What do these words have in common: beam, truss, arch, suspension and cable-stayed? They are all bridge types designed by engineers. In this activity—a great classroom...
...moreWhat do these words have in common: beam, truss, arch, suspension and cable-stayed? They are all bridge types designed by engineers. In this activity—a great classroom competition—students learn how bridges are vital structures that connect people from one area (an island or river bank, for example) to another (the mainland or opposite river bank), among many other situations for which linkages are necessary. Bridge design is not new to our society, but today's engineers are inventing and applying new materials and designs that enable bigger, stronger and more spectacular bridges than have ever been built. Students use plastic drinking straws and tape to create truss bridges within given design constraints, coming to understand the concepts of shape, load, tension and compression. Which team's bridge design will be the strongest?
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