Bridges
Difference between the three is the distance crossed in single span Span: distance between two bridge supports (columns, towers, wall of canyon)
Bridges
Beam bridge: spans up to 200 feet Arch bridge: 1000 feet Suspension bridge: 7000 feet Difference comes from compression and tension
Bridge Forces
Bridge Forces
Arch bridge
Suspension bridge
Taller beams can span longer distances (more material to dissipate tension) Tall beams are supported with a truss (adds rigidity to existing beam) Limited in size
Trusses
I-Beam
Top of beam experiences most compression Bottom of beam experiences most tension Middle of beam experiences very little compression or tension Best design is beam with more material on top and bottom than the middle (I-beams) Works for trusses too!
Arch Bridge
Arch Bridges
Does not need additional supports or cables Arches made of stone dont even need mortar
Suspension Bridge
Compression
Tension
Suspension Bridge
Suspension Bridge
Have supporting truss system underneath
Suspension Bridge
Suspension Bridges
Two types:
Cable-Stayed Bridge
Other Forces
Eliminated in beam and arch bridges Critical in suspension bridges High winds Minimized by deck-stiffening trusses
Resonance
A vibration in something caused by external force that is in harmony with natural vibration
Similar to making constant waves in a swimming pool or maintaining ones oscillation on a swing Check out what resonance did to this bridge in Washington state back in 1940 (YouTube Tacome Narrows Bridge link)
Dampeners:
Designed to interrupt resonant waves Overlapping plates create friction to offset frequency of waves
Weather
Hardest to combat
Rain, ice, wind, and salt can bring a bridge down Design progression: iron replaced wood, steel replaced iron Each new design addresses some past failure Preventative maintenance
Lab
Build a bridge entirely out of uncooked spaghetti pasta and glue. Your bridge is to span a distance of 8 inches and withstand the most amount of weight as possible Record the weight of your bridge. Place your bridge on two piers spaced 8 inches apart and find the maximum load that your bridge can support Record the final weight that your bridge was able to support. Find your load to weight ratio (Load divided by weight of bridge). Turn in your ratio and a photo/video of your bridge in action to the Discussion Board by Thursday, November 13. Remember to use knowledge learned from the lecture. Beam and suspension bridges work the best for this project. Hint: use a truss system.