search
Arecibo
Trends
- 1Zinc creep blamed for Arecibo telescope collapse▼Zinc creep in cable spelter sockets brought down the Arecibo telescope in 2020
A new analysis attributes the 2020 collapse of the Arecibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico to zinc creep in the cable spelter sockets that anchored its support cables. Over time the zinc slipped within the sockets, weakening connections until one cable failed, triggering a chain reaction that brought down the platform. Engineers are discussing whether similar creep could affect other large cable-supported structures.