What is the Bailey Bridge that is constructed after landslides in Wayanad?

July 30 was an unfortunate day for Kerala as deadly landslides hit the Wayanand district in the state. The disaster has costed more than 219 lives as of August 4. Over 206 people are still missing. Soon after the disaster, relief and rescue operattions got started. Army groups have been at work since then, and the National Disaster relief Fund is aiding to ease the situation. The Navy and the Coast Guard too are deployed to help the people.

The rescue operations had been trying hard to save as many lives as possible. However, what seemed to be a problem while doing so was the excessive rains in the area. Heavy rains on top of the disaster added to the woes, creaying great difficulty in movement of materials and people.

In order to combat the trouble, a "Bailey bridge" was created. The bridge was assembled at Chooralmala. The bridge thus constructed was to reach Mundakkao villlage. This village is one of the sites that are the most devastateted by the landslides. It was the Madras Engineer Group of the Indian Army that created the bridge.

Before understanding more about the bridge and the disaster, let us first understand as to what exactly is a bailey bridge.

What exactly is a Bailey Bridge?

A Bailey bridge is a form of a modular bridge. In a bridge like this, the parts of the bridge are pre-built. This means that they require minimal construction work, making the assembly work quicker at the desired location.

The Bailey bridge have been originated in the time of wartime. The Bailey Bridge was invented by an English civil engineer, Donald Coleman Bailey, during the second world war.

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Working of the bridge

As mentioned above, parts of such a bridge are pre-constructed, so that these parts only require assembling. Steel panels that are connected through pins are the pre-constructed parts. These pins are pins are actually huge, screw-like objects, and are useful in creating the guardrails of the bridge.

It is through the guardrails on either side of the bridge, the workers place beams to create the deck of the bridge. The construction of the beams is such that they would lock in on the guardrails of the bridge.

The construction of the bridge is smart in the way that it can be easily extended. The lightness of the parts of the bridge makes it mobile. Such a bridge proves to be helful in warlike or disasterlike situations. The bridge does not require any heavy installation equipment, making it fit for such critical situations. This way, parts of the bridge can be transported with the help of vehicles that are used in the wartime, such as trucks, and can be easily assembled.

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Specifications of the Bailey bridge at the Kerala Wayanand district

The Bailey bridge is of 190-foot. The bridge has proved to be important in the movement of ambulances and heavy machinery. The bridge holds 24 tonnes of weight-carrying capacity. This bridge is to be used until a permanent bridge is constructed in the area.

The Takeaway

Despite the serious challenges being faced at the Wayanand district of Kerala on July 30, the deployment of the Bailey bridge by the Indian Army's Madras Engineer Group has offered crucial support. The modular bridge is popular for its quick assembly and wartime origins. The bridge serves a temporary yet crucial solution at a time of crisis like this until a permanenent bridge can be established.

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