Let me show you the most famous example of bridge failure (for the one person out there who has not seen this). This footage has been used as a case study in almost every engineering class in history since the 1940s.
(note: the footage is about 50% faster than reality due to an original mistake in the frames per second conversion for news agencies)
The Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapsed primarily due to the aeroelastic or torsional flutter. Construction was completed in June 1940 and it collapsed just four months later in November 1940.
In ordinary bridge design, the wind can pass through the structure by incorporating trusses. In contrast, here, it was forced to move above and below the structure, leading to flow separation. So the solid plate girder and deck acted like an aerofoil, creating "drag" and "lift".
However, experts disagree, at least in some aspects, on explaining the failure. After decades, a definitive description that meets unanimous agreement has yet to be reached. The exact cause of the bridge's failure remains a mystery.
The fact that engineers still argue about the precise cause of the collapse is testimony to the extraordinary complexity of natural phenomena.
Nowadays, engineering simulation plays a crucial part in the testing process of bridge design. Using Computational Flow Dynamics (CFD) to simulate wind loads and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to investigate bridges' stresses and structural behaviour, engineers can prevent failures like the Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse and build better and stronger bridges and buildings.
ps: luckily no one was hurt in the collapse, except, unfortunately, a little inquisitive dog.