Chair-lift in strong wind

[fivat]

It's horrific !



This happened in Arosa (Switzerland) on 8th February 2016.

Patrice Fivat

[hps]

Pas de casse sur les installations ?

[tali]

Good there were no people on it...or under.
How do they test it after such weather?

[fivat]

They tested the chair-lift with skiers the day after.

It seems there has been no damage.

This video is a good example of resonance, a physics phenomena well known for the bridges too.

Patrice Fivat

[pokkis]

You sure they were not people on it?

[fivat]

Yes, I wondered the same thing. Quality image is not very good, and the firs are confusing.
But later in the movie, there is a better zoom.
In the news, they did not mention any skier or accident.

Patrice Fivat

[erik]

I don't think that you see people. I think it are big rocks or trees you see in the backgroud and that it creates an optical illusion.
I would be very surprised if they would send people up the slopes with that kind of weather and such a wind doesn't come out of the blue I suppose?
Altough if one were in there, it would be a nice story to tell in the bar with the après-ski

[pokkis]

I would say that weight of people on upgoing side keeps seats steady and empty down going go like wild.
Take look for full resolution version on big screen, they are folks there.

[tali]

As the chairlift seats aren't moving, apart from the wind, and the station looks completely closed, no people.

[fivat]

Good video for physics lesson: some points on the cable have big oscillations and some not.
We have same physics on string instruments (and wind instruments).

Patrice Fivat

[slayer]

yes I think it is because the uphill-travelling line is under more tension than the down-hill travelling line.

[tali]

Because they are not moving uphill/downhill and the chairs are distributed evenly, I think that both lines on the video are under the same tension.