This past week the group worked on the 3' KNEX truss bridge. In this process each member is also working on a truss analysis for a sample bridge and for our own KNEX truss system. This should help us analyze the truss and make adjustments to strengthen it. This next week the group will look deeper into the analysis and come up with a final design for the groups 3' KNEX bridge.
The method of joints is a great way to get a general idea of how a truss system works. I feel that it would not be a great way to analyze a large scale bridge. Nature plays a large role in affecting how a bridge holds up. The method of joints does not take into account the lateral movement perpendicular to the joints. In a real world situation the wind would cause a large difference in these calculations. On a small scale and to give a person a general idea of how a truss works the method of joints is a great tool.
I would like to be able to analyze how a moving load affects a bridge. It would also be useful to be able to see how the material of a bridge decays over time. Bridges should be built to last a long time and be safe. It is important to see how the bridge would deteriorate over time. Including wind forces would also be a large benefit. In a real world bridge this would have to be calculated. It would be useful to see what needs to be added to our bridges and ideas to make them actual models of a real life possibility.
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