Why is the Tacoma Narrows Bridge important?

The Tacoma Narrows Bridge is the historical name given to the twin suspension bridge—originally built in 1940—that spanned the Tacoma Narrows strait. It was the very first bridge to incorporate a series of plate girders as roadbed support, and the first bridge of its type (cable suspension).

What was the nickname of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge?

Galloping Gertie
The first Tacoma Narrows Bridge, completed and destroyed in 1940, earned the nickname “Galloping Gertie.” We use the “Gertie” label or “1940 Narrows Bridge.” The westbound bridge we drive over today was completed in 1950.

Was anyone killed in the Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse?

Miraculously, no people died, but the bridge did claim a life: Tubby, a three-legged black Cocker Spaniel that remained trapped in his car as the bridge wobbled, then fell. Leonard Coatsworth, a news editor for the Tacoma News Tribune, was driving on the bridge on Nov. 7.

Why did the Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse for kids?

The bridge’s main span collapsed under 40-mile-per-hour (64 km/h) winds on the morning of November 7, 1940. Because of World War II, the bridge could not be built again at that time. The towers and cables of the bridge were still in place.

What type of bridge was the Tacoma Narrows Bridge?

Suspension bridge
Twin bridges
Tacoma Narrows Bridge/Bridge type

Tacoma Narrows Bridge, suspension bridge across the Narrows of Puget Sound, connecting the Olympic Peninsula with the mainland of Washington state, U.S. The original bridge, known colloquially as “Galloping Gertie,” was a landmark failure in engineering history.

What did engineers learn from the Tacoma Narrows Bridge?

“Blind spot” – Design lessons of Gertie’s failure. At the time the 1940 Narrows Bridge failed, the small community of suspension bridge engineers believed that lighter and narrower bridges were theoretically and functionally sound.

When was the original Tacoma Narrows Bridge built?

September 1938Tacoma Narrows Bridge / Construction started

Who built the Tacoma Narrows Bridge 1940?

Leon Moisseiff
Clark Eldridge
Tacoma Narrows Bridge/Architects
The lead designer of the 1940 Tacoma Narrows Bridge, Leon Salomon Moisseiff, was at the peak of his engineering profession when the ill-fated span collapsed into the chilly waters of Puget Sound that November day. Born in 1872 in Latvia, Moisseiff at the age of 19 moved to New York with his parents.

Why did the Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse resonance?

When the wind drives the bridge to oscillate at its natural frequency, we say that they’re in resonance. This causes the oscillations of the bridge to be amplified. In this case, the Tacoma Narrows Bridge’s oscillations were amplified so much and for so long that its structure was not able to withstand the movement.

Did the Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse because of resonance?

The collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge on the morning of November 7, 1940, is the most iconic example of a spectacular bridge failure in modern times. Just four months later, under the right wind conditions, the bridge was driven at its resonant frequency, causing it to oscillate and twist uncontrollably.

How does resonance and waves play a role in the Tacoma bridge disaster?

What is the history of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge?

Tacoma Narrows Bridge. The bridges connect the city of Tacoma with the Kitsap Peninsula and carry State Route 16 (known as Primary State Highway 14 until 1964) over the strait. Historically, the name “Tacoma Narrows Bridge” has applied to the original bridge nicknamed “Galloping Gertie”, which opened in July 1940,…

What was the significance of the Tacoma Bridge collapse?

When the Tacoma Narrows Bridge over Puget Sound in the state of Washington famously collapsed on November 7, 1940, it was captured on film for posterity. The footage became the basis for a textbook example of resonance, which is a standard topic in high school physics.

Why is the Tacoma Narrows Bridge called Galloping Gertie?

Tacoma Narrows Bridge. The original bridge received its nickname “Galloping Gertie” because of the vertical movement of the deck observed by construction workers during windy conditions. The bridge became known for its pitching deck, and collapsed into Puget Sound the morning of November 7, 1940, under high wind conditions.

What kind of girders were used to build the Tacoma Bridge?

Rather than the originally-proposed trusses, the bridge used two narrow plate girders to stiffen the deck, giving the bridge its iconic steel ribbon appearance across the Puget Sound. Unfortunately that analogy extended beyond its appearance.