Bridge Building Reflection

Bridge Building: Reflection Essay

Bridge Building: Reflective Essay This year’s bridge building was a bit different from last years. This years and every other years objective was simple, it was to see who can design, construct, and test the most efficient bridge within certain specifications. These model bridges were intended to be a simplified version of real-world bridges, which are designed to accept a load in any position and permit the load to travel across the entire bridge. Ever year the bridge specifications change, this year’s bridge specifications were: 1. Materials a. The bridge must be constructed only from the official 3/32-inch square cross-section basswood included in the kit and any commonly available adhesive. b. The official basswood may be notched, cut, sanded or laminated in any manner but must still be identifiable as the original official basswood. c. No other materials may be used. The bridge may not be stained, painted or coated in any fashion with any foreign substance.
The bridges were also given special measurements which differed every year. This year’s bridge measurement specifications were:
2. Construction a. The bridge mass shall be no greater than 25.00 grams. b. The bridge (see Figure 1) must span a gap (S) of 300. Mm, be no longer (L) than 400. Mm, be no taller (H) than 150. Mm above the support surfaces, and has a width (W) no greater than 80. mm. c. The bridge must be constructed to provide a horizontal support for the loading plate and at each of the three possible loading positions. These three positions (see 3c). The bridge structure must allow the loading rod (see 3c) to be mounted from below. d. The bridge must be constructed to allow a 48 mm diameter, 400. Mm long pipe (1.5 inch schedule 40 PVC pipe) to be passed horizontally across the bridge with the pipe's lower surface on the