The Scientists from Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) and University of Vigo (UVigo) have suffered an advance remarkable in its investigations. They’re discovering why these steel truss bridges are so resilient to catastrophic events such as earthquakes and impacts. Published in Nature, their findings provide critical context. These findings can help stop the continued crumbling of critical infrastructure that are huge pieces of the transport networks that every country depends on.
The study, identified with DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09300-8, specifically investigated the latent resistance mechanisms of steel truss bridges. Their goal was to find out what makes these bridges resistant and able to withstand the most extreme conditions and not fall. This is especially important because when they fail it can be deadly—and costly.
According to José M. Adam, researcher of the ICITECH Institute of UPV, this study could not be more timely. As his testimony reiterated, climate change and an escalation of complex natural disasters means we need to be much more educated about the state of our structures.
Insights from Nature
The research team developed a three-dimensional finite element model to test various damage scenarios. This successful model proved effective in demonstrating how steel truss bridges can still perform well, even beyond a point of critical failure. By comparing their findings with a previous study on spider webs published in Nature in 2012, the researchers established parallels between the adaptive behavior of spider webs and steel truss bridges.
“This time, we have learned from spider webs, whose behavior is similar to steel truss bridges. We have demonstrated this by comparing our work with another study published in Nature in 2012, which focused precisely on spider webs,” – José M. Adam
Adam broadened the focus of this research, underscoring what increased connectivity could mean for infrastructure safety. He stated,
“All this with one fundamental objective: improving the safety of these infrastructures, which are so important and widespread in transport networks. And the key lies, once again, in nature; last year, we discovered how to prevent buildings from collapsing in the event of an extreme event by imitating lizards.”
Researching spider webs offers important lessons. They expose that seriously damaged steel truss bridges can still carry loads well beyond their normal load capacity under normal operation conditions.
“We have shown that, just as spider webs can adapt and continue to trap prey after suffering damage, damaged steel truss bridges may still be able to withstand loads even greater than those they bear under normal conditions of use and not collapse,” – José M. Adam
Economic Implications
Failure of steel truss bridges can have deep consequences beyond safety tragedies. The resulting economic losses from bridge closures can amount to millions of euros per day. Considering their ubiquity in our transport networks, safeguarding their integrity is critical for public welfare and economic resilience.
Carlos Lázaro, principal investigator of the Pont3 sub-project at UPV, highlighted the importance of comprehending these mechanisms.
“Thanks to this, we can understand how they can continue to bear loads after the initial failure of an element,” – Carlos Lázaro
The research team’s findings will help make the safety measures for these types of bridges more effective. By stopping these dangerous collapses during disastrous circumstances, they want to lessen the human and economic toll from bridges that fail.
Future Directions
As climate change increasingly threatens our infrastructure with new hazards, the demand for greater safety is required and clearer than ever. Belén Riveiro, researcher, Center for Research in Technology, Energy and Industrial Processes at UVigo. She passionately emphasized this point.
“In addition, in the face of increasingly intense and unpredictable natural events and environmental changes that are accelerating the deterioration of bridges, it is essential to ensure that these structures do not collapse after a local failure. In this regard, we have made progress in our study,” – Belén Riveiro
The research offers a promising outlook on improving the resilience of steel truss bridges, essential for maintaining safe and efficient transport networks. This partnership between UPV and UVigo is a shining example of how interdisciplinary, integrative approaches can push the field of engineering and public safety forward in truly impactful directions.