{"id":38,"date":"2018-03-31T19:58:48","date_gmt":"2018-03-31T23:58:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/engineeringinsociety\/?post_type=chapter&p=38"},"modified":"2022-03-30T22:52:21","modified_gmt":"2022-03-31T02:52:21","slug":"infrastructure-disaster-tacoma-narrows-bridge-1940","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/engineeringinsociety\/chapter\/infrastructure-disaster-tacoma-narrows-bridge-1940\/","title":{"raw":"Infrastructure Disaster - Tacoma Narrows Bridge 1940","rendered":"Infrastructure Disaster – Tacoma Narrows Bridge 1940"},"content":{"raw":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tacoma_Narrows_Bridge_(1940)<\/a>\r\n\r\nThe\u00a01940 Tacoma Narrows Bridge<\/b>, the first\u00a0Tacoma Narrows Bridge<\/a>, was a\u00a0suspension bridge<\/a>\u00a0in the\u00a0U.S.<\/a>\u00a0state of\u00a0Washington<\/a>\u00a0that spanned the\u00a0Tacoma Narrows<\/a>\u00a0strait<\/a>\u00a0of\u00a0Puget Sound<\/a>\u00a0between\u00a0Tacoma<\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0Kitsap Peninsula<\/a>. It opened to traffic on July 1, 1940, and dramatically\u00a0collapsed<\/a>\u00a0into Puget Sound on November 7 of the same year. At the time of its construction (and its destruction), the bridge was the third-longest suspension bridge in the world in terms of main span length, behind the\u00a0Golden Gate Bridge<\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0George Washington Bridge<\/a>.\r\n\r\nConstruction on the bridge began in September 1938. From the time the\u00a0deck<\/a>\u00a0was built, it began to move vertically in windy conditions, which led to construction workers giving the bridge the nickname\u00a0Galloping Gertie<\/b>. The motion was observed even when the bridge opened to the public.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_449\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"768\"]\"\" Opening day of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, Tacoma, Washington, July 1, 1940 Photographer: Unknown Subjects (LCSH): Tacoma Narrows Bridge (Tacoma, Wash. : 1940) Bridges--Washington (State)--Tacoma Narrows Automobiles--Washington (State)--Tacoma Crowds--Washington (State)--Tacoma Tacoma Narrows (Tacoma, Wash.) Straits--Washington (State)--Tacoma Digital Collection: Tacoma Narrows Bridge Collection content.lib.washington.edu\/farquharsonweb\/index.html Item Number: FAR008 Persistent URL: content.lib.washington.edu\/u?\/farquharson,13 Visit Special Collections reproductions and rights page for information on ordering a copy. University of Washington Libraries. Digital Collections content.lib.washington.edu\/[\/caption]\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nSeveral measures aimed at stopping the motion were ineffective, and the bridge's main span finally collapsed under 40-mile-per-hour (64\u00a0km\/h) wind conditions the morning of November 7, 1940.\r\n\r\nFollowing the collapse, the United States' involvement in\u00a0World War II<\/a>\u00a0delayed plans to replace the bridge. The portions of the bridge still standing after the collapse, including the towers and cables, were dismantled and sold as scrap metal. Nearly 10 years after the collapse, a\u00a0new Tacoma Narrows Bridge<\/a>\u00a0opened in the same location, using the original bridge's tower pedestals and cable anchorages. The portion of the bridge that fell into the water now serves as an\u00a0artificial reef<\/a>.\r\n\r\nThe bridge's collapse had a lasting effect on science and engineering. In many\u00a0physics<\/a>\u00a0textbooks, the event is presented as an example of elementary forced\u00a0resonance<\/a>; the bridge collapsed because high speed winds produced\u00a0aeroelastic flutter<\/a>\u00a0that matched the bridge's natural frequency.[1]<\/a><\/sup>\u00a0The collapse boosted research into bridge aerodynamics-aeroelastics, which has influenced the designs of all later long-span bridges.\r\n\r\nHere is some footage from British Path\u00e9\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/www.britishpathe.com\/<\/a>\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/XggxeuFDaDU\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ","rendered":"

https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tacoma_Narrows_Bridge_(1940)<\/a><\/p>\n

The\u00a01940 Tacoma Narrows Bridge<\/b>, the first\u00a0Tacoma Narrows Bridge<\/a>, was a\u00a0suspension bridge<\/a>\u00a0in the\u00a0U.S.<\/a>\u00a0state of\u00a0Washington<\/a>\u00a0that spanned the\u00a0Tacoma Narrows<\/a>\u00a0strait<\/a>\u00a0of\u00a0Puget Sound<\/a>\u00a0between\u00a0Tacoma<\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0Kitsap Peninsula<\/a>. It opened to traffic on July 1, 1940, and dramatically\u00a0collapsed<\/a>\u00a0into Puget Sound on November 7 of the same year. At the time of its construction (and its destruction), the bridge was the third-longest suspension bridge in the world in terms of main span length, behind the\u00a0Golden Gate Bridge<\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0George Washington Bridge<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Construction on the bridge began in September 1938. From the time the\u00a0deck<\/a>\u00a0was built, it began to move vertically in windy conditions, which led to construction workers giving the bridge the nickname\u00a0Galloping Gertie<\/b>. The motion was observed even when the bridge opened to the public.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Opening day of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, Tacoma, Washington, July 1, 1940 Photographer: Unknown Subjects (LCSH): Tacoma Narrows Bridge (Tacoma, Wash. : 1940) Bridges–Washington (State)–Tacoma Narrows Automobiles–Washington (State)–Tacoma Crowds–Washington (State)–Tacoma Tacoma Narrows (Tacoma, Wash.) Straits–Washington (State)–Tacoma Digital Collection: Tacoma Narrows Bridge Collection content.lib.washington.edu\/farquharsonweb\/index.html Item Number: FAR008 Persistent URL: content.lib.washington.edu\/u?\/farquharson,13 Visit Special Collections reproductions and rights page for information on ordering a copy. University of Washington Libraries. Digital Collections content.lib.washington.edu\/<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Several measures aimed at stopping the motion were ineffective, and the bridge’s main span finally collapsed under 40-mile-per-hour (64\u00a0km\/h) wind conditions the morning of November 7, 1940.<\/p>\n

Following the collapse, the United States’ involvement in\u00a0World War II<\/a>\u00a0delayed plans to replace the bridge. The portions of the bridge still standing after the collapse, including the towers and cables, were dismantled and sold as scrap metal. Nearly 10 years after the collapse, a\u00a0new Tacoma Narrows Bridge<\/a>\u00a0opened in the same location, using the original bridge’s tower pedestals and cable anchorages. The portion of the bridge that fell into the water now serves as an\u00a0artificial reef<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The bridge’s collapse had a lasting effect on science and engineering. In many\u00a0physics<\/a>\u00a0textbooks, the event is presented as an example of elementary forced\u00a0resonance<\/a>; the bridge collapsed because high speed winds produced\u00a0aeroelastic flutter<\/a>\u00a0that matched the bridge’s natural frequency.[1]<\/a><\/sup>\u00a0The collapse boosted research into bridge aerodynamics-aeroelastics, which has influenced the designs of all later long-span bridges.<\/p>\n

Here is some footage from British Path\u00e9<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.britishpathe.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n