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Building and Construction Science Fair Project

Bridge Strength Across Three Designs

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Bridge Strength Across Three Designs | Science Fair Projects | STEM Projects
Does the shape of a bridge affect how much weight it can hold? Engineers choose from many bridge designs. Each one handles force in a different way. You build three bridges with different structural designs. Then you place weights on each one and measure how much it bends. The amount of flex tells you which design resists force the best. Comparing the results shows which shape distributes weight most effectively.

Hypothesis

The hypothesis is that the Truss Bridge will support the most weight.

Method & Materials

You will construct a stand for the bridges using Legos, build three bridges out of Popsicle sticks, and measure the amount they flex using a micrometer.
You will need a box of 180mm Popsicle sticks, a micrometer, three bridges constructed of Popsicle sticks, a stand constructed of Legos, two 45kg weights, two .225kg weights, and one 1.25kg weight.

Results

The results of the experiment showed that the truss bridge was the strongest and the arch was second. Span was weakest and flexed the least. This suggests that the hypothesis should be accepted.

Why do this project?

This science project is interesting because it helps civil engineers to create stronger bridges for the increasing population.

Also Consider

Variations to consider include testing bridges using cables to see if they hold more weight than no cable bridges, and testing other types of bridges.

Full project details

Additional information and source material for this project are available below.

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