The Collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge Essay -- Bridges Engineering

The Collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge The Tacoma Narrows Bridge is perhaps the most notorious failure in the world of engineering. It collapsed on November 7, 1940 just months after its opening on July 1, 1940. It was designed by Leon Moisseiff and at its time it was the third largest suspension bridge in the world with a center span of over half a mile long. The bridge was very narrow and sleek giving it a look of grace, but this design made it very flexible in the wind. Nicknamed the "Galloping Gertie," because of its undulating behavior, the Tacoma Narrows Bridge drew the attention of motorists seeking a cheap thrill. Drivers felt that they were driving on a roller coaster, as they would disappear from sight in the trough of the wave. On the last day of the bridge's existence it gave fair warning that its destruction was eminent. Not only did it oscillate up and down, but twisted side to side in a cork screw motion. After hours of this violent motion with wind speeds reaching forty and fifty miles per hour, the bridge collapsed. With such a catastrophic failure, many people ask why such an apparently well thought out plan could have failed so badly?(This rhetorical question clearly sets up a position of inquiry-which iniates all research.) The reason for the collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge is still controversial, but three theories reveal the basis of an engineering explanation. (Jason then directly asserts what he found to be a possible answer to his question.) The bridge was designed at a time when America was moving toward streamline products, this included the design of bridges. The Tacoma Narrows Bridge was a sleek, graceful looking suspension bridge. Suspension bridges consist of many cables anchored... ... suspension bridges (pp. 13-102). Seattle: University of Washington Press French, C. & Lorentz, T. (1995). Corrosion of reinforcing steel in concrete: Effects of materials, mix composition, and cracking. ACI Materials Journal, 92, 181-190. Koughan,J. (1996, August 1). The collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, evaluation of its demise, and the effects of the disaster of succeeding bridge designs [Online] Available: http://www.me.utexas.edu/~uer/papers/paper_jk.html O'Connor, C. (1971). Designs of superstructures. New York: Wiley and Sons Petroski, H. (1992). To engineer is human. New York: Vintage Books Troitsky, M. S. (1994). Planning and design of bridges. New York: Wiley and Sons Washington State Department of Transportation. (1999). A short history of "galloping gertie" [Online]. Available: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/solve16/history.html The Collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge Essay -- Bridges Engineering The Collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge The Tacoma Narrows Bridge is perhaps the most notorious failure in the world of engineering. It collapsed on November 7, 1940 just months after its opening on July 1, 1940. It was designed by Leon Moisseiff and at its time it was the third largest suspension bridge in the world with a center span of over half a mile long. The bridge was very narrow and sleek giving it a look of grace, but this design made it very flexible in the wind. Nicknamed the "Galloping Gertie," because of its undulating behavior, the Tacoma Narrows Bridge drew the attention of motorists seeking a cheap thrill. Drivers felt that they were driving on a roller coaster, as they would disappear from sight in the trough of the wave. On the last day of the bridge's existence it gave fair warning that its destruction was eminent. Not only did it oscillate up and down, but twisted side to side in a cork screw motion. After hours of this violent motion with wind speeds reaching forty and fifty miles per hour, the bridge collapsed. With such a catastrophic failure, many people ask why such an apparently well thought out plan could have failed so badly?(This rhetorical question clearly sets up a position of inquiry-which iniates all research.) The reason for the collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge is still controversial, but three theories reveal the basis of an engineering explanation. (Jason then directly asserts what he found to be a possible answer to his question.) The bridge was designed at a time when America was moving toward streamline products, this included the design of bridges. The Tacoma Narrows Bridge was a sleek, graceful looking suspension bridge. Suspension bridges consist of many cables anchored... ... suspension bridges (pp. 13-102). Seattle: University of Washington Press French, C. & Lorentz, T. (1995). Corrosion of reinforcing steel in concrete: Effects of materials, mix composition, and cracking. ACI Materials Journal, 92, 181-190. Koughan,J. (1996, August 1). The collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, evaluation of its demise, and the effects of the disaster of succeeding bridge designs [Online] Available: http://www.me.utexas.edu/~uer/papers/paper_jk.html O'Connor, C. (1971). Designs of superstructures. New York: Wiley and Sons Petroski, H. (1992). To engineer is human. New York: Vintage Books Troitsky, M. S. (1994). Planning and design of bridges. New York: Wiley and Sons Washington State Department of Transportation. (1999). A short history of "galloping gertie" [Online]. Available: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/solve16/history.html