The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has begun construction on a groundbreaking new bridge design that engineers believe will offer greater resilience against earthquakes. 

Tom Baker, WSDOT Bridge and Structures Engineer, explains that the key is the combination of shape-memory alloy (SMA) rebar and engineered cementitious composite (ECC), which create bridge columns that are designed to flex back into place after a strong earthquake. 

"In the past the paradigm has been 'don't collapose'. When we're designing for the future, we can be designing for no damage," he says. 

Watch the video to find out more.