Examples of Structural Failures and Their Causes - JSS1 Basic technology Lesson Note

Understanding structural failures helps in learning from past mistakes and improving future designs. Here are a few notable examples and their causes:

1. Tacoma Narrows Bridge (1940): The bridge collapsed due to aeroelastic flutter, a phenomenon where wind-induced vibrations progressively increased in amplitude. The design failed to account for dynamic wind loads and the flexibility of the bridge deck. 
2. Hyatt Regency Walkway Collapse (1981): The collapse of a suspended walkway in Kansas City resulted from a design change that doubled the load on the connection points. The original design and subsequent modification were not adequately reviewed for structural integrity.
3.  Ronan Point (1968): A partial collapse of a residential building in London was triggered by a gas explosion. The building's design did not adequately consider the impact of such an explosion on the load-bearing walls, leading to a progressive collapse.
4.  Sampoong Department Store (1995): The building in South Korea collapsed due to a combination of poor construction practices, including substandard materials and insufficient load-bearing columns, and unauthorised modifications that increased the load on critical parts of the structure.