Tacoma narrows bridge collapse sound version standard 4. 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. Luckily, no one died, but my physics teachers made this event into an. Another driveby look from the narrows waterway at the tacoma side of gertie s remains. It collapsed on november 7, 1940 just months after its opening on july 1, 1940. The tacoma narrows bridge is a pair of twin suspension bridges that span the tacoma. This documentary took second place at nationals in national history day 2007 in the junior group division. Tacoma narrows bridge collapse color video youtube. The tumultuous tacoma narrows the tacoma narrows bridge, spanning across the puget sound, in washington, america. Collapse of the tacoma narrows bridge american physical society. Tacoma narrows bridge bridge, washington, united states. Tacoma narrows bridge funsite whats new recent updates.
Many papers, also online, can be perused for more answers to the why question. The tacoma narrows bridge opened to traffic on july 1, 1940 and collapsed into puget sound on november 7 of the same year. Seventynine years ago, the tacoma narrows bridge collapsed into puget sound during a windstorm. The fact that engineers still argue about the precise cause of the galloping gertie s collapse is testimony to the extraordinary complexity of natural phenomena. As a result of its design, the tacoma narrows bridge experienced rolling undulations which were driven by the wind. Dec 09, 2006 watch the amazing gallopin gertie november 7, 1940 film clip. Lessons from the failure of a great machine how galloping gertie collapsed left us a lasting design legacy. Tacoma narrows bridge collapse gallopin gertie youtube. Tacoma narrows bridge funsite galloping gertie scale model. These photos are private property, and may not be copied nor duplicated in any form or part without expressed written permission. The first tacoma narrows bridge opened to traffic on july 1, 1940.
The portion of the bridge that fell into the water now serves as an artificial reef. The narrows bridge, which spanned the tacoma narrows strait between tacoma and the kitsap peninsula in washington state, was conceived with a design flaw that caused it. Tacoma narrows bridge collapses on november 7, 1940 kirotv. Only four months later, the great spans short life ended in disaster as the 1940 tacoma narrows bridge, also known as galloping gertie, collapsed in a windstorm on november 7, 1940. At the time it was the third longest suspension bridge in the world, just behind the golden gate bridge and the george washington bridge. It collapsed just four months later during a 42mileperhour wind storm on nov. Tacoma narrows bridge 1940 simple english wikipedia. May 24, 2018 i remember seeing the galloping gertie tacoma narrows bridge collapse in a physics class in high school, lucy walker told the atlantic, and the surprising image of something as. Construction began on november 23, 1938, and was finished a little over a. 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. The collapse of the tacoma narrows bridge the tacoma narrows bridge is perhaps the most notorious failure in the world of engineering. The tacoma narrows bridge is famous for collapsing in a spectacular fashion during a windstorm.
Howard clifford running off the bridge as it collapsed unable to withstand the increasingly brutal torsional twisting, a number of galloping gerties suspender cables snapped, shifting the weight of the deck onto the remaining cables. It was designed by leon moisseiff and at its time it was the third largest suspension. Watch the amazing gallopin gertie november 7, 1940 film clip. Excepts from footage depicting the construction and use of the tacoma narrows bridge. The new bridge is four lanes wide and has open grid sides instead of solid ibeams.
World war ii and the resulting shortage of steel delayed construction of another tacoma narrows bridge. Its one of the millions of unique, usergenerated 3d experiences created on roblox. Film of gerties collapse is available online, as are pictures of the undulating, twisting roadway. After the various studies of the collapse, a new suspension bridge was constructed at the same location. Initially, 35 mile per hour winds excited the bridge s transverse vibration mode, with an amplitude of 1. The narrows bridge, which spanned the tacoma narrows strait between tacoma and the kitsap peninsula in washington state, was conceived with a design flaw that caused it to roll and sway in high winds. He noted wind speed and the size and shape of galloping gerties. A look back at the insane tacoma narrows bridge collapse. Tacoma narrows bridge, first suspension bridge across the narrows of puget sound, connecting the olympic peninsula with the mainland of washington state, u. There were numerous eyewitness accounts of galloping gerties collapse. The construction and destruction of the first tacoma narrows bridge affected tacoma in physical and social terms at the time, as the great depression was. During the collapse, the main suspension cables were thrown violently side to side, twisted, and tossed 100 feet into the air. Initially, 35 mile per hour winds excited the bridges transverse vibration mode, with an amplitude of 1. Immediately upon its opening it began swaying in the wind, which earned it the nickname galloping gertie.
The worlds third largest suspension bridge, the latest and most advanced in its sleek design, was a twisted tangle of steel and broken concrete. Only later, in the autumn of 1940 about the time of the collapse, did the nickname galloping gertie make it into the newspapers. The collapse of the tacoma narrows bridge essay 2336. In november 1940, the tacoma narrows bridge collapsed due to a combination of high winds and poor construction. Construction started in late 1938 and proceeded at breakneck speed.
Today, the 1940 tacoma narrows bridges failure continues to advance the scientific method. Tacoma narrows bridge tacoma, washington atlas obscura. The only life lost was the dog in barney elliotts video, who drowned inside his owners car after it tumbled into puget sound. The original bridge received its nickname galloping gertie because of the vertical. At a ceremony at tacomas war memorial park, the american society of civil. Its main span collapsed into the tacoma narrows four months later on november 7, 1940, at 11. Today i found out the only victim of the tacoma narrows, galloping gertie, bridge collapse was a three legged dog the three legged dog in question was a black cocker spaniel left in the back seat of the lone car abandoned on the galloping bridge. Today, the 1940 tacoma narrows bridge s failure continues to advance the scientific method. Pacific time as a result of aeroelastic flutter caused by a 42 mph 68 kmh wind.
In 1998, the tacoma narrows bridge collapse was selected for preservation in the united states national film registry by the library of congress as being culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant. Tacoma lost more than just a bridge the day galloping gertie. It was opened on october 14, 1950, and has not displayed any of the interesting oscillatory properties of the first bridge. Four months after its opening, on the morning of november 7, 1940, in a wind of about 42. Safely back at the toll plaza, i saw the bridge in its final collapse and saw my car plunge into the narrows.
The collapse of the tacoma narrows bridge essay 2336 words. Also covers galloping gerties creation, subsequent studies involving its aerodynamics, and finally the construction of a second bridge spanning the narrows. In november, 1940, the newly completed tacoma narrows bridge, opened barely four months before, swayed and collapsed in a 42 mileperhour wind. Colour footage of the tacoma narrows bridge duration. The collapse of the twisting suspension bridge is one of the most.
The original tacoma narrows bridge design by clark eldridge was pretty. Tacoma narrows bridge 1940 simple english wikipedia, the. This is a classic example of a standing wave which gets created in a material from small periodic disturbances the wind. Michael sullivan talks about the 1940 tacoma narrows bridge collapse and its effects on the study of bridge design and civil engineering cspans local content vehicles lcvs made a stop in. Even during the construction of the original tacoma narrows bridge, the deck would go up and down by several feet with the slightest breeze. Tacoma lost more than just a bridge the day galloping. University of washington libraries digital collection tacoma narrows bridge collection more than 152 images and text documenting the infamous collapse in 1940 of the tacoma narrows bridge. They would wait until the wind was right, drive up to tacoma narrows, then wait in line to ride. Check out tacoma narrows bridge collapse gallopin gertie. Successcreating the narrows bridge, 19371940 galloping gertie collapses, november 7, 1940. Tacoma narrows bridge collapse video featuring kate rushins. Bert farqujarson, ruby jacox and winfield brown provided accounts, excerpts of which are included on the tacoma narrows bridge website.
An engineers perspective on the tacoma narrows bridge collapse. The official cause cited for the collapse was aeroelastic flutter. Science busts the biggest myth ever about why bridges collapse. An example of resonance waves in structures, remove ads. In 1998, the tacoma narrows bridge collapse was selected for preservation in the united states national film registry by the library.
Tacoma narrows bridge collapse gallopin gertie roblox. Includes scenes of workers, cables and cars driving on the bridge. This is a littleknown, but important part of the narrows bridge project. The tacoma narrows bridge was built in washington during the 1930s and opened to traffic on july 1, 1940. A new tacoma bridge was built in 1950, consisting of a wider roadway and features designed to secure the bridge more firmly during wind storms. Construction workers on the span chewed on lemon wedges to stop their motion sickness. The tacoma narrows bridge funsite scale model of 1940. The collapse of the tacoma narrows bridge duration.
Mar 28, 2018 the portion of the bridge that fell into the water now serves as an artificial reef. Galloping gertie the collapse of the tacoma narrows bridge. I remember seeing the galloping gertie tacoma narrows bridge collapse in a physics class in high school, lucy walker told the atlantic, and the surprising image of something as. The footage proved to be extremely valuable for scientific study of the bridge s failure.
Tacomas famous failed bridge, galloping gertie, has had more than its share of bad press since its spectacular collapse into the tacoma narrows 72 years ago. The tacoma bridge is built, with some amazing and exciting footage of men dangling from cages to put the beast together, after a of course pompous bridge. But the tacoma narrows bridge collapse stayed with eldridge. A look back at the insane tacoma narrows bridge collapse video. The 1940 tacoma narrows bridge, the first tacoma narrows bridge, was a suspension bridge.
Search, discover and share your favorite tacoma narrows bridge gifs. The footage proved to be extremely valuable for scientific study of the bridges failure. Jul 19, 2012 galloping gertie the collapse of the tacoma narrows bridge examines the creation and demise of the original tacoma narrows bridge. Failure strong winds caused the bridge to collapse on november 7, 1940. The fact that engineers still argue about the precise cause of the galloping gerties collapse is testimony to the extraordinary complexity of natural phenomena. Mar 16, 2016 only four months later, the great spans short life ended in disaster as the 1940 tacoma narrows bridge, also known as galloping gertie, collapsed in a windstorm on november 7, 1940. Suspension bridges tacoma narrows bridge the over confidence in design, and lack of proper awareness of earlier problems eventually resulted in the classic failure of the tacoma narrows bridge in the usa in 1940. Tacoma narrows bridge collapse video featuring kate rushin. It was the third longest suspension bridge in the world, falling in just behind the george washington bridge and the eponymous golden gate. Apr 14, 2017 the tacoma narrows bridge came down on nov. Galloping gertie the collapse of the tacoma narrows bridge examines the creation and demise of the original tacoma narrows bridge. The tacoma narrows bridge is a pair of twin suspension bridges that span the tacoma narrows strait of puget sound in pierce county, washington. The tacoma narrows bridge funsite 1940 galloping gertie images.
Even during the construction of the original tacoma narrows bridge, the deck. Tacoma narrows bridge learning from building failures. In early 1940, engineers and construction workers put the finishing touches on what was to be the the longest manmade span in the us, and the thirdlongest in the world. The first modern major suspension bridges was thomas telfords menai strait suspension bridge completed in 1825. The footage became the basis for a textbook example of resonance, which is a standard topic in high school physics. At first, the bridges deck began to experience vertical moment as a result of severe winds. A rescue was attempted by the man with the pipe, but the frightened animal would not leave the car. In this footage, the bridge can be seen literally waving and twisting for several minutes before finally collapsing into puget sound. In this lesson, youll dive into the physics of this collapse by learning about resonance frequency. The only victim of the tacoma narrows bridge collapse was. Tacoma narrows bridge collapse gallopin gertie pearltrees.
The tacoma bridge is built, with some amazing and exciting footage of men dangling from cages to put the beast together, after a of course pompous bridge opening ceremony, disaster strikes, as the bridge starts weaving to and fro, its still pretty incredible to see such footage today. 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. Reason one of the more spectacular engineering disasters to have been caught on film, this clip is a minor classic in its own right. Produced by koyo kim and raluca ifrim for national history day. It was the engineers field office located about 1 mile from the bridge.
The tacoma narrows bridge also known as galloping gertie is a wellknown and welldocumented suspension bridge failure that occurred on november 7, 1940 at approximately 11am, four months after the bridge was first opened to the public. The original, 5,939footlong tacoma narrows bridge, popularly known as galloping gertie, opened to traffic on july 1, 1940 after two years of construction, linking tacoma and gig harbor. There were no casualties except a dog trapped in a car stranded on the bridge. Nov 05, 2019 the tacoma narrows bridge collapses due to high winds on november 7, 1940. Four different cameramen captured galloping gerties spectacular collapse on motion picture film. Its main span collapsed into the tacoma narrows four months later on november 7, 1940. The primary explanation of galloping gerties failure is described as torsional flutter. Apr 07, 2017 this is a classic example of a standing wave which gets created in a material from small periodic disturbances the wind. Howard clifford, leonard coatsworth, clark eldridge, f. They set their cameras on the bridge itself and nearby on the shore. Tacoma narrows bridge collapse color video duration.
135 1480 808 1381 1591 1512 1 1361 1539 1490 284 1122 1515 992 243 1559 1357 1528 39 608 417 444 1435 639 111 202 54 1134 577 939 1132 1091