How to stop a colossal bridge corroding

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  • Опубліковано 21 лип 2019
  • A decade ago, engineers found the Humber Bridge had the same problem as many of the world's suspension bridges: unexpectedly fast corrosion. Here's how they fixed it, and how they're checking that it's staying fixed.
    Thanks to all the team at the Humber Bridge board, at Cleveland Bridge, and Visit Hull and East Yorkshire, all of whom spent a lot of time and effort getting me up to the towers!
    Aerial and ground camera by Octovision Media octovisionmedia.co.uk
    Edited by Michelle Martin / @onthecrux
    🟥 MORE FROM TOM: www.tomscott.com/
    (you can find contact details and social links there too)
    📰 WEEKLY NEWSLETTER with good stuff from the rest of the internet: www.tomscott.com/newsletter/
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    👥 THE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES: / techdif

КОМЕНТАРІ • 1,8 тис.

  • @TomScottGo
    @TomScottGo  5 років тому +8249

    "Hey, Tom, do you want to go up the Humber Bridge?" Yes. Yes I do. And I'm amazed that I got access to the actual corrosion test gantries, because they're understandably sensitive about that!

    • @athuljomon7761
      @athuljomon7761 5 років тому +94

      2 days ago hmmmmmmmmm

    • @RobertHohan
      @RobertHohan 5 років тому +64

      Why would they be sensitive about it?
      I can't imagine there is any information (regarding how their tests work and what their findings are) that they shouldn't be open about.

    • @firefish111
      @firefish111 5 років тому +12

      Ok I'm sure you have a DeLorean

    • @rexevan6714
      @rexevan6714 5 років тому

      But But....

    • @alterracorp7852
      @alterracorp7852 5 років тому +18

      Tom Scott has this video been private or unlisted or whatever for two days? That’s my theory haha

  • @brandonmartin-moore5302
    @brandonmartin-moore5302 5 років тому +7122

    You get to go to all sorts of exciting places. New Zealand, America, Japan... and Hull.

    • @Roblilley999
      @Roblilley999 5 років тому +210

      The bridge isn't technically in Hull ;) from Barton to Hessle, but you probably know that

    • @krim7576
      @krim7576 5 років тому +282

      @@Roblilley999 You're the center of the party, aren't you?

    • @maxximumb
      @maxximumb 5 років тому +320

      I've been to that bridge and Hull. The bridge is better.

    • @tmp64
      @tmp64 5 років тому +42

      Don't forget Peniston

    • @Haights
      @Haights 5 років тому +69

      Don't forget Scunthorpe
      (in b4 "please forget Scunthorpe")

  • @PracticalEngineeringChannel
    @PracticalEngineeringChannel 5 років тому +2483

    Jealous! Awesome shots.

    • @Wombattlr
      @Wombattlr 5 років тому +9

      Hi Practical Engineering!

    • @tardis3962
      @tardis3962 3 роки тому +23

      269 flat earthers dislike this video 00:30

    • @TheHorseOutside
      @TheHorseOutside 3 роки тому +13

      You are the reason I’m aiming for civil engineering when I go to college. Thank you for all your videos

    • @fbi7817
      @fbi7817 3 роки тому +2

      Ur jealous of a bridge?

    • @TheHorseOutside
      @TheHorseOutside 3 роки тому +18

      @@fbi7817 who wouldn’t be? Big, strong, hundreds depend on it for something it can easily provide, gets a full team of carers to make sure it doesn’t get too out-of-shape.

  • @Haseri8
    @Haseri8 5 років тому +674

    You can trust Jim Mawson because he's an engineer with a Yorkshire accent, the most trustworthy combination

    • @Benjy52
      @Benjy52 4 роки тому +3

      Bit like me lyk

    • @jacobtaylor1636
      @jacobtaylor1636 4 роки тому +18

      Really? Then by god I’ll be trustworthy in 6 years time. I’m studying to become a mechanical engineer

    • @amanofmanyparts9120
      @amanofmanyparts9120 3 роки тому +6

      Some would say just behind a Scots accent. Not me. I'm a Tyke!

    • @aim-to-misbehave5674
      @aim-to-misbehave5674 3 роки тому +15

      Surveys have actually proven that Yorkshire and Scottish accents are some of the ones people trust the most when they're told to instinctively rate accents. They don't want us flying planes (I think the best accents for pilots were decided to be some variety of Southern, Edinburgh, and possibly also a Welsh accent?) but they definitely want us in charge of their engineering projects.
      (Yorkshire lass here - grew up a handful of miles away from the Humber Bridge(

    • @callum_boss
      @callum_boss 3 роки тому +3

      @@aim-to-misbehave5674 Presumably the Liverpudlian accent is someways back.

  • @NateandNoahTryLife
    @NateandNoahTryLife 5 років тому +4687

    The tops of the towers are further apart because of the curvature of the earth. That’s is awesome and really gives you a sense of the scale.

    • @lizardlegend42
      @lizardlegend42 5 років тому +434

      bUt ThE eArTh Is FlAt

    • @Yorick257
      @Yorick257 5 років тому +131

      Take this flat earth society!

    • @CheshireTomcat68
      @CheshireTomcat68 5 років тому +314

      @@lizardlegend42 The earth is Fiat? Ah, that explains the corrosion! ;-)

    • @notquiteaweebyet1054
      @notquiteaweebyet1054 5 років тому +92

      @@CheshireTomcat68 the earth being a fiat certainly explains why we're trying to get to mars

    • @Tik_taalik
      @Tik_taalik 5 років тому +63

      Flat earthers: *Angry mumbling*

  • @IIHawkGamingII
    @IIHawkGamingII 5 років тому +2932

    Thanks i will use this with my giant bridge

    • @TWX1138
      @TWX1138 5 років тому +55

      It's actually a good reason to climate-control a workshop or garage, especially in particularly humid climates. And as a side-benefit it cools off the space so it's more pleasant to work in.

    • @alexls1923
      @alexls1923 5 років тому +10

      It’s more useful than the polynomials stuck in my brain and the way my algebra 2 teacher tried to relate it to real life by asking one of the girls in my class “what if you are tending to your horses and there are 2 solutions?”

    • @SamM-od3id
      @SamM-od3id 5 років тому +1

      Chaitanya Singh you’ve got that a bit muddled, water-based corrosion CANNOT occur below 40% relative humidity :)

    • @thelastcube.
      @thelastcube. 5 років тому +2

      @@SamM-od3id oh shoot, my bad

    • @Blox117
      @Blox117 5 років тому +5

      @@alexls1923 what the hell does that mean?

  • @maxtorque2277
    @maxtorque2277 5 років тому +646

    er, did you miss the best bit? Namely the opto-acoustic system that listens to the noises made inside each main cable and can identify, using Time Domain Reflectometry individual wires breaking and where in the long cable they have broken!

    • @AdamSmithNES
      @AdamSmithNES 5 років тому +95

      Did I just learn something from a UA-cam comment?!

    • @sixstringedthing
      @sixstringedthing 5 років тому +58

      Are you pulling my cable or wot mate?
      10/10 comment, thanks for sharing

    • @WiseWik
      @WiseWik 5 років тому +23

      That is what was used on the Golden Gate bridge too. This bridge design is rubbish, hence why we don't see new bridge built like that.

    • @Narayan_Patki
      @Narayan_Patki 5 років тому +7

      I've never met a smart mountain biker

    • @AstoundingAmelia
      @AstoundingAmelia 4 роки тому +4

      @@Narayan_Patki you now have

  • @rodrigoappendino
    @rodrigoappendino 5 років тому +1249

    Tom Scott nowadays: "How to stop a colossal bridge corroding"
    Tom Scott in 2013: "10 illegal things to do in London"

    • @Tomensnaben
      @Tomensnaben 4 роки тому +138

      🎶We flew a kite in a public place🎶

    • @NetheriteMiner
      @NetheriteMiner 4 роки тому +21

      so this is why UA-cam insisted that I watch this. because I watched 10 illegal things about 4 times.

    • @Sp00kq
      @Sp00kq 3 роки тому +17

      @@Tomensnaben 🎶 we flew a kite in a public place 🎶

    • @sokonek1
      @sokonek1 Рік тому +3

      Two drums a cymbal and a cliff

    • @froggygoblin6514
      @froggygoblin6514 Рік тому

      ​@spookq we flew a kite in a Publiccc place

  • @JuraIbis
    @JuraIbis 5 років тому +5760

    "Corrosion cannot occur below 40% relative humidity"
    This is that time where you learn something that will remain with you for the rest of your life that's infinitely valuable

    • @JuraIbis
      @JuraIbis 5 років тому +209

      The ideal solution would be vacuum but alas hehe. I also enjoyed when someone said you cannot skid over water while driving below 60km/h. That also stuck.

    • @CASTSTONE
      @CASTSTONE 5 років тому +454

      @@JuraIbis Vacuum might cause other problems such as off-gassing. Things like leather, wood and paper would be extra brittle.

    • @John-lw7bz
      @John-lw7bz 5 років тому +114

      @@JuraIbis For some reason I think leather would not do well in a vacuum. Probably has some needed moisture and being in a vacuum will bring that out. I do suppose if you aren't continually removing moisture from the initial vacuum sealing then it'd be fine.

    • @heyjaypay4521
      @heyjaypay4521 5 років тому +125

      @@JuraIbis I don't think that comment about not skidding below 60km/h is correct.

    • @BeerDone
      @BeerDone 5 років тому +1

      The more you know! Thank you!

  • @bt2555
    @bt2555 5 років тому +912

    People from Hull speak with a distinctive accent which can make certain expressions ambiguous.
    For instance, 'half hearted' can mean 'lacking enthusiasm' or 'I have just broken wind'.

    • @lukechapman8550
      @lukechapman8550 5 років тому +18

      B T we don’t really have a distinctive accent and only a small minority of us use them sentences.

    • @miguelbeedle3042
      @miguelbeedle3042 5 років тому +66

      @@lukechapman8550 we have a ridiculously strong accent

    • @TELBOYO10
      @TELBOYO10 5 років тому +17

      @@lukechapman8550 You don't have BT either.

    • @lukechapman8550
      @lukechapman8550 5 років тому

      Terry Dickinson unfollowed no

    • @monochrome_soft9472
      @monochrome_soft9472 5 років тому +2

      @@tangjtl499 read the comment again

  • @jackwinterheld4335
    @jackwinterheld4335 5 років тому +224

    A quick thanks from a non-native English speaker.
    Your videos always having subtitles not only held me in for as long as I've watched your content, it also probably contributed to my understanding of English as a whole.
    A native brit complimented my speaking today, so I thought I'd let you know how much these little things matter :-]

  • @outside8312
    @outside8312 5 років тому +1186

    Why does Tom always look like hes a school kid on a visit whenever he's wearing hi vis and a helmet

  • @frazer26
    @frazer26 5 років тому +6177

    I don’t feel so bad paying the toll price now

    • @Virolaxion
      @Virolaxion 5 років тому +91

      Motor bikers go free! Surely they should charge every other bike?

    • @civishamburgum1234
      @civishamburgum1234 5 років тому +56

      Tolls are theft!

    • @Lyle-xc9pg
      @Lyle-xc9pg 5 років тому +141

      Arent you giving away most of you money to the gov in the form of taxes anyway? In the UK

    • @Jako1987
      @Jako1987 5 років тому +10

      @@Virolaxion Two lines. One for evens and one for odds.

    • @ValleysOfRain
      @ValleysOfRain 5 років тому +314

      @@civishamburgum1234 Well in this case the tolls go towards the upkeep of the bridge, so no, no it isn't. You want to use the bridge, you should contribute to its maintenance.

  • @shawniscoolerthanyou
    @shawniscoolerthanyou 3 роки тому +1013

    Tom: "There's only concern where infrastructure upkeep isn't done."
    Me, in the US: nods politely, begins sweating.

    • @brentsnocomgaming7813
      @brentsnocomgaming7813 2 роки тому +79

      *Think of the I-10 bridge in Lake Charles, Louisiana where they've had to reduce it to 1 lane each way at 55 mph to reduce stress on the bridge because the main structural members are splitting, and the bridge has been pending a rebuild for 20 years due to lack of funding. Legitimately, that bridge could collapse catastrophically tomorrow.

    • @nob2243
      @nob2243 2 роки тому +78

      @@brentsnocomgaming7813 I know, right? I mean, I don't really wanna get too political, but some people *_still_* act like the Infrastructure Bill - meant to upkeep and renovate the US freeways, railways, city infrastructure etc. - is just "reckless spending" and the "government being wasteful".
      It's like, come on, after the Florida condo collapse it became glaringly obvious how dire the situation is. Some of our structures hadn't been assessed or checked on since at least a dozen years

    • @travelinman70
      @travelinman70 2 роки тому +13

      Mackinaw Bridge in Michigan...

    • @Lockhart2000
      @Lockhart2000 2 роки тому +21

      To sum up a documentary I watched recently in my own words most of the dams in the US are going to fail soon due to old age and lack of upkeep.

    • @davidm5707
      @davidm5707 2 роки тому +35

      It's far more important to give tax breaks to billionaires who already have more than they can spend in 100 lifetimes.

  • @NineEyeRon
    @NineEyeRon 5 років тому +517

    Q: So how do you stop your bridge falling down?
    A: We blow on the cables.

    • @justintempert2882
      @justintempert2882 4 роки тому +27

      kerbls*

    • @kirstymca
      @kirstymca 3 роки тому +3

      @@justintempert2882 Yes, it took me a while to figure that one out.

    • @SeanKH19
      @SeanKH19 2 роки тому +2

      If it's good enough for my copy of Double Dragon, it's good enough for 17,000 tons of road.

    • @callumnewland9270
      @callumnewland9270 2 роки тому

      A good blow will fix a lot of things

  • @Skip6235
    @Skip6235 5 років тому +3779

    Tom: “When it opened in 1981”
    Me: Oh, well that wasn’t that long ago
    Tom: “Nearly 40 years after it opened”
    Me: Oh my god, I am so old

    • @thelastcube.
      @thelastcube. 5 років тому +192

      ikr, 2020 is 6 months away
      Our perception of time is weird af

    • @antivanti
      @antivanti 5 років тому +415

      That must be incorrect. Everybody knows 1990 is roughly 10 years ago... always was, always will be...

    • @rewrose2838
      @rewrose2838 5 років тому +62

      @@antivanti Imma be 31 soon, time to add _'most painless way to commit suicide'_ to my bucket list

    • @DavidCowie2022
      @DavidCowie2022 5 років тому +58

      LENTE HORA, CELERITER ANNII (an hour passes slowly, the years pass quickly) is an inscription sometimes found on sundials. It gets bleaker with every passing year.

    • @lfewell2161
      @lfewell2161 5 років тому +21

      The older you get time does indeed travel more quickly, yet they say time travel is impossible, the people that say this must be young!

  • @yaricerruti8039
    @yaricerruti8039 5 років тому +54

    As an Italian who travelled over the Morandi bridge two hours prior to its collapse, I felt this video, especially the closing.

  • @TijmenvandenHeuvel
    @TijmenvandenHeuvel 5 років тому +609

    It feels a bit odd that the noise reduction of the microphone is so good! We can clearly see its windy, but hear nothing of it, its rather uncanny

    • @KrikitKaos
      @KrikitKaos 5 років тому +25

      Dubbed over?

    • @jsalexjs22
      @jsalexjs22 5 років тому +51

      @@KrikitKaos certainly not, with the right equipment, cutting out wind noise entirely is relatively easy.

    • @JNCressey
      @JNCressey 5 років тому +24

      @@jsalexjs22, like fluffy mics?

    • @tildeballentin
      @tildeballentin 5 років тому

      I agree.

    • @laurencenoble3629
      @laurencenoble3629 5 років тому +5

      Also seems slightly off because the video is slightly out of sync with the audio. Only slightly though

  • @Skeybar
    @Skeybar 5 років тому +259

    Watched a 5 minute video about corroding Kerbals. Would watch again.

    • @ZephyrGlaze
      @ZephyrGlaze 5 років тому +20

      Can't wait for them to go into space.

    • @maxnoerenberg6370
      @maxnoerenberg6370 5 років тому +10

      Kerbals are a mix between gerbals and cables.....I wonder how they managed to get them to mate ha ha

    • @TheMajkla
      @TheMajkla 5 років тому +1

      Gerbils

    • @Carewolf
      @Carewolf 5 років тому +17

      I was but worried about them cutting up about 5 meters of Kerbal... At least we now know why Kerbals are so short.

    • @scythal
      @scythal 3 роки тому +4

      Nooo, not Jebediah!

  • @AlBert-vt2fc
    @AlBert-vt2fc 5 років тому +65

    The Ponte Morandi bridge in Genoa collapsed last year. Its cables are embedded in concrete in an "innovative" and aesthetic design that not only hinders inspection, but also has no redundancies.

    • @Robert-cu9bm
      @Robert-cu9bm 5 років тому +16

      Al Bert
      The bridge got privatised 20yr ago so maintenance became low on the list.

    • @rowanNClangley
      @rowanNClangley 4 роки тому +9

      Concrete in tension is always a white knuckle subject. Totally dependent on the rebar, the pre-stressing, and of course the right stuff on the re-bar to prevent it slowly corroding away in the concrete.

    • @Keneo1
      @Keneo1 3 роки тому +3

      Something similar happened to the aricebo telescope recently

    • @Keneo1
      @Keneo1 Рік тому

      @Tin Watchman it had gotten an update when the bigger floating part was put on top

  • @73APhotography
    @73APhotography 5 років тому +418

    A humble Tom on a Humber bridge...

    • @alek3827
      @alek3827 5 років тому +9

      A humble Tom on a Humber top..

    • @kairon156
      @kairon156 5 років тому +10

      That's what I call a humble bundle.

  • @bjarnes.4423
    @bjarnes.4423 5 років тому +2292

    Flat-Earthers hate this Bridge

    • @jries77
      @jries77 5 років тому +197

      The bridge isn't real, this was all done on a movie set. 😉

    • @jries77
      @jries77 5 років тому +6

      @@thehiddenninja3428 Hahaha.

    • @jries77
      @jries77 5 років тому +53

      @AlexGRFan97 except it only proved to the people that already know the answer. It's like any ideology (for example religion) it will be resisted almost always, no matter how much data is presented.

    • @ConnorEhrgood
      @ConnorEhrgood 5 років тому +11

      @@jries77 Woosh!

    • @bridgefin
      @bridgefin 5 років тому +20

      Maybe the towers aren't exactly straight and THAT is why they are a few centimeters different.

  • @mytube001
    @mytube001 5 років тому +121

    I like how the guy at 1 minute says "cables" so that it sounds like "Kerbals"! :D

    • @markm49
      @markm49 5 років тому +7

      The good old Hull('ull) accent.

    • @duel2edge
      @duel2edge 5 років тому +8

      Maybe I've lived in Hull too long but it just sounds normal to me

    • @Alice-sp5jd
      @Alice-sp5jd 5 років тому

      Sounds normal to me but I've never lived anywhere but Hull lmao

    • @unflexian
      @unflexian 4 роки тому

      The good old Manley accent :D

  • @suchcone
    @suchcone Рік тому +36

    I cycled across this bridge today and was wondering what the silver things were - I wondered if it was hydraulics to account for expansion and contraction, but this is fascinating!

  • @ashleywilliams8515
    @ashleywilliams8515 5 років тому +123

    I don't comment much, but what I will say is this video is absolutely what I need! I travel on the bridge on weekdays and I wondered what work was going on!

  • @NateandNoahTryLife
    @NateandNoahTryLife 5 років тому +82

    That opening drone shot is amazing!

    • @zmast333
      @zmast333 5 років тому

      I wonder if it was difficult to get the permission to fly the drone there (considering there's car traffic in the bridge).

    • @ender10man
      @ender10man 5 років тому

      @@zmast333 I don't think so

  • @NathanJ2124
    @NathanJ2124 5 років тому +35

    I love the little glimpses we get into Tom’s process with the extra sound bites at the end of some of his videos: like in this video him saying what shot he’s going to get next and saying he’s happy with the take. Just a simple thing about Tom’s videos that I always enjoy. Keep up the good work as always Tom!

  • @someguy6089
    @someguy6089 5 років тому +78

    "Steel does not rust below 40% humidity"
    That sounds like some game mechanic in Minecraft or whatnot

    • @idot3331
      @idot3331 5 років тому +11

      It's almost as if game mechanics are based off real life...

    • @Deneberus
      @Deneberus 2 роки тому

      @@idot3331 Ah, I always forget about the fact that I can irl summon lightning with my enchanted trident to strike a pig in order to turn it into a zombie pig.

    • @samsunguser3148
      @samsunguser3148 2 роки тому

      After 2 years. I am prepared to use this... /gamemode creative
      didn't work..

    • @MikkoRantalainen
      @MikkoRantalainen 2 роки тому +1

      @@Deneberus You have an enchanted trident in real life??

  • @bDwS27
    @bDwS27 5 років тому +65

    It's funny how much fun this is learn about as someone who is not even close to being an engineer.

  • @Jestokost
    @Jestokost Рік тому +69

    Fun fact: at 17,000 tons, this entire near-mile-long bridge is only 1/4 the empty weight of an aircraft carrier, and only 1/30th the weight of a fully loaded container ship.

    • @jamiefitzgerald153
      @jamiefitzgerald153 Рік тому +14

      The deck between towers weighs 17000 tons, the entire Humber Bridge weighs over 500000 tons.

  • @jackandrew1995
    @jackandrew1995 5 років тому +3

    Lovely to see the Humber Bridge on a popular channel! Every day I get to see this wonderful feat of engineering and it makes me proud to be from Hull

  • @MonkeyJedi99
    @MonkeyJedi99 3 роки тому +2

    Every time that engineer said "cable" I heard "Kerbal". But other than that tiny accent thing, this was a FANTASTICALLY informative video about an aspect of bridge maintenance I would never have even thought of.

  • @InfiniteFox
    @InfiniteFox 3 роки тому +9

    I'm form Germany and I did a 3 week long internship in Hull a couple of weeks after you went there. It's great seeing these shots again and kinda weird to know that I barely missed seeing you stand on a bridge that I was told about around a million times during my time at the city council

  • @davidemmyg
    @davidemmyg 4 роки тому +9

    As much as I admire modern engineering, I am at awe with roman engineering that have structures still standing after two thousand years

    • @helentee9863
      @helentee9863 2 роки тому +3

      They didn't use metal though, did they,stone and concrete doesn't corrode, it simply weathers slowly away

  • @mohamedimardbrucelee8829
    @mohamedimardbrucelee8829 Рік тому +1

    The Humber Bridge has a special place in my heart
    When we used to drive up to Bridlington from Cambridgeshire to visit family we'd always stop at the rest stop before the toll booth and enjoy a cup of tea and some Yorkshire ham rolls.
    Those were good times ❤

  • @bluestickystuff1184
    @bluestickystuff1184 5 років тому +5

    My grandparents live right by the bridge, and I’ve seen the rectangles going along the cables and wondered what they are, now I know! Thanks for a fantastic video!

  • @AllTheArtsy
    @AllTheArtsy 5 років тому +12

    The construction of the bridge itself is amazing. The maintenance done is great as well. At least you know your tax is going somewhere it counts.

    • @owensmith7530
      @owensmith7530 2 роки тому

      Except actually the Humber bridge is a complete waste of money since there is little of interest on the south side. Traffic volumes are still way below what was predicted. The entire bridge was a bribe by politicians looking to win a general election. They even created a new county called Humberside to cover both sides, but gave up on that after a few years. At the risk of insulting people on the south side, it is a bridge to nowhere. They should have stayed with the ferry. When this bridge reaches the end of its life it likely will not be replaced, unless the situation has changed dramatically. It's a fine bridge, shame they built it here.

    • @jasonreed7522
      @jasonreed7522 2 роки тому

      @@owensmith7530 as someone raised in the middle of nowhere NY, most of us know its the middle of nowhere and its not really an insult. (Personally i prefer the middle of nowhere to urban and suburban but to each their own)
      Edit: looking at the area on Google earth you are 100% correct, the area south of the bridge is mostly farm country. And about 17km / 10mi upstream the river forks (merges?) And those 2 rivers would definitely be much easier to bridge over.
      Personally i would say a 10mi drive is almost nothing, it would add about 20 min to your trip to detour to, so a ferry would just have to beat that in frequency to be more convenient, realistically the drive would be a bit longer since i just followed the center of the river and not the road network. It also looks to be the only bridge from their to the ocean, which is about 40km down stream, its hard to tell when UK rivers tend to get super wide and not have a distinction between river and bay. (I was shocked to learn the massive bay between whales and Cornwall is considered a river for its entirety)

    • @owensmith7530
      @owensmith7530 2 роки тому +1

      @@jasonreed7522 The Humber estuary is too wide to bridge anywhere further downstream than this bridge. Also the water is fast flowing and the river bed constantly shifting, so more modern bridge designs like cable stay with multiple piers are not possible on this river.

  • @mattygerbil123abc
    @mattygerbil123abc 5 років тому +41

    Wonder how many people are purely commenting on this because they're from Hull...

    • @ro5alia
      @ro5alia 5 років тому +16

      Matthew Marsden it’s not often we get something about the positives of Hull

    • @mattygerbil123abc
      @mattygerbil123abc 5 років тому +8

      @@ro5alia surprised there hasn't been a documentary on the spice heada of Queens Gardens yet to be honest!

  • @over00lordunknown12
    @over00lordunknown12 5 років тому +2

    I started watching your channel in 2016 and I’m glad to see that you are still making content and still seem just as interested in the topics you talk about.

  • @BeerDone
    @BeerDone 5 років тому +2

    Human engineering is absolutely amazing. Thank you, Tom, your channel is one of the few I watch almost religiously! Almost, because it's more rational to watch them for the details :)

  • @LeoStaley
    @LeoStaley 5 років тому +147

    As an American living with a crumbling infrastructure, this terrifies me.

    • @IkeOkerekeNews
      @IkeOkerekeNews 5 років тому +2

      A solution to your crumbling infrastructure terrifies you? What?

    • @LeoStaley
      @LeoStaley 5 років тому +54

      @@IkeOkerekeNews no, the thing that terrifies me is that we don't spend money on infrastructure, and thus don't employ solutions like this.

    • @nicklamb1454
      @nicklamb1454 5 років тому +10

      Actually you do. Dehumidification systems have recently been fitted to the Cheapeke Bay Bridge, the Delaware Memorial Bridges, 10th Street Bridge in Pittsburgh and the Angus L MacDonald Bridge in Halifax, NS.

    • @nicka731
      @nicka731 5 років тому +33

      Nick Lamb 9% of bridges in the U.S. (over 50,000) are classified as 'structurally deficient' and our infrastructure is graded at a D+ (but 4 bridges got fixed, only 49,996 left to fund)

    • @davidha44
      @davidha44 3 роки тому +7

      @@nicklamb1454 let's not pretend Americans know what Nova Scotia is

  • @littleseal833
    @littleseal833 5 років тому +34

    Oooohhh I'm glad you're up there, not me !
    Great video as always

  • @Benderboy121898
    @Benderboy121898 5 років тому +96

    New drinking game:
    Take a shot every time you hear; "Kerbel"

    • @sixstringedthing
      @sixstringedthing 5 років тому +14

      The name of the game is "Kerbal Spares Progrum".

  • @Ecupable
    @Ecupable 5 років тому

    This was completely new to me, and surprisingly interesting. I love that you make videos like these, please keep it up Tom!

  • @thelastcube.
    @thelastcube. 5 років тому +16

    Thanks, now I'll always have a sense of fright whenever travelling through any bridges not knowing it's history of maintenance

  • @TWX1138
    @TWX1138 5 років тому +8

    Helps a bit that the architect didn't design the bridge to use concrete in-tension and to bury the steel directly within the wet concrete such that it could not be accessed.
    The wedge-open procedure doesn't sound like the most wonderful thing in the world but it still sounds a far sight better than having to break open concrete or find where oxide jacking has exposed the cable for you.

  • @damionlee7658
    @damionlee7658 5 років тому +2

    It is wonderful that you get to make videos like this to share these things with us. We used to have Tomorrow's World, Panorama, QED, and the Open University evening broadcasts for content like this. Whilst much of those still exist (BBC should hang its head in shame for what it did to Tomorrow's World), Tom Scott is definitely high up on the informative broadcasts list now.
    I look forward to your future series on Netflix /Prime /That new BBC-ITV streaming service, or wherever... Even if it just remains UA-cam.

  • @jackwright7014
    @jackwright7014 5 років тому

    You have an amazing job Tom, visiting all these places and learning at the same time. Awesome content I learn so much.

  • @alexandermallinckrodt2847
    @alexandermallinckrodt2847 5 років тому +123

    Tom gets me to his video so quick it’s only 3 seconds after upload.

    • @GryphLane
      @GryphLane 5 років тому +3

      Except that it's queued up for publication a week or more in advance 😉

    • @Sam42069
      @Sam42069 5 років тому

      Gryph Lane woosh

    • @thelastcube.
      @thelastcube. 5 років тому

      @@GryphLane this time it was a couple of days, not a week
      Ha!

  • @MrDidzz
    @MrDidzz 3 роки тому +3

    I'm very proud to say that both my grandad and dad worked on the Humber Bridges construction. My dad was actually on the crew that worked on the cables and wrapped them (I think)

  • @kriijan3747
    @kriijan3747 5 років тому +1

    Your videos always teach me something I didn't think I should have known. Thanks Tom.

  • @Manks08
    @Manks08 5 років тому +1

    I wasn't expecting to see you produce a video on something from my neck of the woods, it was a nice surprise.
    I passed over the bridge the other day, I wondered what was happening on the wires. Nice to know they're still going strong.

  • @Armuotas
    @Armuotas 5 років тому +296

    "The bridges elsewhere in the World that aren't inspected..." *cough *cough Morandi Bridge, Italy... *cough

    • @TheOdst219
      @TheOdst219 5 років тому +49

      Ah Italy, birthplace of the largest empire in Antiquity, great food, great art, and cant build bridges or win wars.

    • @swissone_
      @swissone_ 5 років тому +33

      Came looking through the comments for ponte Morandi, was not disappointed.

    • @andrerenault
      @andrerenault 5 років тому +8

      I haven't heard of it, someone want to brief me? I have a feeling Google won't be brief

    • @herlescraft
      @herlescraft 5 років тому +35

      @@andrerenault A highway bridge colapsed due to corrosion in Genova, a major city in Italy, currently that segment of the highway is unaccessible limiting the traffic from the southern part of france.

    • @swissone_
      @swissone_ 5 років тому +29

      turbodeeznuts The bridge in Genova, Italy collapsed exactly because this sort of care was not taken and there was apparently corrosion found in the cables and support structure.

  • @seraaron
    @seraaron 5 років тому +39

    Ah yes, I too have a colossal bridge that I'd like to stop corroding, so this is just the video I was looking for. Thanks!

    • @666Tomato666
      @666Tomato666 5 років тому +1

      next thing you'll say that this was just pre-sale maintenance, won't you?

  • @L3X1N
    @L3X1N 4 роки тому +2

    The way that guy pronounces his Ts is really pleasant. I had no idea some people could casually enunciate a consonant that hard.

  • @benjohnson6251
    @benjohnson6251 4 роки тому

    So cool! Didn't know this much went into maintaining it! Love these behind the scenes of civil engineering videos!

  • @pervasivedoubt150
    @pervasivedoubt150 3 роки тому +3

    Something I never expected is the 24hr requirement of an air pump system to maintain a bridge! Thanks for the education

  • @dcallan812
    @dcallan812 5 років тому +6

    Sod that for a day at work. It made my knees wobbly just watching you up the tower.

    • @stevejones9062
      @stevejones9062 5 років тому +1

      You actually get used to the height fairly quickly if you are doing it all day.

  • @williamresham703
    @williamresham703 4 роки тому +1

    Great video. Very interesting about the humidity. Gives you lots of followup potential w/bridges that don't properly maintain their moneymakers. Or any italian bridge circa 1960 - 1980, wherein they often encased the steel structures in concrete, similar to Humber. Great drone shot at the end too.

  • @AbigailPoirier
    @AbigailPoirier 5 років тому +1

    Neato! The bridges where I live are cable-stayed, it was cool to see a true suspension bridge. It's hard to believe just how HUGE those cables are!!

  • @mynameisosca
    @mynameisosca 5 років тому +4

    Im just impressed of the sound quality with all that wind

  • @nazamroth8427
    @nazamroth8427 5 років тому +21

    Corrosion prevention idea: Coat the entire bridge in dehumidifier flakes from shoeboxes.
    As a bonus, give a massive boost to the shoe industry.

  • @karl5874
    @karl5874 5 років тому

    Awesome video as always. Toms channel today is what discovery channel was to me when I was a kid - interesting and inspiring.

  • @tigerlilydaley1134
    @tigerlilydaley1134 5 років тому +1

    I live 5 minutes away from the Humber Bridge I'm so glad you did a video on it!!!

  • @ExtantThylacine
    @ExtantThylacine 5 років тому +9

    What do suspension bridges and space programmes have in common?
    Kerbals!

  • @UDumFck
    @UDumFck 5 років тому +16

    A 2019 video on bridge corrosion ... was expecting at least a passing reference to the Morandi Bridge disaster in Genoa.

  • @DimJongUn
    @DimJongUn 5 років тому +1

    You might have my favorite channel on UA-cam. Keep up the great vids

  • @MattDrane
    @MattDrane 4 роки тому

    I always love tome videos that show the expertise we have in The uk and beyond that allow us all to go about our day to day.

  • @GringatTheRepugnant
    @GringatTheRepugnant 5 років тому +5

    I’m glad you came up to visit us! You’re covering The Deep next, right?

    • @beethreefour
      @beethreefour 5 років тому +2

      Nathaniel Little i’d so watch a Tom video about how they keep that ice wall frozen

  • @Jame5man
    @Jame5man 3 роки тому +4

    This video has renewed my concern for the Ambassador Bridge between Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, Michigan. I don’t think it has ever received proper inspection of its cables and it’s 92 years old and has been known to be in horrible, almost hazardous, condition for over 20 years.
    Hooray for private companies
    Historically the company who owns it has heavily restricted access for inspection by both MDOT and Transport Canada. They are notorious in the Windsor-Detroit area for their cheapness, disregard for the neighbourhoods near the bridge and willful ignorance of the hazards the bridge poses.
    This is why the Ontario and Michigan governments are building a new bridge.

  • @sea2side
    @sea2side 5 років тому

    Thankyou Tom. Keep going, learning from you is always a pleasure.

  • @Torchwood89
    @Torchwood89 5 років тому

    IT'S TOM BLOODY SCOTT ON THE HUMBER BLOODY BRIDGE!
    Drove past wishing I knew what they were doing under those white sheets, and now I know thanks to you! Awesome

  • @Hatecrewdethrol
    @Hatecrewdethrol Рік тому +3

    Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area and seeing the Golden Gate at least once a day its so easy to forget that bridges like this are not all that commplace

  • @itaybron
    @itaybron 5 років тому +17

    this feels like something out of the Discovery channel (before they went all weird)

  • @HLGAM3R
    @HLGAM3R 4 роки тому +1

    Very interesting video! The accent of the bridge builder is interesting as well. His "cable" almost sounds like "Kerbel/Chervil".
    Thanks to all involved for making this happen!

  • @elYisusdelaNazza
    @elYisusdelaNazza 4 роки тому

    I don't know if I love Tom's enthusiasm more than the astonishing drone footage in his videos. Maybe fifty-fifty

  • @DEAN0795
    @DEAN0795 3 роки тому +3

    Being from Hull I can’t count the amount of times I’ve driven over this bridge and now I know a bit more about it

  • @AlexAlex
    @AlexAlex 5 років тому +311

    Won't corrode if you leave it in a shoebox under the bed

    • @manjensen1710
      @manjensen1710 5 років тому +22

      *Harvard wants to know your location*

    • @oxybrightdark8765
      @oxybrightdark8765 5 років тому +8

      Won’t hold up the bridge either

    • @Huntracony
      @Huntracony 5 років тому +31

      @@oxybrightdark8765 Let's think inside the box here--build a shoebox around the bridge, build a bed on top, and voilà, a bridge that won't corrode.

    • @quantumbracket6995
      @quantumbracket6995 5 років тому +2

      specially if its the world cup

    • @reddragon3132
      @reddragon3132 5 років тому +1

      Well it will corrode, you just won't notice or care

  • @kyouzou8114
    @kyouzou8114 5 років тому

    I love the infrastructure videos! It's a great look into something that I don't think we often think about.

  • @benbexson
    @benbexson 5 років тому +2

    Funnily enough I was driving along the a63 today and wondered what all of the scaffolding etc was for. Now I know cheers Tom

  • @ToxicSocks24
    @ToxicSocks24 5 років тому +9

    Tom, South African plugs are the best, they've got all the same features, but the fronts are blunt, so they hurt less when stepped on

  • @fuckyshityfuckshit
    @fuckyshityfuckshit 5 років тому +5

    I watched a video of some teenagers climbing this bridge on UA-cam.
    Absolute madladism.

  • @Cadwaladr
    @Cadwaladr 5 років тому +2

    Mr Mawson has a fantastic accent. I love northern England.

  • @LFTRnow
    @LFTRnow Рік тому

    There is another interesting point to this video, Rather than waiting for corrosion and then adding this drying process, this shows it makes more sense to install it from the beginning. This is valuable engineering data for all future bridges as well as rescuing current ones.

  • @FabbrizioPlays
    @FabbrizioPlays 3 роки тому +4

    Minneapolis checking in. The 35W bridge collapse was, for us, one of those "where were you when it happened?" moments. Now when we see a bridge appear to lack maintanence or fall into visual disrepair, a collective unease grips the city. Leadership is still letting it happen. The 10th Avenue bridge is a worrying sight right now, and while it is receiving some updates at the moment, these updates appear completely cosmetic. As far as I know, nothing is being done to renew the foundation. It's a 91 year old bridge with the Mississippi River nipping at its supports. The 35W bridge was half that age when it met its fate. I wish they'd just build a new one. It would be expensive and inconvenient, but nobody wants a repeat of 2007's tragedy. And it looks like we're going down that path at full speed.

  • @jbkjbk1999
    @jbkjbk1999 5 років тому +4

    That is some impressive wind reduction. Thought you were ADRing it at the start.

  • @peter_smyth
    @peter_smyth 5 років тому +1

    2:37 I've seen pipes like those o the Severn Bridge and wondered what they were for. It's great to finally find out.

  • @Wolfcubware
    @Wolfcubware 5 років тому

    Great Video, I live in grimsby and my Grandad helped construct the tower's bases; Its truly a feat of engineering.

  • @riccardoorlando2262
    @riccardoorlando2262 5 років тому +9

    "Other bridges aren't doing so well"
    Like the Geneva bridge here in Italy.
    It collapsed.

    • @Fakkio2
      @Fakkio2 5 років тому +4

      That bridge was in Genoa, not Geneva.

  • @CGaboL
    @CGaboL 5 років тому +3

    I remember my electrochemistry classes from a few years back when the professor told us that the environment is a huge contributor to corrosion and it can be modified to stop it when using a sacrificial anode, usually magnesium, is not viable.

  • @philiplewis7252
    @philiplewis7252 Рік тому

    This is absolutely fascinating! Great film.

  • @Allstarsoftware
    @Allstarsoftware 5 років тому +2

    Watching from Hull, great video !

  • @aotoda486
    @aotoda486 3 роки тому +3

    2:04 _Hexagons are the bestagons_

  • @ketsuekikumori9145
    @ketsuekikumori9145 5 років тому +69

    Damn it, I miss Dirty Jobs. Would've loved to see cable inspection process itself.

    • @DarthTella
      @DarthTella 5 років тому +6

      They should bring it back with Tom as the host!

    • @rjhornsby
      @rjhornsby 5 років тому +2

      1Slamalama1 yep. They tried doing Dirty Jobs while obviously avoiding being Dirty Jobs (Discovery owning the IP, brand, etc) and it didn’t work as well. Hard to know how much CNN dumbed the show down, but it always felt as if it was missing the - spirit? of Dirty Jobs.

    • @adenlamb9916
      @adenlamb9916 5 років тому +2

      Its not exactly exciting. Did this job on the forth road bridge last year. A lot of swinging sledge hammers for hours on end and not much else

    • @frzstat
      @frzstat 5 років тому +1

      @@DarthTella Tom and Matt - Dirty Jobs International. It would be awesome!

  • @mikeluit3027
    @mikeluit3027 Рік тому +1

    Awesome bridge design, with excellent inspection technique.

  • @JainaKeria
    @JainaKeria 4 роки тому

    I love that your videos are a great length. None of that 10.01 rubbish.

  •  5 років тому +35

    I'm having a hard time figuring out a scenario where your helmet would be of any help in case of an accident.

    • @tomenward4120
      @tomenward4120 3 роки тому +9

      Its like a submarine on the inside of the bridge, very narrow with lots of metal to bang your head on! I went inside once and was glad I had one on

  • @kylosalvesen
    @kylosalvesen 5 років тому +36

    "It was thought that would be sufficient" ooooh boy, here comes the reason why it wasn't

  • @philipread8733
    @philipread8733 3 роки тому

    Great to see you near my home town of Hull. And an interesting article

  • @ChopStickZero
    @ChopStickZero 4 роки тому +1

    Whod have thought Id find a piece on corroding bridge cables so interesting :) !