http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2008/12/03/science_at_work Comments On: Science at Work! by Paul Constant en-us Copyright 2009 The Stranger. All rights reserved. This RSS file is offered to individuals, The Stranger readers, and non-commercial organizations only. Any commercial websites wishing to use this RSS file, please contact The Stranger. webmaster@thestranger.com (The Stranger Webmaster) Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:01 -0800 Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:30:00 -0800 Foundation http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss
So, no over-engineering problem, just a stupid contractor. An earlier version of the Hood Canal Bridge sank for similar reasons, so there simply no excuse. But it sure was entertaining to watch on my TV.
Posted by Greg Barnes]]> Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:47:30 -0800 The Stranger Posted by princeofspace]]> Wed, 03 Dec 2008 20:46:25 -0800 The Stranger
Frankly, it wasn't poor engineering as much as trying to cut corners with new (and unproven) theories.


Posted by Medina]]> Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:43:16 -0800 The Stranger
Calling the Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse a case of "poor engineering" is slightly misleading. The engineers on that bridge did everyting right "by the book". The problem was that "the book" for civil engineering at the time didn't consider dynamic stresses. Only wing desigeners worried about them at the time, and they had never caused any structural failures before.

Of course, you could call any engineering that doesn't account for all the physics "poor", but the connotation to the lay reader is different. And no, neither I nor my relatives worked on that bridge. I'm just clarifying for the record.
Posted by David Wright]]> Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:26:14 -0800 The Stranger
Clearly, this isn't as much as "Doh" moment as the over-engineering of the I90 bridge back in the early 90s that caused it to collapse. And let us not forget the major "doh" moment in WA state history where Galloping Gertie (Tacoma Narrows Bridge) collapsed thanks to poor engineering
Posted by apres_moi]]> Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:53:44 -0800 The Stranger This is the Tacoma Narrows Bridge Disaster high school physics film of the new century.

Posted by Sure, I'm Joking.]]> Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:38:34 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Bill Nye]]> Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:30:55 -0800 The Stranger
At least from a particular point of view. ;p
Posted by Jonathan Golob]]> Wed, 03 Dec 2008 13:57:24 -0800 The Stranger
What, do they not teach physics in high school anymore? Hilarious.
Posted by bearseatbeats]]> Wed, 03 Dec 2008 13:50:27 -0800 The Stranger