It is so hot in the United Kingdom that they have started wrapping their bridges in aluminum foil.

A 135-year-old Victorian bridge wrapped in aluminum foil to try to prevent it from overheating and cracking. This is the result of an unprecedented heatwave in the United Kingdom that has turned a country unprepared for the heat upside down. A climatic phenomenon that is expected to break all temperature records in its history.

No one is spared from the heatwave. In fact, temperatures of up to 38°C are forecast for London and 40°C for the rest of the country. This would bethe highest temperature ever recorded in the UK, where the Met Office has issued a "red warning for exceptional heat" for the first time in history.

To remedy potential structural problems that could arise from the heat, engineers in the city of London have installed a silver insulation sheet on the chains of Hammersmith Bridge to reflect the sun. Not only that, butthey havealsoimplemented a cooling system thatruns throughout the night. The aim is to keep the bridge's pedestals safe so that it can remain open to the public.

The situation is as follows: the bridge has four pedestal chains that are anchored to the riverbed. These chains that support it are kept at 13°C, butif for any reason they reach 18°C, the authorities would close the bridge due to a possible structural hazard, according to the engineers' council. "Public safety is our top priority," explained Sebastian Springer, who is leading the project.

This aluminum sheet is part of a "pioneering temperature control system" valued at €450,000, designed exclusively tokeep the bridge at a "safe temperature." In reality, the problems go back a long way. In 2020, the structure was completely closed during the month of August after high temperatures widened microfractures in its pedestals during a heatwave.

In addition, it should be mentioned that Hammersmith Bridge, which dates back to 1887 (it is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the world), is also one of the most expensive to repair, with an estimated cost of 130 million. The Ministry of Transport itself has already warned that it will not pay more than a third of the total repair costs. And, so far, the first phase has already cost £8.9 million: just to stabilize those heat cracks. We will see how the bridge fares when temperature records are broken.