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

The afford of the Tacoma Narrows couplet The Tacoma Narrows Bridge is perhaps the most notorious failure in the world of engineering. It collapsed on November 7, 1940 and months after its opening on July 1, 1940. It was designed by Leon Moisseiff and at its cartridge holder it was the third largest fault link in the world with a center span of over half a mile long. The bridge was real narrow and sleek giving it a look of grace, hardly 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 vaporise from sight in the trough of the wave. On the last day of the bridges existence it gave fair warning that its destruction was eminent. Not only did it oscillate up and down, but twisted align to side in a cork screw motion. After hours of this violent motion with wind s peeds reaching forty and fifty miles per hour, the bridge collapsed. With such a harmful failure, many people ask why such an apparently well thought out plan could have failed so badly?(This rhetorical call into 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 fracture the basis of an engineering explanation. (Jason thusly 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 contour 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 defendFrench, C. & Lorentz, T. (1995). Corrosion of reinforcing steel in concrete Effects of materials, mix composition, and cracking. ACI Materi als 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 come through bridge designs OnlineAvailable http//www.me.utexas.edu/uer/ paper/paper_jk.html OConnor, C. (1971). Designs of superstructures. New York Wiley and SonsPetroski, H. (1992). To engineer is human. New York Vintage Books Troitsky, M. S. (1994). Planning and design of bridges. New York Wiley and SonsWashington State Department of Transportation. (1999). A presently history of galloping gertie Online. Available http//www.wsdot.wa.gov/solve16/history.html The Collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge Essay -- Bridges EngineeringThe 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 la rgest 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 bridges 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 th e 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 PressFrench, 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 OnlineAvailable http//www.me.utexas.edu/uer/papers/paper_jk.html OConnor, C. (1971). Designs of superstructures. New York Wiley an d SonsPetroski, H. (1992). To engineer is human. New York Vintage Books Troitsky, M. S. (1994). Planning and design of bridges. New York Wiley and SonsWashington State Department of Transportation. (1999). A short history of galloping gertie Online. Available http//www.wsdot.wa.gov/solve16/history.html