#Bridge designer! (2016)
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By building bridges
It won't let me send link to website.
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When you start up the Bridge Designer, you are presented with the project requirement--to design a steel truss bridge to carry a two-lane highway across a deep river valley. Using the Design Project Setup Wizard, choose from a variety of different deck elevations and support configurations for your bridge. Each will cause the structure to carry load in a different way, and each has a different cost.
After defining the deck elevation and support configuration, create a structural model by drawing joints and members on the computer screen with your mouse. Each member has its own unique properties--material, cross-section shape, and size. You can define these properties as you design the structure--or just accept the default values and modify them later.
Once the structural model is complete, click the Load Test Button to run a simulated load test of your bridge.
This test will determine whether your design is strong enough to carry its specified loads, which include the weight of the bridge itself plus the weight of a standard truck loading.
This simulation includes an animation of your bridge as it is loaded, first by its own weight and then by the truck driving across it. If your design is strong enough, the truck will be able to cross it successfully; if not, the structure will collapse. Note that, during the animation, the structural members change color to indicate how they are loaded--blue for tension and red for compression.
If your bridge collapses, strengthen it by changing the properties of the members that failed--that is, by changing the members' material, cross-section shape, or size. Continue making these adjustments until the structure can successfully carry the truck without collapsing.
Now you have a successful bridge design, but it probably costs a lot more than necessary. To achieve an optimal solution, refine your design to minimize its cost while ensuring that the structure is still strong enough to carry the truck loading. This optimization process might involve changing member properties or modifying the overall configuration of the structure. This is your opportunity for creativity. Have fun!
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