Last week, our class learned about the apparatus that is going to be used to test our bridges. I took note that the Knex bridge design we test needs to have a flat surface on the top of it in order for the apparatus to sit evenly across the bridge. Mr. Jay Bhatt came in to speak to the class and showed us some very useful resources that I will use to learn more about bridges as my group and I continue to improve our designs. Towards the end of the class period, my group mates and I discussed ways to use the Knex to design a bridge that would be strong when compared to its cost. We all decided that the best thing for the group would be for each of us to design Knex bridges separately and compare our design results. This week we will talk about the ideas we had behind our bridge designs and, out of the three of our design, which one we think will be the best.
As we transition from using West Point Bridge Designer on the computer to actually building our designs using Knex, there are going to be a number of differences. Primarily, I must point out that WPBD had a set number of connections for the road surface of the bridge. Not being able to move these connections or change the number of them affected the designs of the bridges. Additionally, WPBD allowed chords of any length to be created, their materials to be changed, and their diameters to be altered. Using Knex, we will be limited in the sizes which will affect the strength of the bridge, the shape of the bridge, and the size of the bridge. Only certain triangular patters will be able to be created. Because the longer pieces are more slender, it will be very important to leave them out of the design. The more slender a member, the weaker it may become as weight is added to the bridge.
- Melissa Wetzel
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