Investigation of the Chirajara Bridge Collapse (IABSE Bulletins - Case Studies)

On January 15, 2018 at 11:49, the west pylon of the cable-stayed Chirajara Bridge collapsed during construction of the bridge girder. The collapse led to the total destruction of the pylon, together with the erected span of the bridge girder. Authorities reported nine fatalities resulting from the collapse. In this case study, the fi ndings of the detailed investigation into the failure mechanism of the bridge are reported. In addition, selected drawings used for construction, geotechnical aspects, and defi ciencies in the bridge design are presented, together with observations made during site visits and interviews with relevant parties.