Bridge That Danced: Galloping Gertie and the Day Physics Broke Concrete

On November 7, 1940, the third-longest suspension bridge in the world began to twist like a ribbon in a mild wind. For hours, "Galloping Gertie" undulated wildly while spectators watched in horror. Then, it tore itself apart and fell into the Puget Sound. The only casualty was a terrified dog named Tubby trapped in a car.

This engineering post-mortem explains the phenomenon of aeroelastic flutter (not simple resonance, as often taught). It details the hubris of designers who prioritized slen...