It looks like they’re actually tier 1 (they seem to be standing on a white platform), but what, if any, weight is each layer above them? I can see narrow platforms, but are they all taking most of the weight?
I’m not sure whether this was meant as an athletic or purely aesthetic display – since they’re billed as ‘acrobats’, I assumed skill was involved, so what would be the best and worst case scenario those 8-10 in the narrowest tier would be supporting?
e: was there any kind of structural support in this? I’m not finding much about it.
Here’s a Snopes article about this event at the 1980s Olympics in Moscow.
Others have covered that there were internal supports, so they were supporting nothing at all. But let’s assume they weren’t.
I’m going for an intentional underestimate - so let’s say there are 10 people in your layer (I think 8 is more likely), then 24 above them, 18 above them, 18 above them, 25 above them, 14 above them, and 2 above them. I think most people would agree those are underestimates for each ring.
That’s 101 people being supported by 10 people. If we take another underestimate that each of those people weighs 100 pounds (45.36 kg) then that’s 10,100 pounds (4581.28 kg) - or 1010 pounds (458.13 kg) supported by each of the 10 people in your ring, completely ignoring the weight of the metal rings visible in the picture. So I think it’s safe to say it was mostly the internal supports at work.
You are now a mod of /c/TheyDidTheMath
None beyond their own bodyweight.
The photograph shows an impressive feat in which dozens of acrobats stood on top of each other (relying on mounted platforms) to create a human tower in the likeness of the torch.
Emphasis mine. Most of the weight is born by platforms that the humans are obscuring the view of. Look at the postures of each tier; none are braced for any significant weight.
You can see the structure pretty clearly toward the top. E.g. the guys holding onto the metal bar.
Also this is pretty clearly a metal pole when you zoom in
Idk but that looks like it would be an awkward time to get an erection.
Oh, about seven and a half.
As said by many, there’s a hidden structure that supports everyone here. So every athlete is only supporting themselves.
If you want to see people supporting each other in a tower structure search for Catalonian Castells.
Yep these are insane, and really dangerous.
If you watch closely how most of them are standing and holding the platform above them I doubt they are holding any weight. Most of them have hands crossed, elbows unlocked, or bear the wiight woth neck (heads down) so they are holding nothing. Also some levels are clearly not holding anything from the floor above. So since It can’t stand floating, some kind of platform is involved.
My conclusion is they are just standing in an aseathic way over a platform and not carrying any wight.
Just to make the top layer of women possible, the top layer of men would have to carry the weight of at least 2 women each + the platform weight for who knows how long.
I assume a center beam supporting the platforms runs through all the platforms, obscured by the people.
Yeah ofcourse, i was just trying to showcase how absurd even one layer of this would be without a pillar.
