Ex-Breezy 4 CE-F
WIND THEORY
Tay Bridge
PLANNING PHASE
A bridge was to span the firth between Wormit, in Fife,
and a point some way to the west of Dundee, the
enterprising Thomas Bouch being charged with
responsibility for the design. All kinds of craft pass up
and down the firth at this point, so, in addition to being
over two miles in length, the great viaduct had to have a
considerable elevation above the fairway. At first this
was to be not less than 100 feet, but the promoters of
the first Tay Bridge successfully applied to the Board of
Trade for leave to reduce this to a height of 88 feet
above high-water level.
DECEMBER 28, 1879
At approximately 7:15 p.m. on the stormy night of 28
December 1879, the central navigation spans of the Tay
bridge collapsed into the Firth of Tay at Dundee, taking
with them a train, 6 carriages and 75 souls to their fate.
At the time, a gale estimated at Beaufort force 10/11
was blowing down the Tay estuary at right angles to the
bridge. The collapse of the bridge, only opened 19
months and passed safe by the Board of Trade, sent
shock waves through the Victorian engineering
profession and general public. The disaster is one of the
most famous bridge failures and to date it is still one of
the worst structural engineering failures in the British
Isles.
A recent theory regarding the collapse of the Tay Bridge
suggests that as the passenger train crossed the bridge
very high winds on the night caused the train/carriages
to lift off the rails. The wind blew across the top of the
train easily. However, because of all the mechanical
devices (such as wheels etc...) under the train, the wind
beneath slowed down. Consequently, the train began to
lift - in the same way as a wing on an aeroplane. The
train became de-railed and then hit one of the sides of
the bridge as it continued to travel forwards. This gave
the whole structure a sudden shock.
The shock of the crash sent a 'shock wave' down the
entire structure and the wrought iron ties pulled away
from the cast iron 'lugs' at the bottom of the cast iron
columns. Cast iron is very brittle and cracks under
tension whilst wrought iron is very durable. This design
flaw in the use of materials with different properties led
to the collapse of the Tay Bridge.
Rebuilding
A new double-track bridge was designed by William
Henry Barlow and built by William Arrol & Co. 18 meters
(59 ft) upstream of, and parallel to, the original bridge.
The bridge proposal was formally incorporated in July
1881 and the foundation stone laid on 6 July 1883.
Construction involved 25,000 metric tons (28,000 short
tons) of iron and steel, 70,000 metric tons (77,000 short
tons) of concrete, ten million bricks (weighing 37,500
metric tons (41,300 short tons)) and three million rivets.
LESSON OF A DISASTER
The study of the Tay Bridge Disaster is indeed a
realization on how important the design of the structure
is. Designing a structure isn’t an easy task for all the
engineer. It includes sufficient knowledge and a critical
analyzation. We all know that there’s an unexpected
and irrepressible occurrence that soon will occur but as
an engineer, upon designing such structures, engineers
should take seriously and includes this phenomena in
designing. Also, we have seen how small error in
calculating of the design could lead in such terrible
disaster. All possible error should be avoided and
prevented. Any adjusted in the design should still be
analyzed again. We should keep in mind, that as an
engineer, future engineers, lives of some people are in
our hands. Even with minor mistake, lives of a person is
at stake.