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Model Bridge is educational software that helps junior high, high school, and college students understand the behavior of pin-truss bridges. Students can build their own bridges, test them and run bridge-building competitions. Students learn how to optimize their bridge design and improve the strength of their bridge while staying within material constraints.
This is one of the simplest bridges that you can build using Model Bridge. Bridges are constructed using pins and members. As shown in the screen above, members can be reinforced. This is indicated by the numbers in the middle of the members. However, as in real life, there are limits on such things as the maximum length and strength of a member, the total weight of the bridge, how high a bridge may be built, etc. Model Bridge comes with a standard set of restrictions, and also lets you make up your own set of restrictions.
The maximum force that the bridge was able to withstand before collapsing is shown as Fr on the right stanchion. The bridge itself shows, by using different colors, how the force affected each member of the bridge. Compression (pushing on a member) is shown in red and tension (pulling on a member) is shown in blue. The members that show a deeper color are closest to breaking. Members that remain gray are being affected little or not at all by the force being applied to the bridge. |
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