Malahide viaduct 'maintenance failures' found

[Likely Lad]

Malahide viaduct 'maintenance failures' found
Thursday, 11 March 2010 12:51

A report into the collapse of the Malahide viaduct has found that there was a failure of maintenance because Iarnród Éireann staff did not know the type of structure they was dealing with.

The independent report commissioned by the company found that over the years, staff became unaware that the piers were resting on rocks and not pile-driven into seabed.

The report found that increased water flow because of land development and climate change brought on the collapse, but such a collapse was inevitable.
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Staff did not realise the structure was two components - a viaduct on top of a causeway made of large rocks - making the piers liable to erosion.

The report recommends that in future, knowledge should be passed on by Iarnród Éireann staff who move or retire.

It was also found that a warning from Malahide Sea Scouts was misunderstood by the company's engineer who went to inspect the bridge but examined the pier and not the causeway.

No individual member of staff will be held responsible for what happened.

continued - RTÉ News: Malahide viaduct 'maintenance failures' found

and from Irishrail - Malahide Viaduct accident investigation


No accountabilty, no competence, no surprise.

[brigg]

Talking about this on Newstalk now.

[David Cochrane]

Paul Melia had a good piece about that in this morning's Irish Independent.

IARNROD Eireann was warned about serious erosion on one of the country's busiest commuter lines three years before it collapsed into the sea, the Irish Independent has learned.

A survey of the seabed in 2006 found evidence of serious erosion around the pillars supporting the Malahide viaduct.

But Irish Rail failed to heed the warning because its engineers did not understand how the viaduct structure worked, the rail company's report into the incident reveals.

Also a statement by Fergus O'Dowd (FG Transport Spokesman) was quite damning....

Iarnród Éireann covered up Malahide viaduct dangers – O’Dowd

Hundreds could have died while rail company sat on its hands

Fine Gael Transport Spokesman Fergus O’Dowd TD has accused Iarnród Éireann
of a deliberate cover-up over the collapsed Malahide viaduct and of
jeopardising the lives of hundreds of passengers.

A leaked report reveals that the company was warned about dangers with the
viaduct back in 2006, but that it failed to act. Deputy O’Dowd is seeking
to have Iarnród Éireann executives hauled back into the Oireachtas
Transport Committee to face further questioning.

“Iarnród Éireann is guilty of a serious cover-up. The company told the
Oireachtas Transport Committee that the viaduct had been given a clean bill
of health in 2006. This was not true,” Deputy O’Dowd said.

The company’s CEO Richard Fearn told the Transport Committee that a 2006
survey had not revealed any erosion, known as scour. He said at the time:
‘That survey showed no evidence of scour and gave a clean bill of health
for the following six years’.

Deputy O’Dowd added: ‘How are we supposed to have faith in the rest of the
rail network, when Iarnród Éireann’s excuse for this fiasco is that key
staff members had retired?’

“A culture of secrecy and complacency has flourished in Iarnród Éireann for
far too long. Major safety concerns are being swept under the carpet.
Questionable activities are beginning to emerge from within the company.
That is why I am seeking to have the CEO and key company representatives
back before the Oireachtas Transport Committee to start giving some
answers.”

[brigg]

The report found that increased water flow because of land development and climate change brought on the collapse

Convenient scape-goats here in my opinion, which would be difficult to prove or disprove either way.
Perfect for deflecting blame from Iarnród Éireann.
I'm certainly not an expert on these matters, but this is a tidal estuary, so the surely the water would be flowing in from the sea for much of the time, rather than off the land.

As a regular user of this line, and Irish Rail in general, none of this inspires me with great confidence.

[KingKane]

What next Cork flooding blamed on people forgetting that Cork is built on a series of islands?

Will we forget that Knock airport is built on a bog?

[Beyond_brainwashing]

Shouldn't Fergus O'Dowd should be asking about the Drogheda viaduct?

[KingKane]

Shouldn't Fergus O'Dowd should be asking about the Drogheda viaduct?

Why? He is the FG transport spokesperson, that is for transport across the country not just in his own constituency. You do understand how our parliamentary system works?

[Craiced]

Malahide Viaduct accident investigation


The report is an apologist statement for incompetant Irish Rail Engineers.


"The structure is unusual in that the piers did not extend down to the “bedrock”, but are instead founded within the manmade causeway/weir formed of large rip-rap resting on the bed of the estuary, making the piers prone to erosion or “scour” damage.”

In all fairness how many bridges during the 1800's were pile driven down to the bed rock? Could the lads apply common sense in addition to their degree?

What next?
JCB Driver : I forgot the ESB put cables in the ground as well as in the air?
Home DIY enthusiast?: I forgot that that the house walls support the roof?


These guys in Irish Rail have undemanding (but responsible) permanent state jobs with pensions. If they are not up to the job - SACK THEM. There are plenty of competent unemployed engineers currently available to replace them.

As for climate change been offered as an excuse. FFS!

[He3]

Who exactly did the investigating?

They say there was an independent Chair. Who were the others?

[Podolski1.5]

I think the bit about "passing on knowledge" is a bit of a joke. Whatever else about the Victorians, they were sticklers for keeping copious amounts of documents and plans in their records. I bet that the plans for the Malahide viaduct and causeway are gathering dust in some filing cabinet up in Heuston Station or in some other archive. The fault lies at the top with bad management and with successive governments who have ensured that the funding and subsidisation of public transport here is amongst the lowest in Europe.

I have no faith in Fergus O'Dowd either - his real agenda, like the present minister's, is privatisation.