Bridge Design Competition

Goal:

Design the least expensive truss bridge.

Tools:

Download West Point Bridge Design software and install. Use the version for Windows XP.

Experiment:

Remove pieces of the bridge to see what happens. What structure or basic shape is will tend to give the best strength?

Change materials. How does the structure change?

Of the three basic truss examples in the software ( Howe, Pratt and Warren ), which one is the strongest?

Can you design a bridge using only 30 pieces?