Team Names: ____________________________________________ Date: ______________

Pier (Column) Design Worksheet #ns(ers

You are engineers working for a structural design company in Colorado. The state of Colorado needs a new transportation bridge to serve as an overpass connecting a highway to a small mining town business district. 1. Brainstorm a list of questions to be answered before designing the bridge.

1$amples" #hat vehicles would be crossing the bridge' 2ow often' 2ow wide is the highwa3' #hat is the weather like' 1tc.
2. Make a list of the possible loads that the bridge must withstand.

/ossible answers" #eight of the bridge itself. #eight and movement of vehicles %cars and trucks&. #eight of snow. 0orces of wind and earthquake movement. 1tc.
3. Using the given values for loads, calculate the different possible loads for the bridge. a) b) c) d) e) Dead Load + Live Load + now Load Dead Load + Live Load + !ind Load "or #arth$uake Load) Dead Load + Live Load + !ind Load + " now Load % &) Dead Load + Live Load + now Load + "!ind Load % &) Dead Load + Live Load + now Load + #arth$uake Load

oad values for a scaled model of this bridge in !olorado" 'a(imum dead load )& lbs 'a(imum live load )& lbs 'a(imum wind load )* lbs 'a(imum snow load )& lbs 'a(imum earth$uake load ) * lbs

a * 2 + 2 + 2 * , lbs b * 2 + 2 + 1 * - lbs %or b * 2 + 2 + 1 * - lbs& c * 2 + 2 + 1 + %2 . 2& * , lbs d * 2 + 2 + 2 + %1 . 2& * ,.- lbs e * 2 + 2 + 2 + 1 * ) lbs )((((((( lbs #hich is the ma$imum load %force& that the bridge must be able to hold'

Bridges: Lesson 2, Load It !" #$ti%it& ' Pier (Column) Design Worksheet #ns(ers

4. !hoose one of the available materials for 3our model and calculate the cross5section area required for a pier %column& to support the ma$imum load. Use the following information and equation, and show 3our work. The compressive strength "+y) of clay is , lb-in&. The compressive strength "+y) of large marshmallows ) . lb-in& The compressive strength "+y) of foam ) / lb-in& +orce ) ma(imum load0 as calculated in 1/. olve for the area using the following e$uation2 6rea * 0orce . 03. 0or cla3" ) lbs . ) lb;in2 * 1.< in2 0or foam" ) lbs . 3 lb;in2 * 2.3 in2 0or marshmallows" ) lbs . - lb;in2 * 1.4 in2 -. Using a calculator, find the length %l& of each side of 3our cross5section area of the pier %column& from 74. 8how 3our calculations. 3int2 +or a rectangular pier0 take the s$uare root of your area to find the length of the sides. 3int2 +or a cylindrical pier0 divide the area by /.*40 and then take the s$uare root of your answer to find the radius of the end of the column. 0or cla3" square root of 1.< in2 * 1.< in 0or foam" square root of 2.3 in2 * 1.-2 in 0or marshmallows" 1.4 in2 . 3.14 * <.4- in2> the square root of <.4- in2 * <.,) in ,. 9ouble5check that 3our length dimensions are correct. 8how 3our work. 9oes it match 3our area answer from 74' 3int2 +or a rectangular pier0 multiply the length of one side by the length of the other side to find the area. 3int2 +or a cylindrical pier0 multiply the radius by itself0 and then multiply by /.*4 to find the area. 0or cla3" 1.< in $ 1.< in * 1.< in2 %3es, it matches& 0or foam" 1.-2 in $ 1.-2 in * 2.31 in2 %3es, it matches, close enough& 0or marshmallows" <.,) in $ <.,) in $ 3.14 * 1.41 in2 %3es, it matches, close enough& ). Build 3our model pier %column& using the materials 3ou chose. 9raw a sketch of 3our pier below, using the length of sides 3ou :ust calculated and a height of 3 inches. #rite the measurements on 3our drawing and indicate forces using arrows. compressive force cross5sectional area * (( $ (( in l #rea l

/ier drawing designs will var3= Make sure measurements and forces are noted.

3 in

Bridges: Lesson 2, Load It !" #$ti%it& ' Pier (Column) Design Worksheet #ns(ers

?. @est 3our pier model b3 adding the weight of books to equal the force 3ou calculated in 73. Aecord each book weight as 3ou add it. @otal the book weights to find the total load at each stage. Aecord 3our observations on how the column is withstanding the applied !la3 or foam or marshmallows load. Bour pier %column& material" (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( Book # < 1 2 3 4 , ) ? C C. 9escribe what happened to 3our column during testing. Book Weight
5one

Total Load
5one

Pier/Column Observations & Measurements

Column begins / inches high.

1$. 2 lbs 3 lbs

2 lbs - lbs

6nswers will var3.

6nswers will var3. 8ome columns collapse or fall over right awa3, such as foam. @hose that remain standing usuall3 compress. 8ome compress quickl3 down to an inch tall> others compress more slowl3 and stop at about two inches.

1<. #as the material 3ou chose for 3our model effective' #h3 or wh3 not'

6nswers will var3.

11. #hat could 3ou do to improve the design of 3our column'

/ossible answers" Use a stronger material. Make the cross section of the pier;column larger so it can support more force.

Bridges: Lesson 2, Load It !" #$ti%it& ' Pier (Column) Design Worksheet #ns(ers