This Photo is from The West Point Bridge Design Contest's Photos
The Quebec Bridge over the St. Lawrence River would have been the world’s longest span. But on August 29, 1907, while it was still under construction, the bridge collapsed catastrophically. The subsequent investigation revealed that the design engineer had significantly underestimated the self-weight of the structure. The bridge simply couldn't hold itself up.
Today’s engineers prevent such catastrophes by using sophisticated computer tools to model and analyze bridges before they are built. You can experience this process firsthand by participating in the West Point Bridge Design Contest!