I recall the first time that I saw the famous movie of the windy November morning in 1940 when the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, connecting Tacoma and the Kitsap Peninsula across Puget Sound in Washington, tore itself to pieces. There she was, “Galloping Gertie” as the bridge was known, wildly bucking and twisting in a 40 mph (60 km/h) wind. Then, suddenly, in a matter of only a few seconds, the third-longest suspension bridge ever built at the time was no more! To this day, the Tacoma Narrows Bridge remains a textbook example of engineering gone wrong. Structures are subject to vibrations, and if you aren’t careful, those vibrations can spell big trouble.
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