Strong toothpicks bridge6/19/2023 ![]() What allows an arch bridge to span greater distances than a beam bridge, or a suspension bridge to span a distance nearly 7 times that of an arch bridge? The answer lies in how each bridge type deals with two important forces called Compression and Tension: A suspension bridge, the pinnacle of bridge technology, is capable of spanning up to 7,000 feet. A modern beam bridge, for instance, is likely to span a distance of up to 200 feet, while a modern arch can safely span up to 800 or 1,000 feet. A span is the distance between two bridge supports, whether they are columns, towers or the wall of a canyon. The biggest difference between the three is the distances they can each cross in a single span. There are three major types of bridges: (See more details and diagrams) Structure Bridges sells kits and videos and also has a tips page. You can also click Bridges to see pictures of bridges made by other students. This program allows you to build a truss bridge model and test it! A good on-line program to help you learn how weights distribute in a triangle is Build a Truss Program. Converting weight force to tension and compression is done by forming triangles. The reason that we do that is that most construction material have a high tensile strength or a high compressive strength, but they have little strength if you try to bend them. The main idea in designing the bridge is to redirect all forces to tensile and compressive forces. I suggest a balsa wood bridge and initial drawing on the paper. The following is some general information that can help you design and construct your bridge. It varies from job to job, and that’s what makes it fun. ![]() Before a bridge project begins bridge engineers are told what the constraints are – what we can and can not do. The main reason that you were given the rules is to “constrain” you just like bridge engineers everywhere. Your teacher may have told you that you must build your bridge out of toothpicks, or Popsicle sticks, balsa wood, or maybe even spaghetti. The idea of “constraints” is an important one. For example, what are your material constraints? Certainly, it would not be of much use to you were I to tell you that stone arches were the strongest, when you were already instructed to build your bridge out of toothpicks. There are too many variables involved for the question to be meaningful. What type of bridge is the strongest? (We get that question frequently from kids.) That question doesn’t really have an answer. Now you are probably wondering where to start. In a bridge project you will be asked to design and construct a bridge that will hold the most weight for a given span.
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