BRIDGE BASICS
Go to: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/bridge/index.html
Click on Bridge Basics and answer the following questions.
1. What do two things do engineers need to consider before building a bridge?
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2. Name the four major types of bridges and describe at least three attributes about each
one.
a. ____________________________
i. ____________________________________________________________
ii. ____________________________________________________________
iii. ____________________________________________________________
iv. What force(s) act on this bridge? _________________________________
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b. ____________________________
i. ____________________________________________________________
ii. ____________________________________________________________
iii. ____________________________________________________________
iv. What force(s) act on this bridge? _________________________________
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c. ____________________________
i. ____________________________________________________________
ii. ____________________________________________________________
iii. ____________________________________________________________
iv. What force(s) act on this bridge? _________________________________
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d. ____________________________
i. ____________________________________________________________
ii. ____________________________________________________________
iii. ____________________________________________________________
iv. What force(s) act on this bridge? _________________________________
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Click on Forces Lab.
Click on Squeezing.
Define compression: ____________________________________________________________
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Explain the real life situation: _____________________________________________________
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Click on Stretching.
Define tension: ________________________________________________________________
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Explain the real life situation: _____________________________________________________
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Click on Bending.
Define bending: ________________________________________________________________
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Explain the real life situation: _____________________________________________________
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Click on Sliding.
Define shear: __________________________________________________________________
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Explain the real life situation: _____________________________________________________
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Click on Twisting.
Define torsion: ________________________________________________________________
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Explain the real life situation: _____________________________________________________
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Click on Webography and choose two bridges to read about that you’re interested in. Write at
least 10 facts you learned about each bridge.
Bridge Name:
Bridge Name:
Click on Forces Lab. Along the top, there are four choices, forces, loads, materials and shapes.
Click on Shapes. Go through the rectangle, arch and triangle and write down what you learned
about how force affects each shape and about how to strengthen each one.
Common Bridge Shapes
What happened when force
was applied?
How to strengthen shape
(draw picture)
How can you apply what you learned about strengthening these shapes to the toothpick bridges
you will be building?______________________________________________________________________________
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