AhaBulbStuff Everyone Should Know
AhaBulb: Stuff Everyone Should Know · ahabulb.com/eng-tacoma-dynamic-wind

What central lesson did the first Tacoma Narrows Bridge failure teach designers?

Start playing free

  1. Its steel was too weak for traffic loads
  2. Aeroelastic flutter can amplify torsional motion
  3. Wind matters only for tall towers

🔒 The answer is for AhaBulb members. Members see the answer, why it's right and the official sources for every card of Stuff Every Engineer Should Know, plus timed practice exams.

The first 50 cards of every test are free to play.

Play the free cards See membership

Like this card?
Play the game

References

  1. Library of Congress Historic American Engineering Record: Tacoma Narrows Bridge tile.loc.gov/storage-services/master/pnp/habshaer/wa/wa0400/wa0453/data/wa0453data.pdf Checked 2026-10-10.

Think this answer is wrong? Tap "Challenge this answer" on the card in the game and tell us why.

Test yourself in the game

EngineeringHow many base units does the International System of Units (SI) have?EngineeringSince the SI redefinition voted in 2018, what defines the kilogram?EngineeringIn today's SI, how precisely is the value of the Planck constant known?

That's stuff everyone should know.