A3-Weldon

 Method of Joints

     The necessary steps for converting the hand analysis that was done to a format that Bridge Designer can use to give you the same results is a method of scaling. Bridge Designer gives you a grid to work on, you can set any number of inches to each square that fits the user. I set each square equal to 2 inches. Doing this made it possible for me to find the correct ratio of distance for all the nodes.

     One problem that we found using Bridge Designer was that it required the user to relate the number of nodes to the number of members used in the bridge design. Our bridge had more members than nodes so we were unable to test our actual design, but a similiar version was used.
     This information about the method of joints greatly helps with the final design of our Knex Bridge. We will be able to see what the angles of the connectors produce in terms of tension and compression of the certain member that is in that location. We can then compare this information to the failure point of each size of Knex to see which piece will be best suited where, while still maintaining the design of the bridge and increasing its integrity.

By Robert Weldon