Just like electrical circuits oscillate, structures do also. Wind and earthquakes can cause big time vibrations, but floors can bounce up and down from a person walking. Today the phenomenon is better understood and certain floor weights/spans are avoided. For tall buildings the latest is mass tuned dampers. Heavy weights near the top, suspended like a pendulum or on low friction bearings with hydraulic dampers, just like on your car, except much larger. > > In London (UK) there is Battersea Bridge, which is basically made of > wood - whilst cars streem over it into and out of London (used to be > time of day directional) the horseguards (their barracks used to be > just down the road in Chelsea), would have to dismount to cross the > bridge. The vibrations caused by a 20 odd horses trotting over the > bridge managed to be at the right natural oscillation frequency and > the bridge was in danger of falling down, but a a 10 ton truck roaring > over no problem. > > > -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist