They called it "Galloping Gertie." Four months later, it was gone.
On November 7, 1940, the Tacoma Narrows Bridge twisted itself to death in a moderate wind-and changed engineering forever.
This wasn't an act of God. It was an act of arrogance.
Built to Fail
reveals how a "prettier" design, ignored warnings, and mathematical shortcuts created one of history's most spectacular engineering disasters. Engineer and author Rick Stupart dissects the deadly combination of aesthetic ambition and scientific negligence that turned a revolutionary suspension bridge into a cautionary tale.
Inside, discover:
Why engineers dismissed wind as "just air"
The critical calculations they skipped
How eyewitness testimony exposed design hubris
Lessons that reshaped modern bridge engineering
This isn't just history-it's a warning. When engineers guess instead of calculate, gravity always wins.
For readers fascinated by engineering failures, structural disasters, and the thin line between innovation and catastrophe.