Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

How does the shape of a truss on a bridge affect how much weight the bridge can support?

Hi,

Here is a Science Buddies Project that is exactly on your question
https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... p006.shtml

https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... p011.shtml

https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... h008.shtml

http://bridgecontest.usma.edu/pdfs/la3.pdf

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/bridge/index.html

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/lab/shapes.html

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/bridge/index.html

http://www.jhu.edu/~virtlab/bridge/truss.htm

http://www.cwc.ca/NR/rdonlyres/828D87E4 ... turing.pdf

http://www.southlinesteel.net/data/docu ... torial.pdf

This is a very important and interesting engineering question. You should be able to make a terrific science fair project with it!. Have fun.

Best regards,

Barrett L. Tomlinson

Here is an interesting online simulator for building bridges. It takes into account all the terminology you need to be familiar with, including trusses as well as other aspects of building bridges

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/lab/forces.html