When the 1940 bridge collapsed, Professor Farquarharson immediately started research (Chronicling America). He worked tirelessly to make sure that engineers would learn from this tragic event.
The Collapse of Galloping Gertie:
A Revolutionary Turning Point in Suspension Bridge Design
Legacy
Wind tunnels with Caltech University, Caltech Image collection.
Tacoma Narrows Bridge Wind Tunnel Testing, Caltech Image collection.
One of the reasons the research was successful was the fact that Faquharson and his team used wind tunnels (Tacoma Narrows Bridge and Caltech Wind Tunnel). Wind tunnels had been used for aircraft, but never bridges. This landmark in engineering helped to keep the people of Tacoma safe, as well as anyone else who uses suspension bridges. Regardless of the fact that Farqharson lived decades ago, his research is still being used. College curriculums teach about the Tacoma Narrows Bridge and the fundamental equations that were learned (Jewett 474). Now, future generations are equipped to make sure there are no repeats of Galloping Gertie.
The impact of the Tacoma Narrows is untold. While the bridge helped stabilize the design of suspension bridges, it also dramatically changed the bridges that were already built. Similar motion patterns were occurring in bridges like the Golden Gate Bridge (California) and the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge (New York City). Engineers immediately added adjustments to make sure they didn’t collapse.
"Bronx-Whitestone Bridge", Roy Smith
"Golden Gate Bridge", Britanica
Farquharson and the other engineers learned that the girders did not allow wind to pass through them (Hobbs 83-84). Now, truss (a replacement for girders) is a staple in suspension bridge design. This helps keep bridges secure, even today. When the Tacoma bridge collapsed, it created a defining moment in engineering and the world. Because of the collapse, we are safe now. We were able to gather valuable information about design and natural forces. Engineers put all this knowledge together to make sure that we are safe, even if it is 74 years after the collapse.
“When this happens, engineers learn that their equations are not perfect. The result: best practices are updated, equations are modified, and the world of engineered structures becomes a little bit safer” ~ Marshall Brian, author of The Engineering Book