Week 7

Week 7

            During last week lab each team was given the chance to test our 2’ bridges in a competition scenario.  Our team was able to test two bridges designed by two group members.  The two designs were really different from each other.  One of them had an arch shape while the other one had a common trust bridge design.  Originally we thought that both bridges would have similar resistances.  Unfortunately the arch bridges design wasn’t able to hold more than 16lbs.  The arch design of the bridge was unable to hold more weight; the design had a flaw, which cause the bridge to bend vertically as weight was been added.  In the other hand the second bridge doubled the resistance of the arch bridge design.  This bridge didn’t show any visual disturbance or deformation in its structure while weight was been added.  The bridge collapsed after adding 32lbs of weight in a really weird way.  We were hoping the bridge medium structure to bend and break.  Instead it collapsed in a really weird place, the right side that was been supported by the stands broke. 

            Originally the WPBD programs provide us with numbers relating both the cost to resistance of the bridge.  This was really helpful because we were able to play and create different bridge designs and test their resistance and at the same time be able to know their cost.  Unfortunately we haven’t been able to find any equation that would help us calculate the numbers for the Knex bridge design.  The only thing that we are able to know from using the Knex is the cost of the bridge.  I think that it would be really helpful if there were an equation that could help use calculates the numbers related to the resistance of the bridges.  The only way possible to calculate the resistance of a Knex bridge is by actual testing.