Tacoma Bridge

Watch Terrifying Footage of the Tacoma Bridge Collapsing in 1940

Shocking footage shows the moment the Tacoma Bridge collapsed after surviving less than five months. Check out the wild clip below.

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According to historians, the bridge’s construction began in 1938 and opened to drivers on July 1, 1940. At the time, it was the world’s third-longest suspension bridge, spanning 2,800 feet and featuring two side spaces measuring over 1,000 feet.

In addition, only the Golden Gate and George Washington bridges were longer. However, it would only be in operation for a short time.

During its construction, workers reported that the bridge’s deck would sway during a windy day. Then, the issue continued after it was opened to the public despite efforts to mitigate its movements.

Its fateful end came on Nov. 7, 1940, when winds over 40 miles per hour prompted significant movement in the deck. As a result, the bridge twisted itself until the span broke and collapsed into the river. However, there was just one death: a dog got trapped in a car left on the bridge. You can see the lone car in the above clip.

Experts reveal their thoughts on why the bridge collapsed

The footage of the collapse was shot at 24 frames per second, but other clips of the collapse were shot at 16 frames per second, which is what people got when they filmed home videos at the time.

While the clips have helped experts understand what occurred that day, scientists and engineers have since changed their conclusion about what happened to make the bridge fall.

At first, experts believed that the leading cause was mechanical resonance, which happens when an object is moved by an unseen force, in this instance, wind.

If it’s left overlooked, the force increases until something happens to stop it, such as a bridge collapsing.

However, others have proposed other theories in the years since the collapse. For example, some believe a second process led to the collapse known as aeroelastic flutter.

This phenomenon is described as “a self-feeding and potentially destructive vibration where aerodynamic forces on an object couple with a structure’s natural mode of vibration to produce rapid periodic motion.”

After the incident, scrap metal was all that was left of the bridge. Then, World War II obstructed the construction of a new bridge. However, a new span opened in 1950, which implemented the original bridge’s tower pedestals and cable anchors. Today, part of the deck is sitting at the bottom of the pacific ocean, which acts as a reef.