This project involved the investigation of the catastrophic collapse of the Interstate 40 Bridge over the Arkansas River. The structure has a main navigational channel of 390 feet. A barge which had left the path of the main navigational channel struck the westernmost portion of the bridge, collapsing four spans for a total of 580 feet of structure, destroying two two-column piers and severely damaging a third.

Modjeski and Masters provided investigations, quantitative analysis and written and graphic documentation of the initial cause and subsequent chronology of events leading to the barge collision and catastrophic collapse of the bridge. This included Finite Element Methodology modeling, materials sampling and testing, metallurgic testings and evaluation of the bridge collapse mechanisms for the affected spans.