excessively under any circumstances.

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For the construction of a building or bridge, it is desirable to have a torsional stiffness value that can help resist forces acting in a lateral plane, such as wind or earthquake forces.

For example, large buildings and cantilever bridges must have adequate torsional stiffness to resist twisting, which can lead to phenomena such as collapse. The way of formulating the shape of the building or bridge and the distribution of mass and stiffness are usual to minimize the torsion effect.

Rotational stiffness is a crucial element in engineering structures.
Sufficient torsional stiffness to resist twisting can lead to phenomena such as collapse.
Importance of torsional stiffness of beams and columns
Torsional stiffness is also essential for beams and columns. eu data These structural elements must have the capacity to resist twisting moments and support loads. Any element subject to torsional constraints, such as cantilevers or asymmetrically loaded beams, must not be allowed to twist

Similarly, columns must be designed to support all torsional moments that may arise due to the eccentricity of the load or lateral forces. The torsional stiffness of these members may depend on the shape of the cross-section of these members, the materials used and the support conditions.

For example, compare two bars with the same cross-section. Bars with a circular cross-section are, as a rule, more resistant to torsion than rectangular bars.

Concrete examples and design strategies
Observations from real-world torsional failure scenarios prove that torsional stiffness must be critically considered in engineering. For example, the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, known as the "Galloping Gertie," collapsed in 1940 primarily due to aerodynamic flutter. However, inadequate torsional stiffness indirectly contributed to the collapse under specific wind conditions.

Gertie at the gallop
Designers can apply different strategies to reduce torsional problems when designing structures. For example, they can make cross-sections stiffer. It is essential to extend bracing systems that can be helpful in combating torsion, as well as deploy composite materials and superior technologies in structural engineering to improve torsional performance. Today, engineering practices also use computational techniques to analyze torsional loads and develop structures that can support torsional loads without compromising the integrity and functionality of the structure.