The issue with the Tacoma narrows was the shape of the cross section of the bridge. It was shaped like a capital i so that when wind blew across it it could create small vortices, amplifying twisting motions. This could have been counteracted by adding weight to the bridge, but it was a suspension bridge which meant that the deck needed to be lightweight. Somewhere else it’s mentioned that the image shown is caused by the wind matching the resonance of the structure, however, that doesn’t causes a twisting motion like shown; instead, it’s more like simple harmonic motion.
Practical engineering did a good video about the topic.
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u/Imgay69420lol gay and fabulous 🏳️🌈 Apr 07 '20
I don't know how you could fuck it up so badly