natural frequency

[Tjerk12]

Searching for some things I discovered a movie clip that I have first seen when I went to the university in 1970. It was then shown to demonstrate the danger of natural frequency of constructions.
It is not sexy, but absolutely amazing to see what wind can do with a giant bridge.
It did the Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse in November 7, 1940.

Maybe this video is still shown at school, but for the ones who didn't see it, watch and shiver.

 

[bafm]

We are so small in front of Mother Nature!

 

[jeansGuyOZ]

Every physics student has seen this video. For many of us it was the first thing presented at the first physics lecture of the course. If the authority that built this bridge had been able to charge royalties for the clip, they would have made enough money to pay for the reconstruction many times over.

I'd also lay bets that many people who would never otherwise have heard of Tacoma or known where it is have made a "pilgrimage" there to see the site. I wonder if there is a tourist shop selling tacky souvenirs consisting of little model bridges that sway in time to a musical box rendition of "Blowin' In the Wind"?

 

[gb2000ie]

I think everyone who'd ever studied engineering has seen this video over and over and over again - we all know to fear the natural frequency of things

B.

 

[bobbie7430]

ye ye