Each
student has a file in their folder
that will help guide the project. The
file contains a rubric that explains how
it will be graded. The project will
create at least 5 bridges. Pictures of
the bridges and their written
explanation will be submitted.
Students get to choose which style of
bridge to spend more time on.

The West Point Bridge Design software is a
free program that you can download from
the West Point College. Start the program
and just keep pressing next/finished until it
brings you to the design interface. You can
come back later and experiment with
different options. The system lets users save
bridge files. However, the final product for
this project will be a Word Document.
The
bridge is made of joints and
beams. The joints are where the
beams join together. The designer
can choose where the beams go.
Also, the beams can be made of
different thicknesses and different
kinds of steel. These options
combine to make any kind
of structure.
Using MS Word and screenshots
 The project will be submitted in a Microsoft
Word file. Students will submit 5 bridges
with 5 descriptions. To get a picture of a
bridge (or a picture of any window) use the
keyboard and press the “Print Screen”
button. This button is in the top right
corner of the keyboard. Then, paste the
screen shot onto the document.




WPBD: Getting Started
Starting the Design Program
Joints and Beams
Using MS Word and Screenshots

It can be fun to make a spectacular design
that costs a lot of money. A beam that is
longer will cost more money. A beam that is
thicker will cost more money. The more
beams you have the more money it will cost.
Also, options can be set up at the beginning
of a design that will
increase cost.

In reality people do not want to spend a lot on
a structure. To enter the WPBD contest,
making a bridge less costly is the main focus.
Make each beam just strong enough to hold
the weight it needs. Look at the data on the
beam to see how close it is to breaking. The
beam should be close to breaking, but not
actually break.
People
have different ideas on
what a bridge looks like to make
it beautiful. You can create a
bridge to suspend letters or
shapes. You can make a bridge
using different colors of steel.
You can make a bridge that
moves in odd ways. Choose what
you think is beautiful.
 It is not easy to put the truck in the
water. The bridge its self has weight,
this is called dead weight. The truck
has weight, this is called live weight
because it moves. Try to make the
bridge hold up from dead weight, but
not live weight. By doing this, the
truck will take a swim.
An
expensive bridge
A less costly bridge
A Beautiful bridge
A splash bridge

Excavation is when machines are used to
remove large amounts of dirt and debris. By
excavating the sides around a bridge, the
bridge can be built lower. The lower bridge
has less distance to cover. Excavation also
creates more area for a bridge builder to
place beams and joints. By choosing the
excavation option, designers can be
successful on any of the different kinds of
bridges.
 The
length of the bridge is called a
span length. Some times it is more
cost effective to build a bridge that
does not have to go as long.
Reducing the span length reduces
costs of steel and increases cost of
excavation. Increasing span length
increases the cost of steel and
decreases the cost of excavation.

The simulation software enables designers to
choose from three different types of steel.
Carbon steel is the cheapest and least strong.
High strength alloy steel is medium cost and
strength. Quenched and tempered steel is
the most expensive and most strong. The
best bridge designs will use a mix of all three
types.
 Hollow
tubes make use of steel
without any material in the center.
An engineer will save money
because they will purchase less
materials. However, the cost of
producing hollow tubes is higher. In
many cases hollow tubes are a
better buy. Thick beams tend to be
more cost effective.
Excavation
 Span Length
 Materials
 Hollow tubes

 The
slenderness rating is a
calculation of how thick a beam is
compared to its length. A beam that
is long and thin is more slender. A
beam that is short and thick is less
slender. Beams must not be too
slender. The simulation will
automatically report an error with a
slenderness score above 300.

Compression is the physical force pushing
things together. If the beam is thick
enough, it will resist compression. A
beam that is too thin will compress
together and start to bend. Longer
beams are more likely to compress. The
simulator highlights compression
problems in red.
 Tension
is the force that pulls things
apart. Steel is very good at resisting
tension. A steel cable or steel beam
can often hold many tons of weight.
In some cases, a bridge may have a
beam break from tension. If a beam
is pulling apart from tension, the
simulator will highlight the beam in
blue.

The data table shows numerical values of
forces placed on the beams (members).
When optimizing a beam for cost, it is good
to have a beam that is nearly breaking. Try to
have the compression and/or tension get near
100% without getting to 100%. In real life,
the bridge would be built stronger in case of
unforeseen events. However, for the
program, if the truck works one time it is a
good bridge.
Slenderness
Compression
Tension
Using
the data table

The written portion of the project requires
text in paragraph form. Start out with a topic
sentence. The topic sentence just repeats the
question. For example, if a teacher asked
what a “Splash Bridge” is, a student should
start the paragraph mentioning the word
splash bridge. “A splash bridge is the name
used in the rubric for a bridge that has the
truck fall into the water.”
 The
middle sentences of a paragraph
should support the topic sentence.
Try to use professional vocabulary
and specific information. Avoid
vague references that do not
support the topic sentence. “The
splash happens because the bridge
can hold the dead weight, but not
the live weight. This is why we test
bridges in simulations first”

Just like an essay needs an ending paragraph,
a paragraph should have an appropriate
closing sentence. Some times a student can
reword the topic sentence for a good closing.
“By examining a splash bridge, engineers can
see the how the bridge is effected by the
truck’s weight.” Another way to end a
paragraph is to make an “I” statement. “I
enjoyed watching the truck fall in the water!”
 There
is a lot of opportunity for
students who enjoy this kind of
simulation. A student can go to the
West Point web site and participate
in the contest to win $5,000. A
student can get a job as an engineer
or an architect. Other similar
programs that you might like are
called Computer Aided Drafting.
 Topic sentences
 Body sentences
 Closing the paragraph
 Opportunities for bridge designers