Bridge Building

By Pregash Kannan, (K094963)

Contents
Title Page No.:
Introduction 4
Aim 6
Design Brief 7
Research on Design Scheme 8 * Qualities of Balsa Wood 8 * Qualities of UHU Super Glue 11 * Truck Drawing 12 * Truck Considerations 13 * Testing Rig Drawing 16 * Testing Rig Considerations 17
Background Research Information 18 * Four Factors Distinguishing all Types of Bridge Structure 18
Exploration of Bridge Structures 20 * Types of Span 20 * Materials 21 * Three Travel Surface Configurations 22 * The Different Structural Types 23 * The Different Types of Trusses 30
Initial Conceptual Designs 38 * Idea 1 38 * Idea 2 39 * Idea 3 40 * Idea 4 41 * Idea 5 42 * Idea 6 43 * Idea 7 44 * Idea 8 45
Key Decisions Made 46
Final Conceptual Design 49 * Sketch 49
Planning Process / Programme of Work 50 * Templates in the Making – Final Measurements 50 * Proposed Method of Work 51
Tools to Execute Construction 53
Construction - Step By Step 55
Final Model – Considerations 64
Testing of Bridge 67 * Testing Method 67 * Testing of Bridge 68
Improvements to be made on bridge 69
Re-design of bridge 70 * Sketch 70
Conclusion of Bridge Making Project 71
References 73

Introduction
Bridges enable us to form a passage spanning physical obstacles, which separates two areas of land from each other. The gap is usually made up of water, however large the quantity, perhaps most arguably with the obvious exception of an ocean.
Bridges thereby bring about to us as a people or a civilisation, economical, political, financial, military,

References: Page 8 – Quality of Balsa Wood http://pldaniels.com/flying/balsa/balsa-properties.html Page 23 – Beam Structures: http://www.design-technology.org/beambridges.htm Page 25 – Arch Structures: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arch_bridge Page 30 – Truss Structures: http://pghbridges.com/basics.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truss Page 33 – Pratt Truss: http://pghbridges.com/basics.htm All Pictures, (excluding some photos and diagrams) are sourced from www.google.co.uk