Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Bridge Facts
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Bridge Facts
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Definition
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What is a bridge?
A structure built in order to allow people or vehicles to
cross a river or a valley etc. Bridges are structures which
carry people and vehicles across natural or man-made
obstacles.
Materials Used
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Stone
Wood
Grass
Steel
Concrete
Types of Bridges
Do you know any type of bridges??
Where did you see it??
What engineering aspects did you notice??
Types of Bridges
Beam
Truss
Arch
Suspension
Modern Suspension
Cable-Stayed
Beam Bridge
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Beam bridges are the simplest and least expensive type of bridges
to build!!
A horizontal beam supported at its ends comprises the structure of a
beam bridge (span a distance of approximately 200 feet).
Highway overpasses, flyovers or walkways
Deck truss railroad bridge that extends over the Erie Canal is
one of the many famous truss bridges.
Arch Bridge
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Suspension Bridge
Modern Suspension Bridges
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Suspension Bridge
Cable-Stayed Bridges
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Forces acting on
Beam Bridges and Truss Bridges
Two important forces dealt by all bridges:
Compression is a force that acts to compress or shorten
the thing it is acting on.
Tension is a force that acts to expand or lengthen the
thing it is acting on.
When something pushes down on the beam, the beam bends. Its top edge
is pushed together, and its bottom edge is pulled apart.
Forces acting on
Arch Bridges
The arch is squeezed together, and this squeezing force is carried
outward along the curve to the supports at each end. The supports,
called abutments, push back on the arch and prevent the ends of the arch
from spreading apart.
Exploring Activities
Designing the various load combinations and determining the
required size of the bridge.
Creating models of beam, arch and suspension bridges and
apply forces to understand how they disperse the loads.
Building a model Truss Bridge using straws and popsicle
sticks.
Exploring the Bridge building software and designing new
bridges.
Bridge Building Competition.
Bridge Challenge #1
Multi-lane bridge for commuters and tourists
A growing community needs a bridge, to connect the city and a major
highway crossing a river. They're very picky about what they want! Help
them by testing your engineering skills and match the right bridge to the
location shown in the figure below!!
Span:
2,000 feet
Crossing: River
Connects: City and major
highway
Special Notes:
"I want a one-of-a-kind bridge that will span
our beautiful river and welcome visitors from
all over the world to our thriving city. Make
sure the new bridge leaves enough room for
sailboats on the river. Please don't build a
bridge that looks like the Golden Gate Bridge
in San Francisco or the Brooklyn Bridge in
New York."
-- Mayor of Craggy Rock
Source: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/bridge/challenge/
Bridge Challenge #1
Multi-lane bridge for commuters and tourists
Beam Bridge
Suspension Bridge
Span:
2,000 feet
Crossing: River
Connects: City and major
highway
Arch Bridge
Draw Bridge
Source: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/bridge/challenge/
Bridge Challenge #1
Multi-lane bridge for commuters and tourists
Draw Bridge
Span:
2,000 feet
Crossing: River
Connects: City and major
highway
Bridge Challenge #1
Multi-lane bridge for commuters and tourists
The mayor is begging you to build a new bridge. The local steelworkers
are on strike, so she advises you to build a bridge with as little steel as
possible.
Cable-stayed Bridge
Cantilever Bridge
Span:
2,000 feet
Crossing: River
Connects: City and major
highway
Combination Arch
& Beam Bridge
Source: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/bridge/challenge/
Bridge Challenge #1
Multi-lane bridge for commuters and tourists
Cable-stayed Bridge
Span:
2,000 feet
Crossing: River
Connects: City and major
highway
These have become one of the most popular bridge types in recent years.
The roadway hangs from cables like a suspension bridge, forming a
unique "A" shape. The mayor is happy because the bridge is made
mostly of concrete, a relatively cheap material. The residents are thrilled
because ships can pass beneath the bridge without causing traffic jams!
Source: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/bridge/challenge/
Bridge Challenge #2
A bridge for rollerbladers and bikers
A growing community needs a bridge, to connect the bike paths in East and
West Craggy Rock. They're very picky about what they want! Help them by
testing your engineering skills and match the right bridge to the location
shown in the figure below!!
Special Notes:
Span:
100 feet
Crossing: Stream
Connects: Two bike paths
Source: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/bridge/challenge/
Bridge Challenge #2
A bridge for rollerbladers and bikers
Beam Bridge
Suspension Bridge
Span:
100 feet
Crossing: Stream
Connects: Two bike paths
Arch Bridge
Draw Bridge
Source: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/bridge/challenge/
Bridge Challenge #2
A bridge for rollerbladers and bikers
Beam Bridge
Span:
100 feet
Crossing: Stream
Connects: Two bike paths
Bridge Challenge #2
A bridge for rollerbladers and bikers
However, there is a problem.
Span:
100 feet
Crossing: Stream
Connects: Two bike paths
Beam Bridge
When it rains, the city stream rises. A really strong storm could cause
flash floods, turning the stream into a raging river. Piles of rocks and
a wall of gooey mud could push on the piers of the concrete beam
bridge and cause it to topple. Luckily, you can fix it before that
happens!
Source: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/bridge/challenge/
Bridge Challenge #2
A bridge for rollerbladers and bikers
How will you build a new, flood-proof bridge?
Build deeper piers
Span:
100 feet
Crossing: Stream
Connects: Two bike paths
Use stronger
material
Source: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/bridge/challenge/
Bridge Challenge #2
A bridge for rollerbladers and bikers
Deeper piers
Great Idea!!
Span:
100 feet
Crossing: Stream
Connects: Two bike paths
Bridge Challenge #3
A highway bridge across a busy shipping port
A growing community needs a bridge, to connect the two halves of the city
across the harbor entrance. They're very picky about what they want! Help
them by testing your engineering skills and match the right bridge to the
location shown in the figure below!!
Span:
5000feet
Crossing: Ocean bay
Connects: Island and mainland
Special Notes:
"Our records indicate that more than 500 ships
pass through Craggy Rock Harbor each day.
Please build a bridge that does not block the
flow of water traffic. We do not want angry
sailors or congestion of any kind in our harbor.
Thank you."
-- The United States Coast Guard
Source: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/bridge/challenge/
Bridge Challenge #3
A highway bridge across a busy shipping port
Beam Bridge
Suspension Bridge
Span:
5000feet
Crossing: Ocean bay
Connects: Island and mainland
Arch Bridge
Draw Bridge
Source: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/bridge/challenge/
Bridge Challenge #3
A highway bridge across a busy shipping port
Suspension Bridge
Span:
5000feet
Crossing: Ocean bay
Connects: Island and mainland
Bridge Challenge #3
A highway bridge across a busy shipping port
However, there is a problem.
Suspension Bridge
Span:
5000feet
Crossing: Ocean bay
Connects: Island and mainland
Your new bridge is moving up and down a lot in the wind! This isn't a
big problem under normal conditions, but what if a hurricane were to
blow through town? It could cause the bridge to move too much, or
even twist so violently that it would snap in half!
Bridge Challenge #3
A highway bridge across a busy shipping port
How can you strengthen the bridge to resist strong winds?
Stiffen the deck
with an open
TRUSS?
Span:
5000feet
Crossing: Ocean bay
Connects: Island and mainland
Source: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/bridge/challenge/
Bridge Challenge #3
A highway bridge across a busy shipping port
Open Truss
Great Idea!!
Span:
5000feet
Crossing: Ocean bay
Connects: Island and mainland
Source: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/bridge/challenge/
Conclusion
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