Summary Final Draft

In the web article "I-5 and the Physics of Bridge Collapses", Hartsfield (2013) claimed that the concept behind a functional bridge design is what leads to its failure as well. The article examined the various types of bridges and found that different types of bridges have weaknesses specific to themselves. One such example stated by Hartsfield (2013) is truss bridges, which use geometric shapes as a basis for their strength and stability. As such, Hartsfield (2013) remarked that deformations on the shape will cause the bridge to fail. Suspension bridges fail due to their inability to withstand huge external forces. It is observed by Hartsfield (2013) that "when an external force causes the bridge to vibrate at its resonant frequency, it causes the vibration to grow stronger and stronger". Another example of such phenomenon is cantilever bridges. Hartsfield (2013) alleged that cantilever bridges are designed to be able to withstand the torque that the lever arm takes, yet failures are found to be due to construction oversight and overestimation of the torque it can take. Hartsfield (2013) concluded that understanding a bridge's inherent weaknesses is indispensable to uncovering the reason behind an unforeseen failure.

Reference

Hartsfield, T. (2013, May 28). I-5 and the physics of bridge collapses. RealClear Science.com. Retrieved from https://www.realclearscience.com/articles/2013/05/29/i-5_and_the_physics_of_bridge_collapses_106544.html

Previous drafts
#1: https://cwneo1557.blogspot.com/2020/01/summary-draft-1.html
#2: https://cwneo1557.blogspot.com/2020/01/summary-draft-2.html