Engineering explainer
What happens when infrastructure isn't maintained
Towers, tailings dams, water dams and bridges rarely fail without warning. They pass through stages that inspection and monitoring can see, and each stage is cheaper to fix than the next. Pick a structure and a failure mode, drag the timeline to watch it age with no maintenance, and see where it could have been stopped.
Drag the model to rotate it. Scroll or pinch to zoom. Click a numbered marker to jump to that stage.
It has happened before
Real failures with the same mechanism. Causes are as reported by the investigating bodies or press; follow the links for the full findings.
Where is your asset on this curve?
GEC inspects, assesses and monitors towers, dams and bridges so problems are found while they are still cheap to fix. Or email [email protected].
Illustrative explainer, not an engineering assessment. Timelines, deformations and monitoring thresholds are simplified examples; real deterioration depends on design, materials, loading and site conditions, and tilt and deflection are exaggerated so they can be seen. Any decision about a specific structure needs an inspection and assessment by a registered professional engineer.