--- title: Why Did the I-40 Memphis Bridge Fail? description: The I-40 bridge into Memphis failed at the welded joints. image: https://blog.hickstrailers.com/hubfs/I-40-bridge-Memphis.jpg --- [![Hicks Trailers](https://blog.hickstrailers.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Email%20Signature%20Logo.png?width=96&height=26&name=Email%20Signature%20Logo.png "Hicks Trailers")](https://www.hickstrailers.com/) ![](https://blog.hickstrailers.com/hubfs/Website/Assets/close%20icon.svg) ### Subscribe to our blog updates # Why Did the I-40 Memphis Bridge Fail? May 19, 2021 ![](https://blog.hickstrailers.com/hubfs/I-40-bridge-Memphis.jpg) [![](https://blog.hickstrailers.com/hubfs/Website/Assets/cta%20arrow%20copy%204.svg)Back to blog](https://blog.hickstrailers.com/aluminum-end-dump-and-aggregate-hauling-industry-solutions) [![Share on Facebook](https://blog.hickstrailers.com/hubfs/Website/Assets/facebook-1.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.hickstrailers.com%2Faluminum-end-dump-and-aggregate-hauling-industry-solutions%2Fhow-can-i-make-more-money-hauling-aggregates-0-0-0%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on LinkedIn](https://blog.hickstrailers.com/hubfs/Website/Assets/linkedin-in-brands-1.svg)](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.hickstrailers.com%2Faluminum-end-dump-and-aggregate-hauling-industry-solutions%2Fhow-can-i-make-more-money-hauling-aggregates-0-0-0%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dlinkedin) [![Share on Twitter](https://blog.hickstrailers.com/hubfs/Website/Assets/twitter-1.svg)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.hickstrailers.com%2Faluminum-end-dump-and-aggregate-hauling-industry-solutions%2Fhow-can-i-make-more-money-hauling-aggregates-0-0-0%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.hickstrailers.com%2Faluminum-end-dump-and-aggregate-hauling-industry-solutions%2Fhow-can-i-make-more-money-hauling-aggregates-0-0-0%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Why%20Did%20the%20I-40%20Memphis%20Bridge%20Fail%3F) Know what Forest Gump would say about welding? It’s like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna to get. The I-40 bridge into Memphis found out. The weld separated on the box beam, and the bottom member fatigued. Notice that it didn’t fail in the highest stress area where the beam meets the gussets. No weld there, only bolts. [Read the *Associated Press* article here.](https://apnews.com/article/tn-state-wire-mississippi-river-0ced0d0a908b2b7b91ce693f45b0d7aa) Subject to many variables. Besides weakening the metal, welding is subject to many variables. Too many. The results are connections that are never the same. Temperature, contaminants, weld speed, weld position, gases, etc. all make the strength of the connection impossible to predict. That leaves a good chance of a failure down the road. Welding is a last resort. It is easy to hold two components together and weld them. Mechanically fastening (bolting or riveting) requires more engineering and assembly time. But, the metal isn’t weakened and the variables for quality are minimal. Good thing they didn’t weld the gussets and beams on this bridge. It would have failed a long time ago. Nobody would drive over a bridge assembled by welding. Nobody would drive a truck with a welded frame. Next time you buy an aluminum dump trailer, consider the only one built without welds; an entire body constructed with Huck bolts and rivets. You’ll know what you’re getting. [![Hicks T6 39-Footer](https://blog.hickstrailers.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Hicks%20T6%2039-Footer.jpg?width=700&name=Hicks%20T6%2039-Footer.jpg)](https://www.hickstrailers.com) Check out our bolted vs. welded demonstration.   [![Get a Quote](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/4809835/9a3ce4d1-2015-46d6-99cf-4e7a47c406be.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/4809835/9a3ce4d1-2015-46d6-99cf-4e7a47c406be)   #### Subscribe to get the latest posts direct to your mailbox [Subscribe](https://blog.hickstrailers.com/aluminum-end-dump-and-aggregate-hauling-industry-solutions/how-can-i-make-more-money-hauling-aggregates-0-0-0#subscribe) ### Related posts [ January 27, 2022 #### Want an Aluminum End Dump that Pays for Itself? Read now ](https://blog.hickstrailers.com/aluminum-end-dump-and-aggregate-hauling-industry-solutions/want-low-maintenance-weight-lead-time-and-max-strength-payload-our-customers-say) [ May 05, 2022 #### Hicks Proudly Introduces The Weld-Free, Aluminum Hicks Dump Body Read now ](https://blog.hickstrailers.com/aluminum-end-dump-and-aggregate-hauling-industry-solutions/hicks-proudly-introduces-our-latest-patented-design-the-weld-free-aluminum-hicks-dump-body) [ May 19, 2022 #### Tired of Welding Cracks in the Subframe of Your Aluminum Dump Trailer? Check out Hicks Patented, Weld-Free Subframe. Read now ](https://blog.hickstrailers.com/aluminum-end-dump-and-aggregate-hauling-industry-solutions/are-you-tired-of-welding-cracks-in-the-subframe-of-your-aluminum-dump-trailer) [ July 01, 2023 #### Finance Your Trailer and Make Buying Easy! Read now ](https://blog.hickstrailers.com/aluminum-end-dump-and-aggregate-hauling-industry-solutions/easy-financing-for-your-trailer) [![](https://blog.hickstrailers.com/hubfs/Website/Assets/cta%20arrow%20copy%204.svg)Back to blog](https://blog.hickstrailers.com/aluminum-end-dump-and-aggregate-hauling-industry-solutions) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Hicks Manufacturing, LLC", "url" : "https://blog.hickstrailers.com/aluminum-end-dump-and-aggregate-hauling-industry-solutions/author/hicks-manufacturing-llc" }, "dateModified" : "2025-11-20T22:08:12.500Z", "datePublished" : "2021-05-19T12:58:36.000Z", "headline" : "Why Did the I-40 Memphis Bridge Fail?", "image" : [ "https://blog.hickstrailers.com/hubfs/I-40-bridge-Memphis.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.hickstrailers.com/aluminum-end-dump-and-aggregate-hauling-industry-solutions/how-can-i-make-more-money-hauling-aggregates-0-0-0", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.hickstrailers.com/hubfs/Email%20Signature%20Logo.png" }, "name" : "Hicks Manufacturing" } } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "VideoObject", "contentUrl" : "https://4809835.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/4809835/welding%20vs%20bolting_3.mp4", "dateModified" : "2025-04-09T14:51:36.458Z", "description" : "Bolted vs. Welded Test Demonstration", "duration" : "PT4M56.714S", "height" : 1080, "name" : "Bolted vs. Welded Test Demonstration", "thumbnailUrl" : "https://4809835.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/4809835/welding%20vs%20bolting_3.mp4/medium.jpg?t=1744210296458", "uploadDate" : "2021-03-31T12:09:14.521Z", "width" : 1920 } ```