Go to Http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/
Click on “The Labs”
Click on “Forces Lab
Forces Lab
Fill in the table with jot notes:
Informal name
(s) for external
forces
Squeezing
Formal name(s)
for external
forces
Building Big
Definition
Stretching
Bending
Compression +
Tension
Sliding/
Tearing
Twisting
Go to Http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/
Real Life
Example
Click on “The Labs”
Click on “Loads Lab”
Fill in the sentences:
Forces that act on structures are called…….
All structures must ……..
In order to build a structure, you must….
Dead Loads
The weight of the structure itself …..
Anything permanently attached……….
Live Loads
The weight of the stuff….
Things that move in or on …..
The beam failed because…….
Soft Soil
When the soil beneath a structure settles unevenly…..
Deep piles ………
Thermal Loads
When a structure expands or shrinks with the temperature……
The temperature causes the beam to …………
The intense sun…….
Roller joints ……
Earthquake Loads
When the ground beneath the structure …..
Shear walls ……..
Wind Loads
When wind blow on a structure……..
Cross bracing ……….
Dynamic Loads
Loads that change over time……
Thick beams …….
Note: Dynamic loads include wind, earthquake, and temperatures. Sometimes all of these
are grouped together and are called live loads.
Go to Http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/
Click on “The Labs”
Click on “Shapes Lab”
1. Describe what happens to the rectangle when you move the slider to #1. Draw a
diagram.
2. Describe what happens to the arch when you move the slider to #3. Draw a diagram.
3. Describe what happens to the triangle when you move the slider to #6. Draw a
diagram.
4. Click on the rectangle. What happens when you push on the side of the rectangle?
5. How can you strengthen the rectangle?
6. What happens when you push down on an arch that is not supported on both sides?
7. How can you strengthen an arch?
8. What happens when you push the side of a triangle?
9. What is the strongest part of a triangle?
10. What happens when you push the strongest part of the triangle?
11. Explain why the triangle is the strongest and most rigid shape used in construction
today.
Go to Http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/
Click on “The Labs”
Click on “Materials Lab”
Fill in the table with jot notes from the PBS Building Big web site.
Material
Strength in
Compression
Strength
in
Tension
Properties
Pros &
Cons
Applications
Wood
Plastic
Aluminum
Brick
Concrete
Reinforced
Concrete
Bridges Lab
Now that you are done filling in the blanks, it’s time to learn about bridges and urban
planning. On the left side of the web site, click on the Bridges link. Now click on the
Bridge Basics link.
Jot down some key points about each bridge here:
The beam bridge consists of…
supported at each end by …
The weight of the…
The farther apart its piers, the …
rarely span more than...
. This is why beam bridges
The truss bridge consists of ....
Truss bridges are commonly made from…
The Firth of Forth Bridge in Scotland is a ___________________________ bridge, a
complex version of the truss bridge. __________________________ extend from both
sides of two piers. _____________________ projecting from the top and bottom of each
_____________, hold the arms in place. The arms that project toward the middle are only
supported on one side, like really
diving boards. These "diving
boards," called _________________________________, support a third, central
.
The arch bridge has...
Thousands of years ago, ________________built arches out of
_______________. Today, most arch bridges are made of
or
,
and they can span up to _______________________.
The suspension bridge can span _________________
feet -- way farther than ________________________________________________!
Most suspension bridges have a
system beneath the roadway to
resist
and twisting.
Now that you've mastered the bridge basics, test your bridge-building skills in the Bridge
Challenge! Click on “Bridge Challenge” at the bottom of the page and design the best
bridges to meet the needs of the people of Craggy Rock.
Below, write ten or more facts that you learned while working as a structural
engineer for the City of Craggy Rock:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.