What is the strongest balsa wood bridge design?
In this experiment we tested which type of truss bridge is the strongest, but with the least possible material. Two of the most common truss bridges were designed by Pratt and Howe. Our experience has shown that the Howe bridge was the bridge design that minimized the maximum compressive force.
What is the most efficient truss bridge design?
A Pratt Truss has been used over the past two centuries as an effective truss method. The vertical members are in compression, whilst the diagonal members are in tension. This simplifies and produces a more efficient design since the steel in the diagonal members (in tension) can be reduced.
How do you make the balsa bridge stronger?
Restricting the physical size of the bridge. Restricting the size and shape of structural elements of the bridge (the individual pieces of balsa wood) Restricting the amount of glue that can be used during the construction. Limiting the types of glue that can be used for connecting pieces of balsa wood.
What’s the strongest bridge design?
Even though the truss bridge design has been around for literally centuries it is widely regarded as the strongest type of bridge. The design itself looks extremely simple, so what makes it the strongest type of bridge and why?
What is the K truss bridge used for?
The idea of the K truss is to break up the vertical members into smaller sections. This is because the vertical members are in compression. The shorter a member is, the more in can resist buckling from compression.
What is the cheapest bridge to build?
BEAM BRIDGE
BEAM BRIDGE The simplicity of the beam bridge made it the first type of bridge ever built. It’s still the cheapest to build. All you need is a crossbeam covering the span, supported by an abutment at each end. One type of beam bridge is a girder bridge, which employs steel girders as reinforcement.
What is the best glue for balsa wood bridges?
Elmer’s Wood Glue is inexpensive glue that is quite effective for holding balsa wood together. The glue is available at nearly every store that sells glue.
Why is the K truss good?
What is K truss?
: a building truss in which the vertical member and two oblique members in each panel form a K.
How tall is a balsa wood truss bridge?
3. I. Introduction This report covers the initial ideation and design, construction, testing and failure analysis of a balsa wood truss bridge with span of forty inches, height of six inches and width of four inches and a weight of 135.9 grams.
How do you cut balsa wood for a bridge?
Measure two pieces of 1/8-inch balsa wood for the base of the bridge. Cut your pieces of balsa wood using a ruler and a sharp utility knife. Score the wood with moderate pressure several times.
What kind of wood do you use to build a truss bridge?
Measure and cut the pieces necessary for your trusses, using 1/16-inch balsa wood, according to your design. Use whole pieces of wood wherever possible. Where joints between pieces are made, cut the wood so weight will be put on wood, rather than on glue.
Why are balsa bridge building sessions important to schools?
Schools often include the balsa bridge building sessions in the curriculum, trying to promote practical application of knowledge that students learned during a section or unit covering a related physics or engineering topic.