Tag: #Bolts

Broken Bolts on New York’s USD 4 Billion Mario Cuomo Bridge

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Tsamouris, the Fastener Specialists©

New York’s USD 3.9 billion (EUR 3.6 billion) Mario Cuomo Bridge has been mired in controversy since its
opening in 2017, with allegations of faulty bolts and a potential cover-up by the construction consortium,
Tappan Zee Constructors (TZC). Despite assurances from TZC and the New York Thruway Authority that the
bridge is safe, concerns persist about the structural integrity of the span.

In 2018, a whistleblower claimed that engineers secretly replaced failing bolts to hide the faults from
inspectors. The New York attorney general’s office launched an investigation into the alleged 60 failed bolts
out of the more than one million used in the bridge’s construction.

TZC maintains that all bolt testing indicates no issues and that the bridge is completely safe for the traveling
public. The company spent over USD 1 million (EUR 921,000) on expert assessments and testing,
concluding that a small percentage of bolts had manufacturing defects that led to breakage during
tightening.

In 2021, a federal review by the Federal Highway Administration found “no safety concerns” with the bridge,
according to the Thruway Authority. However, an outside bridge expert cited in a report by The Albany Times
Union called the volume of bolt failures “unprecedented and highly alarming.”

Despite the controversy, TZC stresses that the bridge was built with numerous redundancies to prevent a
collapse, even if some bolts were to fail. The most recent inspection found only one failed bolt out of
hundreds of thousands.

Weak Bolts Troubled Brooklyn’s Barclays Center

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Tsamouris, the Fastener Specialists©

Just a month before the Barclays Center’s grand opening in New York in September 2013, engineers
discovered a potentially serious issue: nearly a quarter of the bolts anchoring the arena’s distinctive steel
panels were weaker than specified. The discovery raised concerns about the structure’s integrity and
sparked a race to replace the subpar fasteners before the inaugural event.

The Barclays Center, with its weathered steel facade and striking canopy, was designed to make a bold
statement about Brooklyn’s resurgence. However, the project faced numerous challenges, including the
abrupt shutdown of the panel fabricator midway through the job and occasional instances of rusty orange
drips staining the sidewalks.

Engineers determined that only 8% of the 23,351 bolts needed replacement, but the issue raised questions
about communication between the arena’s developer, Forest City Ratner, and city regulators. The Buildings
Department claimed it had not been notified of the bolt problem, while Forest City maintained it had
submitted a letter outlining the issue and the planned fix.

Despite the last-minute bolt replacement, the Barclays Center opened on time and withstood Hurricane
Sandy’s winds just a month later. The project’s executive vice president for construction downplayed the
issue, asserting that such problems are not uncommon in highly customized architectural projects.

At Tsamouris, we supply the largest construction companies in Greece with the highest quality screws,
ensuring that problems are avoided and the strictest building standards are maintained.

Fasteners Broke off Wing during Southwest Airlines Flight

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Tsamouris, the Fastener Specialists©

Passengers on a Southwest Airlines flight from Austin to Harlingen, Texas, in December 2015 experienced a
harrowing ordeal when a piece of the wing allegedly “fell off” during the journey. The Boeing 737, carrying
109 passengers and five crew members, was forced to make an emergency landing at San Antonio Airport.

Passenger Lorenzo Hernandez Jr. described the incident as a “near death experience,” recounting how
fasteners on the left side of the plane’s wing broke or came off, causing a panel to hang loose. He reported
that some passengers screamed to the aircrew as the plane experienced severe turbulence, with many
praying in the cabin.

Despite the frightening situation, Hernandez praised the staff and pilots for keeping calm and stabilizing the
plane. A Southwest spokesperson confirmed that the captain decided to divert the flight due to a flap track
canoe fairing appearing at an irregular angle. The aircraft landed safely without incident, and no injuries
were reported.

Another passenger, Hayden Ellis, recalled the pilot announcing over the tannoy that something had fallen off
the wing, while Clarissa Ellis mentioned that a flight attendant was alerted to the issue by a concerned
passenger.

Missing Bolts Contributed to Brooklyn F Train Derailment

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Tsamouris, the Fastener Specialists©

Four missing high-strength Grade 8 bolts are at the center of the MTA’s investigation into the January 10,
2024, derailment of an F train in Coney Island, Brooklyn. The bolts, which were meant to secure a critical
component called the “radius arm” to the train’s undercarriage, were discovered missing from the derailed
car.

Radius arms play a crucial role in keeping a subway car’s wheels and axles properly aligned during
movement. Experts warn that a fallen or broken radius arm can lead to a derailment.

While the cause of the derailment is still under investigation, with track issues and other factors not yet ruled
out, the MTA believes the missing bolts may have contributed to the incident. It remains unclear whether the
bolts broke before disappearing or were improperly installed.

In response to the derailment, the MTA has inspected approximately 50,000 radius arm bolts across its
subway fleet, focusing on R160 cars and similar designs. No systemic issues were found during these
inspections, and officials believe riders are not currently at risk.

At Tsamouris, we recognize the critical role that high-quality fasteners play in ensuring the safety and
reliability of transportation systems.

Pagani Huayra Bolts Cost as Much as a Porsche 911

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Tsamouris, the Fastener Specialists©

Pagani’s flagship hypercar, the Huayra, is a true marvel of engineering, boasting a powerful AMG-sourced
V12 engine and stunning design. But it’s the car’s 1,400 unique titanium bolts that truly showcase the
brand’s obsessive attention to detail.

Each bolt, made from grade 7 Titanium with added palladium for enhanced corrosion resistance, is
individually engraved with the Pagani logo. This level of craftsmanship comes at a price: a single bolt costs
around USD 95 (EUR 88), meaning the Huayra’s bolts alone are worth a staggering USD 133,000 (EUR
123,000) – enough to buy a brand new Porsche 911.

Pagani’s choice of high-quality, lightweight materials like Titanium ensures the Huayra can withstand the
rigors of high-performance driving while maintaining its impeccable aesthetics. The engraved bolts serve as
a subtle yet powerful reminder of the brand’s uncompromising commitment to excellence.

At Tsamouris, we share Pagani’s dedication to providing customers with fasteners that meet the highest
standards of strength, durability, and reliability. Discover our range of top-quality fasteners, the go-to choice
for Greece’s leading construction and industrial groups.

Bolt Problems at London’s US Embassy

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Tsamouris, the Fastener Specialists©

In 2015, thousands of bolts on the new US embassy in Vauxhall, London, needed replacement after some of
them were found faulty.

The GBP 800 million (USD 1 billion or EUR 940 million) cube-shaped embassy, America’s largest in the
Western world, was shrouded in secrecy due to its highly sensitive nature. While details remained scarce, it
was understood that the issues involved bolts on the building’s upper floors.

The steel company tasked with replacing the bolts was the same contractor that had to spend over 6 million
GBP (7.6 million USD or 7.5 million EUR) in 2014, when two of its bolts, each the size of a human arm, broke
on the 738 feet tall (225 meters) “Cheesegrater” skyscraper.

The steel company tasked with replacing the bolts at the embassy was the same one that had to spend over
6 million GBP (7.6 million USD or 7.5 million EUR) in 2014. At that time, three of the bolts it had installed in
the 738-foot (225-meter) “Cheesegrater” skyscraper in London, each the size of a human arm, broke, forcing
the contractor to replace all 3,000 bolts in the skyscraper. Thankfully, no one was injured.

An investigation into the “Cheesegrater” bolt failures revealed that they had fractured due to hydrogen
embrittlement, a process in which hydrogen atoms diffuse into a substance, combine, and create internal
pressure, causing the metal to weaken.

In an era where the complexity and scale of architectural projects continue to grow, the need for fastening
solutions that can withstand the test of time and the elements has never been more crucial.

Subsea Oil-Well Bolts Are Failing

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Tsamouris, the Fastener Specialists©

In 2013, the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) launched an investigation into the failure of massive bolts
that secure subsea oil equipment in the Gulf of Mexico. The inquiry was triggered by a worldwide recall of
defective bolts by General Electric Co.’s oil-exploration equipment business, which reported incidents of
corrosion and snapping. These failures have led to costly shutdowns and raised serious concerns about the
safety of subsea wells.

The potential consequences of bolt failures in subsea oil equipment are severe, as they could lead to major
oil leaks with devastating environmental impacts. The 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, for example,
was linked to a record spike in marine animal deaths, particularly among bottlenose dolphins. The spill,
which occurred after the BP-owned Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded, released more than four million
barrels of unprocessed oil before being sealed five months later, highlighting the difficulty and expense of
cleaning up such disasters.

The DOI’s investigation, along with two additional bolt failure incidents, has led industry officials and safety
regulators to believe that the problem extends beyond GE and its blowout preventers, which are critical
devices used to seal, monitor, and control oil and gas wells. Flaws have also been discovered in bolts
manufactured by GE’s competitors for similar equipment.

Manufacturers and regulators have identified several potential factors contributing to the bolt failures,
including the adequacy of the alloys used in the heavy steel bolts, the appropriateness of the coatings
applied to the bolts, and the practice of “over-torquing” by subcontractors, which can weaken the fasteners.
GE has acknowledged that over-torquing may have played a role in its bolt failures.

The bolt failures have been traced decades back, and while they have not yet resulted in any oil leaks,
regulators consider the issue to be of critical importance. The problem may affect more than 2,400 platforms
and oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, 23 off the coast of California, and an active rig on the outer continental
shelf in Alaska.

As an officer of the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement stated: ”If your smallest component
fails, you can’t expect a sophisticated many-million-dollar piece of equipment to prevent a leak.”

Blade Fell off Wind Turbine Due to Loose Bolts

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Tsamouris, the Fastener Specialists©

An investigation has determined what caused a blade from a One Energy wind turbine to detach and fall to
the ground in Findlay, Ohio, on January 22, 2024.

One Energy, whose CEO Jereme Kent had emphasized the rarity of such an occurrence in his nearly 20-year
career in the wind industry, had immediately shut down its entire fleet of wind turbines pending a thorough
investigation.

The probe revealed that an abnormality in the bolted flange assembly, which connects the blade to the hub,
led to higher than intended load transfer to the blade bolts. This caused the bolts to fatigue much faster than
designed, eventually leading to a cascading failure of multiple bolts and the detachment of the blade.

In response to the findings, One Energy inspected every major bolted flange in each turbine and rechecked
the torque of each “field-installed” bolt before restarting the turbines. The company has also developed new
monitoring and testing programs, in collaboration with independent engineers and research institutions.

At Tsamouris, we believe that by working together as an industry to improve safety and maintenance
practices in fasteners, we can ensure the continued growth and success of renewable energy projects while
prioritizing the well-being of communities.

How a Loose Bolt Led to China Airlines Boeing 737 Explosion

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Tsamouris, the Fastener Specialists©

In August 2007, a seemingly minor maintenance oversight led to a near-fatal accident during China Airlines
Flight 120. Fortunately, there were no casualties. The Boeing 737-800, carrying 157 passengers and 8 crew
members, caught fire and exploded at Naha Airport in Japan shortly after landing safely from Taipei and after
all passengers had evacuated.

The incident unfolded as the crew prepared for disembarkation, having taxied the aircraft to the gate and
shut off the engines. Suddenly, ground crew members noticed flames emanating from one of the engines
and promptly informed air traffic control. The captain, upon being alerted, ordered an emergency evacuation.
Miraculously, all passengers and crew managed to evacuate the aircraft through the four hatches using
slides, just moments before the plane exploded. The pilots, having ensured everyone’s safety, exited through
the cockpit window. Despite the harrowing experience, only minor injuries were reported.

The on-site investigation revealed that fuel had leaked from a puncture hole in a slat’s track. Further inquiry
uncovered that an incorrectly installed bolt in the right-wing of the aircraft’s slat down-stop had worked itself
loose. The bolt had been torqued without the requisite washer during scheduled maintenance six weeks
prior. Consequently, the nut came loose, causing the entire down-stop assembly to detach and fall onto the
slat-can assembly track during ground movement.

As the slat retracted, it pushed the detached assembly, eventually forcing the downstop bolt through the
slat-can wall, puncturing the fuel tank. The leaking fuel ignited upon contact with high-temperature areas on
the right engine, leading to the fire and explosions.

Shockingly, the cause of this near-disaster was traced back to a single missing washer, which was found
lying just below the opening in the wing forward spar.

In the aftermath of the incident, the Republic of China Civil Aeronautics Administration grounded the entire
fleet of Boeing 737-800s operated by China Airlines, Mandarin Airlines, and the Republic of China Air Force
for fuel system inspections. The Japanese Civil Aviation Bureau followed suit, requesting inspections of
aircraft of the same type operated by Japanese carriers.

Tokyo’s Boundary House Built Using Only Nuts and Bolts

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Tsamouris, the Fastener Specialists©

“Boundary House” in Tokyo, is a residential construction designed by Niji Architects, built exclusively with
lightweight steel and assembled using only nuts and bolts. This prefabricated home showcases the potential
of modular and sustainable construction.

The steel frame, made from light gauged section (LGS) lipped channels, was cut, drilled, and fitted with joint
hardware in a factory before being transported to the site. Once the foundation was ready, the prefabricated
components were simply bolted together, significantly reducing construction time and labor costs.

The home’s lightweight steel frame eliminated the need for pile foundations, further reducing build costs.
The floor, walls, and roof consist of panels strong enough to be directly fastened, eliminating the need for
backing materials.

To ensure privacy in an area flanked by empty lots, Niji Architects strategically placed windows above and
below, creating a comfortable and rhythmic living space with a tranquil, secluded bedroom.

At Tsamouris, we support the growing need of modular and sustainable building practices.