Safety of existing infrastructures: the collapse of the Morandi bridge in Genoa

This work is focused on the study of the collapse of the Morandi bridge in Genoa. From the free-available data from literature, a numerical model of the structure has been prepared. Since no monitoring measurements or laboratory tests on materials were available, it was not possible to carry out an effective validation process of the model. However, the refined numerical approach and the collected design conditions allow a reasonable heuristic study to be carried out, to outline potential structural behaviors and responses to external perturbations. The analysis identified two critical aspects that may have affected the structural response. Both are related to the time variable that has likely affected both the operating conditions of the bridge and its loading capacity. Besides, structural solutions for stays (e.g. continuous over saddles) and the essentially static determinate scheme may have also affected the response.