The Hintze Ribeiro Bridge Collapse and the Lessons Learned

Abstract

In March 2001, a serious accident occurred in Portugal during a flood on the Douro River, next to Porto, Portugal. The collapse of the Hintze Ribeiro Bridge killed 59 people traveling in a bus and in three cars that fell into the Douro River. This bridge was built at the end of the 19th century on a curve of the Douro River, next to the mouth of the Tâmega River, approximately 50 km upstream of Porto. It was found that the combined effects of sand dredging in the 25 years prior to the accident (1975–2000) and the erosion produced by five consecutive floods between December 2000 and March 2001 were the main causes of this accident. Aiming to contribute to the prevention of occurrences such as that registered in Portugal with the collapse of the Hintze Ribeiro Bridge, a brief overview of this bridge is presented herein, as well as the causes that led to the collapse, some reflections on the processes involved, and, mainly, the lessons learned.