Friday night just after 9, the ceiling of a government building on I Street partially collapsed. The collapse occurred during a tribute to musician Chuck Brown for which 500 people had gathered. 8 people received transport to the hospital for injuries sustained in the collapse. Fire officials reportedly speculated that the combination of the live music along with construction in progress on the second floor might have caused the ceiling to come down. (Source: myfoxdc.com, 8/16/13)

The thoughts and prayers of the ceiling collapse injury attorneys at Denena Points, PC are with the victims of the accident hoping for their complete recoveries from their injuries.

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Resonance Frequency Matching with Structural Weaknesses Could Cause Building Collapses

Last year, a building being used as a church in France collapsed disastrously as congregation members were dancing. The building’s collapse was blamed on the vibrations of the dancers’ rhythmic steps coupled with structural weaknesses.

In the D.C. ceiling collapse, construction, which often causes temporary structural weaknesses due to things like poor temporary bracing or weakened structural connections, appears to have combined with the music from the tribute event to cause the partial collapse and injuries.

Our ceiling collapse injury attorneys point out that where design flaws or structural weaknesses exist and natural or human rhythmic activity matches the resonant frequency of a structure, the effect over time could weaken the structure and cause its partial or total collapse. For instance, the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in Washington provides a classic example. The wind matched the resonant frequency in the bridge and caused it to oscillate and finally collapse in a spectacular accident that still captures the imagination today.

Aero-elastic flutter resulting from high winds, along with solid sides that let the wind pass through the bridge’s deck, caused the bridge to sway and oscillate vertically and finally collapse. Workers noticed the dramatic sway and flutter during the bridge’s construction phase. The bridge collapsed in November 1940 only months after it opened.

And in 1850, the Angers Bridge in France collapsed during the march of more than 400 French soldiers over the suspension bridge. More than 200 of the soldiers fell to their deaths. Our ceiling collapse injury attorneys mention that a storm caused the bridge to oscillate in the wind. The soldiers’ attempts to balance themselves against the wind and swaying of the structure inadvertently led them to match themselves to the natural resonant frequency of the structure. This resonance frequency match is thought to have enhanced the effects of the wind to create a sufficient force to weaken and snap the bridge’s anchoring suspension.

Read More About 8 Injured after Partial Ceiling Collapse of Government Building in D.C….