Holistic engineering

Abstract

The Golden Gate Bridge, the longest suspension span in the world when it was completed, in 1937, is widely recognized as an engineering marvel and a symbol of technology in harmony with its surroundings. When the bridge opened to a ceremonial trickle of cars, it would have been hard to imagine that an estimated 100 million tons would eventually cross annually between San Francisco and Marin County. Even less foreseeable, however, were the nearly two suicides per month, on average, facilitated by this testament to the power of engineering thought. As we say in the profession, the bridge has exceeded its design specs. © 2010 Springer-Verlag New York.