Bridges: Flows, Forces and Failures
ENGR 100 Exploring Engineering Seminar 3
Fall 2009
Instructors:
Office:
E-mail:
Phone:
Office Hours:
Class Meets:
Assoc. Prof. Mike Toole, P.E.
Dana 332
ttoole@bucknell.edu
577-3820
M 2-3 PM, T 11-11:50 AM, W 3-4 PM, R 9-10 AM, F 1-2 PM and gladly at other
times upon request
MWF 12:00 – 12:52 PM in Breakiron 165 and R 1:00 – 2:52 / 3:00-4:52 PM in
Dana 29.
Seminar Overview
This seminar will introduce students to planning, designing and maintaining infrastructure by
focusing on bridge design. Specifically, students will learn how anticipated vehicular (and
resulting forces) and ship traffic and potential floodwaters are critical sets of flows that must be
considered during bridge design. The behavior of concrete and ductile and brittle metals due to
stress will be studied through lectures, homework, lab experiments and a field trip. Students will
apply the ENGR 100 design process using educational bridge design software.
Seminar Objectives
By the end of the seminar, students should be able to:
1. Summarize the infrastructure crisis that looms in the U.S.
2. Define, identify and calculate axial and flexural stresses and to identify shear and
torsional stresses when presented with simple real-life images;
3. Summarize the key properties of concrete and factors that influence those properties;
4. Differentiate between ductile and brittle metals and discuss applications when ductility is
critical;
5. Identify and sketch common bridge types (truss, suspension, etc.) and briefly describe
how each type resists loads;
6. Briefly describe the typical bridge design process and how hydrology, transportation
planning, geotechnical analysis and structural analysis are critical elements of the design;
7. Apply the first six steps of the ENGR 100 design process to a bridge, including designing
an efficient bridge using the bridge design software provided;
Seminar Grading
Class participation
Homework and Lab Report
In-class Test
Bridge Design Project
5%
20%
40%
35%
Seminar Textbooks: None.
Seminar Policies
1. Class attendance is very important. Please follow the ENGR 100 notification process if
you know you will miss class. Unexcused absences will be reflected in the class
participation portion of your grade.
2. I may modify the assigned reading, preparation questions and homework. You are
required to check for changes and announcements on Blackboard every other day;
however, I will generally send email for items that require action within 24 hours.
3. Collaboration is allowed on all assignments; however, copying and plagiarizing are not
allowed.
4. Side conversations in class can be disruptive. If you need clarification on something or
can share an experience or knowledge that may help your classmates, please speak up.
5. You are required to wear long pants and sturdy footwear for the laboratory sessions.
Tentative Class Schedule
Date
Topic
11/2
11/4
11/5
Bridge design process steps 1-3
Introduction to concrete
Concrete batching and metal impact
testing lab
Types of stresses
Free body diagrams
Internal shear and moment, strain, tensile
testing behavior
Metal tensile and concrete compressive
testing lab
Flexural stress and moment of inertia
Bridge types and introduction to the
bridge design software
Brooklyn Bridge video
11/6
11/9
11/11
11/12
11/13
11/16
11/18
11/19
11/20
11/24
11/24
Assignment
HW 1 due
Read ASTM C192 and both lab assignment
documents
HW 2 due
HW 3 due
HW 4 due
Lab report due
Note: Both lab sections will meet 1:00-3:30
PM this day.
Bridge field trip
Seminar exam
Bridge design report due
Seminar and Teammate evaluations due
Assignments
1) Write a 1 page, typed, single-spaced summary of the article “The Infrastructure Crisis.”
2) Everyday item stress analysis (handwritten OK, include sketch)
3) Free body diagram reaction analysis (calculations; must be on engineering paper)
4) Flexural stress analysis (calculations; must be on engineering paper)
5) Tensile and impact testing lab report
6) Bridge design report