Uncovering Direct And Indirect Bridge Failure Causes: A Comprehensive Analytical Framework

Abstract

Bridge failures in the United States present an incessant threat to transportation infrastructure. This threat is exacerbated by various fiscal, environmental, and operational challenges that disrupt roadway connectivity and endanger highway users. Natural and human-induced hazards directly contribute to bridge collapse by subjecting bridges to extreme load conditions. However, such hazards often stem from numerous indirect factors such as professional incompetence and the lack of safety oversight. Previous research studied direct causes of bridge failures; however, limited attention is given to examining the less apparent indirect factors and how they relate to the direct causes. This paper bridges this gap by employing a structured approach to analyze bridge failures. A systematic analysis of case studies, investigation reports, news articles, and academic sources was conducted to identify both direct and indirect failure factors. The authors then employed social network analysis and clustering to model the relationship between causes of failure. Through the analysis of 106 bridge failure cases, 18 failure factors were identified. The factors with the highest impact on bridge failures include design failures, inadequate inspection and maintenance, insufficient quality assurance, and insufficient quality control. In general, organizational-related and professional misjudgment factors have higher centralities compared to direct causes.

Department(s)

Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science

Second Department

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering

International Standard Book Number (ISBN)

978-078448698-6

Document Type

Article - Conference proceedings

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2026 American Society of Civil Engineers, All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Jan 2026

Link to Full Text

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