blackwell claimed that the road "exploded and rose over 18 inches." According to the US National Weather Service, the scorching heat is predicted to remain in effect till Thursday this week. Upon visiting Google to search about the heatwave, Missouri residents are met with a "Severe weather alert" advising them to take necessary safety precautions to avoid illness. Authorities recently revealed on Facebook that two roads, including Siemers Drive, also buckled in the city due to the scorching heat. Several social media users took to platforms such as X (formerly known as Twitter) to speculate on the incident in question. Several made claims that it wasn't the heatwave that caused the road to buckle, but a damaged water line. An X user wrote, "Most likely New Madrid fault line movement. Heat and humidity ain't causing something like that." Another added, "From a heatwave? Some expansion and contraction with weather but not buckling like that. Maybe water lines or something, but not heat. What do they use under their roads? Air?"
