comment by kleinbl00

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kleinbl00 · 3471 days ago · link · · parent · post: The Fifty-Nine-Story Crisis

"Deflection issues and questions of sufficient strength have been associated with Fallingwater ever since the initial construction process. When the formwork for the first floor cantilever was removed, the construction workers recorded a downward movement of 1.75 inches. A small amount of deflection is normal when scaffolding is removed but in the case of 1.75 inches, the bending was extremely pronounced. A problem with the structural design became more apparent with the completion of the second floor cantilever supporting the master bedroom terrace. Soon after the formwork was stripped, two large cracks formed in the terrace’s parapet."

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wasoxygen · 3471 days ago · link ·

That's quite a website. The page on cable bridges suggests that the strange 30-year pattern of disaster in bridges using new technology reported by Henry Petroski has not claimed a cable-stayed bridge around the year 2000 as feared.

1847 Dee Bridge (trussed girder)

1879 Tay Bridge (truss)

1907 Quebec Bridge (cantilever)

1940 Tacoma Narrows Bridge (suspension)

1970 West Gate Bridge, Cleddau Bridge (steel box-girder)

+discuss+discuss

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kleinbl00 · 3470 days ago · link ·

Petrowski is a hero. If you haven't read his books, you oughtta. I'd start with "the evolution of ordinary things."

+discuss+discuss

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wasoxygen · 3470 days ago · link ·

I agree, while I found Engineers of Dreams more grand, he is best when doing his version of "How It's Made" for paperclips and pencils.

The New Science of Strong Materials was an unexpectedly fascinating book in the genre, discovered on an old Top Ten List.