Alligator Cracking Identified as Primary Cause of Bridge Collapse

Engineering experts investigating the Vikramshila Setu incident have confirmed that ‘alligator cracking’ was present in the fallen span. This phenomenon indicates that the concrete surface had lost its integrity due to repeated heavy loading and lack of maintenance. The failure to change the bridge’s ball-bearings exacerbated the issue, preventing the bridge from expanding and contracting safely with thermal changes. This technical failure resulted in the span detaching on May 4th. Teams from Patna and premier technical institutes are now conducting stress tests on the surviving sections of the bridge.