Definition

Proper noun: A specific suspension bridge located in Washington State, USA, which famously collapsed due to aerodynamic instability shortly after its opening in 1940. It is a landmark case study in engineering and physics.

Usage

The term "Tacoma Narrows Bridge" is used as a proper noun to refer specifically to this historical bridge. It is commonly cited in discussions of engineering failures, resonance, and fluid-structure interaction. * The collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge is a classic example of aeroelastic flutter. * Engineers studied the film of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge failure for decades. * A new, redesigned Tacoma Narrows Bridge was built to replace the original.

Advanced Usage

• The phrase is often used metaphorically to describe a spectacular or fundamental structural failure in other contexts.
  • The company's financial strategy became the Tacoma Narrows Bridge of the banking sector.

Variants and Related Words

• "Galloping Gertie": (Nickname) The colloquial name given to the first Tacoma Narrows Bridge due to its observable vertical oscillations in wind before its collapse.
• Tacoma Narrows: (Geographical name) The strait of Puget Sound which the bridge crosses.

Synonyms

• Engineering failure (in a metaphorical sense)
• Case study (in the context of engineering education)

Related Phrases

• "Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse": The most common phrase used to describe the specific event of its failure on November 7, 1940.
• "Tacoma Narrows Bridge disaster": Another common phrase for the collapse event.

Noun

1. a suspension bridge across Puget Sound at Tacoma