The strength of the shapes!!!
Square and Triangle base Bridge
The strength of the shapes!!!
Purpose
There are many ways to build bridges, both real bridges and popsicle stick bridges.The purpose of this experiment is to find out which popsicle stick bridge (using the same amount of popsicles for both - 250 sticks each) will hold the most weight a triangular shape bridge or a square shape bridge base.
The strength of the shapes!!!
Materials
Popsicle stick (small)
Gorilla glue
Paper
Pencil
Weights
Controls Variable: Number of Popsicle sticks
Independent Variable: Shape of the bridges
The strength of the shapes!!!
Square base bridge
Popsicle Stick Truss Bridge looking at you paper design using 250 sticks for each bridge.
Step 1: Place 4 popsicle sticks along a straight edge.
Step 2: Using one of the 4 stick beams begin the beams create 3 base square
Step 3: Fill 3 square solids with the stick.
Step 4: Glue the 3 walls square for to the road.
Step 5:Glue the 3 squares for the base.
Step 6: Reapet the process for the other side of the base.
Step 7: Glue 3 square sticks base to make the support on each side.
Step 8: Reinforce with the extra sticks
Step 9: Repeat 2 more times
Triangle base bridge
Popsicle Stick Truss Bridge looking at you paper design using 250 sticks for each bridge.
Step 1: Place 4 popsicle sticks along a straight edge.
Step 2: Using one of the 4 stick beams begin the beams create 3 base squarefor the road
Step 3: Fill 3 square solids with the stick.
Step 4: Glue the 3 walls square for to the road.
Step 5:Glue the 3 tringles for the base.
Step 6: Reapet the process for the other side of the base.
Step 7: Glue 3 triangle sticks base to make the supporton each side.
Step 8: Reinforce with the extra sticks
Step 9: Repeat 2 more times
Procedure of the building of the bridges
The strength of the shapes!!!
The strength of the shapes!!!
Square base bridge
Step 1: Place one iron plate on the road of the bridge.
Step 2: Continue adding iron plates one at the time.
Step 3: Keep counting iron plates until the bridge collapse.
Step 4: Record the number of iron plates before the collapse
ing Step 5:Glue the 3 squares for the base.
Step 6: Reapet the process for the other side of the base.
Step 7: Glue 3 square sticks base to make the support on each side.
Step 8: Reinforce with the extra sticks
Step 8: Reapet 2 more times.
Triangle base bridge
Using one pound iron plates
Step 1: Place 4 popsicle sticks along a straight edge.
Step 2: Using one of the 4 stick beams begin the beams create 3 base squarefor the road
Step 3: Fill 3 square solids with the stick.
Step 4: Glue the 3 walls square for to the road.
Step 5:Glue the 3 tringles for the base.
Step 6: Reapet the process for the other side of the base.
Step 7: Glue 3 triangle sticks base to make the supporton each side.
Step 8: Reinforce with the extra sticks
Step 9: Reapet 2 more time.
Procedure to test the strenght of the bridges
The strength of the shapes!!!
The strength of the shapes!!!
The strength of the shapes!!!
The strength of the shapes!!!
Results
My hypothesis was correct the triangle shape hold 17 pound before collapsing , the triangle based bridge spreads out weight and is much more stable than a simple rectangle square support which hold 15 pounds.
The strength of the shapes!!!
Future Design improvements
Another ways to strengthen a rectangle or another shape is to add supports that form triangles at the rectangle's corners or across its diagonal length. A single support between two diagonal corners greatly strengthens a rectangle by turning it into two triangles and utilizing more than one shape base at the same time to see if improve strength.
The strength of the shapes!!!
According to the internet, "If there is a single most important shape in engineering, it is the triangle. Unlike a rectangle, a triangle cannot be deformed without changing the length of one of its sides or breaking one of its joints.