ANSWERS: 2
  • To avoid stressing the bridge excessively... if they march in step, there's a chance that their steps will coincide with the resonant frequency of the bridge and cause possibly dangerous amplified shaking of the whole structure. EDIT = = = = = = = = = = = On a related, note, here's the famous collapse of the Tacoma Narrows bridge due to resonance caused by wind... it's commonly cited as one of the great engineering disasters of modern times, in which the designers failed to consider resonance as a potential source of failure.
  • when soldiers marched across the bridge in step, that is each soldier lifted his or her feet and dropped them at exactly the same time as all of other soldier. this placed a tremendous amount of pressure on the bridge and caused the collapse. the reason there are not the tremendous of pressure but the fact that they are marching with a certain rhythm. each bridge has resonance rating, that is a particular vibration that makes the bridge resonate. if the soldiers happen to march at multiple of wavelength of the bridge resonance, it will create a vibration throughout the bridge.if it continues long enough, the bridge will vibrate itself off its foundation and collapse.

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