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Problem Statement
4 8
7
8
balsa wood to construct our truss from, with every extra inch
of wood costing a point on this assignment. Gussets would
be allowed but had to be cut from ordinary printer paper.
Test Truss
Research Results
I researched common determinate roof truss designs for
an idea of what I could use for my project. Both of the
websites I used had a Howe truss design, I used shape of
the simpler of the two for my design idea.
"AnalysisofStaticallyDeterminateTrusses."SchoolofCivilEngineering.
SuranareeUniversityofTechnology,n.d.Web.1Dec.2015.
CommonTrussConfigurations.Digitalimage.Sans10400Building
Regulations.SANS10400,n.d.Web.1Dec.2015.
Brainstorm
Design Process
Elizabeth, Osric and I all used the basic Howe Truss
design, though our dimensions varied. Nicholas used a more
elaborate design, but of the four designs Elizabeths and
mine were the only ones that fit the length requirements. We
scored the four designs using the criteria of length,
maximum stress that any member would have to bear, size,
number of members, and simplicity.
Length
Stress
Size
Member
Simple
Score
2
4
1
10
12
7
18
Nick
Osric
Elizabet
0
0
1
2
3
1
3
2
1
s
3
3
3
h
Beth
Official Test
The truss was able to withstand a maximum force of 70
pounds and a maximum deflection of ___ before it broke at
one of the outermost joints, H. Since it weighed .01794
pounds, it had an efficiency of 3901.9%
Teamwork
Everyone brainstormed and shared their own truss
designs with the group, discussed which truss design we
wanted to use, and worked together to quickly construct and
test the truss.
Elizabeths design was also a Howe truss, however she
was having difficulties getting it into MD solids so in order to
not fall behind we used mine. For the final truss design she
was in charge of cutting out and gluing the paper gussets.
Reflections
1. The initial failure occurred right above one of the
supports, and when we checked part of the member
above the other support it had been compressed,
though not compromised. The combination of the
pressure pushing down to the right of the beam and the
support pushing up on it broke the beam, though
according to MD solids that member was not
undergoing the most stress. That same member was
also broken a little closer to the center after the initial
break since the truss was still being pushed down and
the break allowed the support to push the end of the
member completely out of position.