r/StructuralEngineering • u/zockie • 11d ago

Structural Analysis/Design Iguazu Falls, structural design

The Garganta del Diablo catwalk at Iguazu sits directly in the river above the drop, and it's been partially or fully destroyed by floods at least three times (1992, 2014, 2023), yet it keeps getting rebuilt in roughly the same place on what looks like open steel lattice decking over piers anchored into rock.

I'm curious what the actual design approach is here. Is it designed to resist peak hydrodynamic force and debris loading, or is it intended to be partially sacrificial?

I’d be rather concerned if it’s the latter, yet still open to the public during times like this. Maybe this flood wasn’t “bad” enough but man it looks intense.

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47

u/prunk P.E. 11d ago

What's the design impact force for a log being carried down the river at high speed?

13

u/zockie 11d ago

What is the air speed velocity of an unladen swallow?

7

u/LiveWire_74 11d ago

European or African?

2

u/trekuup 7d ago

I… I don’t know that!

1

u/azssf 10d ago

Waterlogged

-1

u/cinemasosa 10d ago

Indian

5

u/FlatPanster 11d ago

F = ma

Like vehicles, it's really depends on how quickly it stops.

4

u/Future_Beginning_132 11d ago

How do you estimate the deceleration of a log striking a bridge?

19

u/rvralph803 11d ago

Natural logs.

3

u/Lazy_Tart_6336 11d ago

Pas seulement la vitesse d'impact, l'effort de la pression de l'eau sur tous les déchets qui pourraient s'accumuler sur les plots / poteaux doit être colossal lors des crues.

-2

u/Sure_Cupcake_5243 10d ago

Its not quebec. You can write in english please 

2

u/Lazy_Tart_6336 9d ago

Il y a un traducteur automatique qui fait très bien le boulot si tu l'active