Question for engineers on here. Our
- Thread starter coach66
- Start date
I assume you've not felt the motion previously?
Structures are designed to be flexible and there is a frequency at which they oscillate. The frequency and magnitude of the oscillation depends on the design of the structure and the forcing functions - mass, wind, and any other external inputs. Is the East side connected to the NEZ expansion structurally?
I'm curious as to why you would feel it now and not previously. What changed? More people, the weight of the rain, several things combined?
I remember way back in 1986, when the West Side upper deck first opened, Florida was our first home game with the new expansion. The game went down to the last second (a 16-10 Win), so everyone was leaving at the same time. Reports were the ramps on both side of the upper deck were bouncing with the weight of everyone walking on them at the same time...kind of like you can feel on a bridge sometimes when a semi rolls by. They put out a public announcement that the ramps were designed to have some flexibility to them, but they also called in some engineers and reinforced the ramps!
Structures being too rigid can actually lead to fatigue and collapse. A lot of buildings in earthquake prone areas are designed to sway under normal conditions. It's also the same reason airplane wings bounce during turbulence. If they didn't bounce they would rip right off.
Absolutely. I remember that well. I was in 10th grade. Family bought the new nose bleed season tickets. I remember it seemed like a 3 mile walk up those ramps to the sky. Leaving the game the ramps were rocking back and forth at least a foot off center either way while we walked down. People were freaking out. Oddly, I was mildly concerned but kind of enjoyed the "ride." Seemed dangerous. Next game they had the X shaped brackets in place and no movement.
