Bridges and triangles –Math Research project Grade 8
24/04/2014
What is the use of triangles in the
construction of bridges? Explain what is
meant by the statement “the triangle is the
only rigid polygon” and how this helps the
bridge structure.
First of all, the rigid polygon means polygon
that is rigid as you can understand from its word, and it is the only polygon that if
constructed of rigid members with hinged corners is absolutely fixed in shape up to the
compressive and tensile limits of its members. Basically, if you push on any vertices on
the triangle and try to bend it to create new triangle with exactly same three sides, it is
impossible and this makes triangle so useful for the construction of bridges. Other
polygons like square can easily be changed their shapes into another polygons, for
example, a square can be bent and changed into a parallelogram. Here is the diagram
shows how the triangle and the square change:
Therefore, this property helps to support bridges by putting the triangles between
parts that need help like the photos above and is really useful for their construction.
By the way, not only for the construction of
bridges, the triangles are used for famous “The
Disney Epcot Center dome”!
Could you see myriad of triangles?
By Riko Hamada 8G
Bibliography:
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"MICKEY MOUSE SUSTAINABLE FARMING at Disney EPCOT." Inhabitat.com. Inhabitat.com, n.d. Web.
24 Apr. 2014.
"The Strength and Mystery of Triangles." CTG Technical Blog. Cleaning Technologies
Group, n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2014.
Verial, Damon. "How to Use Triangles in Construction." EHow. Demand Media, 26 Aug.
2011. Web. 24 Apr. 2014.