Naval Facilities (NAVFAC) Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center (EXWC) partnered with 501(c)(3) nonprofit History Flight to conduct a virtual assessment of the Friendship Bridge, located in South Tarawa within the Republic of Kiribati.
South Tarawa is the capital and hub of the Republic of Kiribati, and home to more than half of Kiribati’s population. In 1943, Tarawa was the site of the first American offensive of World War II in the Pacific.
Sitting on an atoll, South Tarawa is only a few meters above sea level, and is extremely vulnerable to climate change and natural disasters. The effects of rising sea levels and associated soil saturation threaten the landscape and the structures within South Tarawa’s parameters, including the Friendship Bridge.
The Friendship Bridge connects two remote islands within the Republic of Kiribati. Due to travel restrictions from the novel coronavirus, an on-site inspection of the deteriorating bridge was not feasible. Instead, the Navy Bridge Inspection Program conducted a full in-depth assessment of the bridge, using onsite photos taken by members of History Flight.
“The Department of the Navy has been working with the Republic of Kiribati for some time now,” said Mr. Palmer Pinckney, NAVFAC EXWC Public Affairs Officer. “Once the suggested upgrades of the Friendship Bridge assessment are brought to fruition, the people of South Tarawa will inevitably be safer. These collaborative efforts are a direct reflection of the Navy’s mission of supporting our allies of today, while preparing for the innovation of tomorrow.”
The Department of Defense community continues to forward deploy engineers and service personnel to repair portions of the dilapidated substructure and superstructure of the Friendship Bridge until future demolition takes place. For now, the virtual assessment provides professional guidance on whether the substructure of the bridge can be reused for future construction after the Friendship Bridge is dismantled, and outlines risk areas associated with the bridges’ current state.
About Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center (NAVFAC EXWC):
NAVFAC EXWC is a command of more than 1,300 dedicated federal employees, contractors, and military personnel who provide science, research, development, testing, evaluation, specialized engineering, and mobile logistics capabilities to deliver sustainable facility and pragmatic expeditionary solutions to the warfighter.
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For more news from NAVFAC EXWC, please visit https://www.navfac.navy.mil/ or visit us on Facebook @NAVFACEXWC
| Date Taken: | 08.13.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 08.13.2020 17:28 |
| Story ID: | 375953 |
| Location: | SOUTH TARAWA, KI |
| Web Views: | 333 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Republic of Kiribati Friendship Bridge Undergoes Virtual Assessment, by Sarah Lincoln, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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