There's
no doubt you've seen a bridge, and it's almost
as likely that you've traveled over one. If
you've ever laid a plank or log down over
a stream to keep from getting wet, you've
even constructed a bridge. A bridge
provides passage over some sort of obstacle:
a river, a valley, a road, a set of railroad
tracks...
In
this activity, we will look at the four major types
of bridges so that you can understand how each one works.
The type of bridge used depends on various features
of the obstacle. The main feature that controls
the bridge type is the size of the obstacle. How
far is it from one side to the other? This is
a major factor in determining what type of bridge to
use, and by the time you are done this activity you
will understand why.
The
questions are links. Click on each question to
find the information you need.
Name
that bridge There
are four major types of bridges. Fill in the type of
each brigde in the spaces below.
Bridge
Strengths & Weaknesses There
are four major types of bridges. Fill in the type of
each brigde in the spaces below. The biggest differences between the four is the distances they can cross in a single span and the materials that they are constructed with. A span is the distance between two bridge supports, whether they are columns, towers or the wall of a canyon. Fill in the information needed for each bridge type below.
Bridge Type
Spanning Distance
Construction
Materials
Advantages
Disadvantages
Forces
that act on Bridges Any time weight (an object or a person) is on a bridge, the materials have at least one force being exerted on them. Define the following forces.
Compression
Tension
Label
the diagram below by labeling the forces "compression"
or "tension" where they belong:
Sketch
Truss Designs If
you have not already done so, you will need to print the worksheet
HERE
and sketch the basic design of each of the following truss
configurations in the spaces provided.
Deck
Truss
Through
Truss
Arch Type
Baltimore (Pratt)
Truss
Double Warren
Truss
Wichert
Truss
Suspension or Cable-Stayed
Once
your group has completed all of the web quest tasks, staple
the worksheets together and pass them in to Mr. Whitman.
Thank you for your interest in the program.
If you have comments or suggestions, e-mail me
at mike_whitman (at) newton.k12.ma.us Because of the overwhelming amount of spam email I receive,
Please substitute the (at) with the @ symbol above.
