Ed Workman Wrote:
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> You can build anything
> Only, how much can you afford?
> Do you wanna build 1 bridge or 11?
> It's based on probabilities and making the most of
> resources.
> Most of the bridges will survive.
> Some won't, onnacounta the event, quake or flood,
> was bigger than the probabilities foretold.
> Like say a 500 year flood, assuming you HAD all
> the information required for the 100 year event.
>
> I do wonder what has happened in the canyon since
> 1892, but since then there has been no railroad to
> 'calibrate' the damage.
> Storms tend to be somewhat localized in So CA.
> In 1914 [ and in the 20s etc] LA was flooded
> In 1915 San Diego was hit hard and a dam was wiped
> out.
> In 1938 LA was cut off from everywhere for a bit-
> Soledad and Afton canyons took weeks to fix.
>
> Somewhat related is PTC
> My take is that the costs will outweigh the gains
> - measured by the actuarial value of each human
> life saved, plus property damage avoided. And
> since those "didn't happen" the estimators have
> free reign.
> Lest anyone think human life is not quantifiable
> or quantified on a daily basis- get real.
> Anything will always always always break/fail.
> Lawyers , and politicians, get rich making people
> think life is or can be risk free.

Exactly .