Connecticut TRAC
TRAC
line
A Transportation & Civil Engineering Program      
Bridge Builder
line
image067.gif This activity may be presented as either a demonstration or hands-on lab to illustrate the geometric parameters that affect the bending behavior of beams and bridges. A load is applied to various configurations of balsa wood strips, and the students observe how the geometry (length, width, and height) affects the amount of deflection ( or the movement of a structure resulting from stress) and the ultimate failure load.
 In these Activities, students will…

•    Be introduced to the basic concepts employed by the structural engineer when designing and building bridges including load, dimensions, and materials.

•    Study different types of bridges and the factors that go into deciding the most suitable type, dimensions, and material for a bridge.

    Use a computer program to predict the overall strength and weight of a structure as well as how well a structure performs under different loads.

    Design, build, and test an actual bridge

Supporting materials:

Material Listing

Bridge Builder Manual

Bridge Builder Module Power Point