Forces & Bridge Building
Check out the Building Big resources at the PBS website! We will be learning about many of these concepts in class, but you might get a jump start by trying some of the labs and exploring the Building Big website. Have fun!
Check out this Shapes Lab from PBS to find out which shapes are the strongest and the best to use during construction! Just click on the image to the left to access the lab!
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Try your hand at this Forces Lab to learn more about squeezing, stretching, bending, sliding, and twisting! :)
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What are the pros and cons of various materials? Check out this Materials Lab to see the various materials that engineers may use in their design process and to determine which ones might work best!
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Do you want to know more about the forces that act on structures and how engineers must account for this in the design process? Check out the Loads Lab to learn more!
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Be an Engineer!
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Check out this cool website to the left! Sponsored by Exxon Mobil, this website is devoted to teaching about the engineering profession. Take a peek at the top ten "Feats of Engineering" (including one cable-stayed bridge!) to see some spectacular design work. You'll also want to check out the "Meet the Engineers" section to learn more about where a degree in engineering can take you. It is amazing to see all of the important work these individuals are doing.
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Videos
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Watch this interesting video on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge Collapse. The original Tacoma Narrows Bridge opened on July 1, 1940. It received its nickname "Galloping Gertie" because of the vertical movement of the deck observed by construction workers during windy conditions. The bridge became known for its pitching deck, and collapsed into Puget Sound the morning of November 7, 1940, under high wind conditions. Engineering issues as well as the United States' involvement in World War II postponed plans to replace the bridge for several years; the replacement bridge was opened on October 14, 1950.
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Check out these seven engineering wonders. Sometimes, engineering is known as the "invisible" profession. We forget that engineers help to create EVERYTHING that we use on a day-to-day basis. Without engineers, there would be no modernization.
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Toothpick Bridge Building Resources
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Toothpick Bridge Design Code
Calling all bridge architects! Check out some of the images below for inspiration for your toothpick bridge design. Please be sure to review your building code in the image below and work carefully. You'll see that I have traced my pencil design with marker already. Please do not do this yourself. ONCE YOU TRACE WITH MARKER, YOUR BRIDGE CANNOT BE MODIFIED. Remember to use a ruler to ensure that you have nice, straight edges!
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Please note: YOUR bridge needs to be taller than 5 centimeters for the boat to travel underneath. In my example above, the bridge is only 4 centimeters tall. Can you think of a way to modify this design to meet the requirements? Remember, your graph paper is larger than mine, so your span cannot be a carbon copy of the example above!
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This is a view from the air. You can see I have added truss work to hold the bridge apart at the top. I have also written a note to myself that shows how the toothpicks will be slanting down to connect with the pier.
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The roadbed view is fairly simple. We will be filling our roadbeds with "cement," so you are just making the frame. You will not be filling in your roadbed with toothpicks (imagine a deck made of wood). That will cost too much money!
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Here is a nice view of the end of my bridge as if we were coming from the approach. Remember, we are just building the frames and will be adding in the actual road (and approaches) at the very end.
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