Bridge Design $-$ Required: Two members$/$Team

The project will be graded on:

The analysis of the truss

Clean, clear, organized report

The performance of the bridge under loading$/$testing

Bridge Construction Rules:

The objective of this project is to design and build a determinate truss bridge with the highest loadto$-$weight capacity ratio $($Failure Load$/$Weight$),$ over a predetermined span using popsicle sticks and glue. The bridge will be loaded at the midpoint to see if the actual failure load is close to the calculated failure load. Five groups with the highest load$-$to$-$weight ratio will be given $10\%$ extra credit as a bonus.

Materials:

Popsicle sticks with $4\mathrm{.}5$ in$.$ length and $0\mathrm{.}4$ in$.$ width

Hot glue.

Construction:

Any type of bridge may be constructed as long as it meets the following specifications.

Do not coat the bridge with any material $($i$.$e$.,$ paint, stain, or glue$).$

The bridge must be constructed to meet the following specifications:

The bridge will span an opening of $16$ inches on the loading table. Note that the bridge will need to be longer than $16$ inches to allow for bearing on the table. The bridge may not be longer than $20$ inches. This allows a maximum of two inches on each side for bearing.

The bridge will only be allowed to rest on the provided loading table. No glue or physical attachments may be made to the top or sides of the loading table.n

$1$

Bridge width: $4\mathrm{.}5$ inches

Bridge height: No limit

The bridge will be loaded with steel plates at its midpoint. The loading will continue until the bridge fails.