The Tacoma Narrows Bridge CollapseThe 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 Léon Moisseiff and was at the time the third largest suspension bridge in the world with a central span of more than half a mile long. The bridge was very narrow and elegant, giving it a graceful appearance, but this design made it very flexible in the wind. Nicknamed the “Galloping Gertie” because of its hilly behavior, the Tacoma Narrows Bridge has attracted the attention of motorists looking for cheap thrills. Drivers felt like they were riding a roller coaster, as they would disappear from sight in the trough of the wave. On the last day of the bridge's existence, there was clear warning that its destruction was imminent. Not only did it swing up and down, but it twisted from side to side in a corkscrew motion. After hours of this violent movement with winds reaching 40 to 50 miles per hour, the bridge collapsed. Faced with such a catastrophic failure, many people wonder why such a seemingly well-thought-out plan could have failed so badly? (This rhetorical question clearly establishes a position of inquiry that is the basis of all research.) The reason the Tacoma Narrows bridge collapsed is still controversial, but three theories reveal the basis for an engineering explanation. (Jason then directly states what he sees as a possible answer to his question.) The bridge was designed at a time when America was moving toward streamlined products, including bridge design. The Tacoma Narrows Bridge was an elegant and graceful suspension bridge. Suspension bridges are made up of numerous anchored cables...... middle of paper ...... 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, assessment of its demise, and the disaster effects of successive bridge designs [Online] Available: http://www.me.utexas.edu/~uer/papers/paper_jk. htmlO'Connor, C. (1971). Superstructure designs. New York: Wiley and Sons Petroski, H. (1992). Engineering is human. New York: Vintage Books Troitsky, MS (1994). Bridge planning and design. New York: Wiley and SonsWashington State Department of Transportation. (1999). A brief history of "gallopinggertie" [Online]. Available: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/solve16/history.html