Bridge Project

Problem Definition: Design a Bridge to

span a given distance while supporting a
maximum load using a minimum
materials.

Project Goals
The goals for this project are for students to:
Learn the design process.
See practical applications for trigonometry, physics,
and engineering statics (force analysis).
Improve skills associated with collecting data and
drawing meaningful conclusions.
Experience the usefulness of prototype testing.
Recognize the necessity of good communication
skills for engineers by completing memos, reports,
drawings, and presentations.

Introduction to Bridge
Bridge Type
Truss Bridge
Arch bridge
Suspension Bridge
Cantilever Bridge

Truss Bridge
Truss design is to
support the
bridge deck
The truss may
have ompression
or tension
The joint of truss
is important

Truss(force analysis)
Loads members in tension and compression.
Members are pinned at joints (Moment = 0).
Triangles provide stability and strength.
Top members in Compression.
Bottom members in Tension.
Hint - Imagine entire truss wrapped in rubber skin, so you
have a large rubber box. When you bend it, where would the
wrinkles be? They indicate compression.

Beam

vs.

Ways to strengthen members in bending.

Decrease overall length (deflections).
Cross section design (moment of inertia)
Use stronger materials (elastic modulus).
Compression

=
Steel

Axis of
bending

Tension

Arch bridge
Appear mostly
in Ancient time
New arch
bridge is
modified to
reduce the
material

Function of Arch structure

Puts members in compression.
Need horizontal support at abutments.

Abutment

Suspension Bridge
Replace the
Beam with
cable
Reduce the
need for the
Pier , Girder
and Truss

Suspension
Puts members in tension.
Carries weight up to the top of the towers.
Good for long spans.

Cantilever Bridge
No support at
the bridge it self
The material
must be very
strong
Or the structure
must be different

Box Girder Bridge

Box structure reduce the
weight and material
Increase the strength on top
and bottom to resist
compression and tension

Project Constraints

Size: See above & 100 stick limit per bridge

Shape: Original ideas encouraged!
Strength: Must support a minimum of 15 lbs.

Constraints:
Building
Materials
100 Wood tongue depressors (6)
Glue guns and glue sticks and
wood glue
String

Scoring Equation
Score = Load at Failure(performance)
Weight of Bridge(cost)
As engineers, you want to maximize the
load held using the least amount of
material.

Testing Procedure
2 dowel
2 x 6
thin plate

testing jig

Project Break-down

Project Intro
(Problem Definition)
Component Strength Tests (Information Gathering)
Individual Brainstorming of Ideas (Idea Generation)
Group Prototype Brainstorming (Idea generation)
Prototype Selection
(Idea selection)
Full-Scale Prototype Construction (Implementation)
Prototype Testing (Information Gathering)
Engineering Analysis w/ software (Information Gathering)
Redesign (Idea generation)
Final bridge construction (Implementation)
Final Test Competition! (Information Gathering)

Project Schedule
Timeline:
Prototype Design, Build, Test 1
week
Final Design, Build, Test 2 weeks
Presentation and report 1 to 2
classes after Final Test

Grading
Design and testing
Bridge Ideas -10%
Components test Memo-5%
Prototype bridge performance-5%
Draft Report-5%
Project report
Bridge Final Presentation-10%
Competition-5%

Engineering Fundamentals
Mechanics of Materials
Construction Methods &
Hints!

What is the easiest way to

break a tongue depressor?
Pull?
Push?
Twist?
Shear?
Bend?

Principle of Scissors

Engineering terms - tension, compression,

torsion,
shear, & bending

Bending!
DONTs

Thus bridge design Dos &

Donts:

avoid bending bridge members when

possible.
avoid compressing long bridge members causes buckling (a kind of bending).

DOs
load members in tension and compression
(short) when possible.
brace bending members when possible.

Bridge Type we have learned

Truss Bridge
Arch Bridge
Suspension Bridge
Cantilever Bridge
Box Girder Bridge

Quiz
Axis of
bending

Which orientation of a beam is stronger

under bending and why?
vs.

Arch members are in T or C?

C

Label members in T and C

T

How can you improve your

bridge design?

Incorporate truss structure (triangles).

Design a 3-D structure from the start!
Use short members in compression.
Use string for tension members.(Reduce
material and weight)
Avoid overloading joints.
Strengthen base supports and load point.

Component Test-Compression
and buckle Test-1

Compress your spaghetti until it start to buckle(When you dont feel

you need to apply additional force but the structure still keep bending)

Hold(use you hand) the center point to see how much force you need
to increase to have buckling

Hold another two point to see how much force you need to increase to
reach buckling

Component Test-Compression
and buckle Test-2
Cut the spaghetti in half and try again
Cut the spaghetti in half again and try again

Record all the force and Test Situation

Tension Test on the joint

Specimen preparation
Use four depressor
Two as a group. Glue them together
Drill one hole on the each group
Overlap two group according to
test procedure and glue them together
Use hook to hold the structure
Start tension and compression test by
force gauge and scale
Do unit conversion if necessary
Take your record home and make excel plot
and report

Fatigue Test
Bend Paper clip and count how many cycle
it is needed to break it!
Test 5 Paper clip

Torsion Test
Twist a chalk and see how it break
Explain why it happen(explain in
Components test Memo )