Table of Contents
Which bridge design supports the most weight?
The arch bridge can hold the most weight of the three, the deck truss bridge can hold an average amount of weight, and the beam bridge could hold the least amount of weight. This experiment tested the arch, deck truss, and beam bridges to see which could hold the heaviest amount of weight.
What is the most structurally sound bridge design?
Truss bridges are extremely effective because they have a high strength to weight ratio. In this experiment we have tested which type of truss bridge is the strongest, yet uses the least amount of material. Two of the most used truss bridges are of the Pratt and Howe design.
How big was a balsa wood bridge supposed to be?
The bridge was supposed to hold 20 pounds and fit a 2 inch by 2 inch square all the way through. The only supplies we had to build the bridge were Balsa Wood and Mighty Tacky Glue. It was also important to have a good strength to weight ratio.
What kind of bridge holds the most weight?
Usually bridges like the bowstring truss bridge or the double intersecting pratt bridge could hold the most weight, but it depends on what wood you are using. if you are using balsa wood, which is traditional wood for school projects, you would want either triangle or crossing shapes.
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.
What kind of bridges are used in competitions?
Most common balsa wood truss bridge designs that are used in competitions are of course Warren, Pratt, and Howe. Advanced bridges are usually focused on designs based on arched, cantilever and bowstring bridges. Some of the most common competition requirements are: