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Two.

Precedent Study

History
The Taylor-Southgate Bridge was constructed in 1995 that was a replacement for the Central Bridge. The bridge has a main span of 850
feet (260m) and a total span of 1850 feet (560m) that uses less material than a series of simple trusses because it distributes live loads
across all the spans. It has four automobile lanes, two approach spans of slightly different lengths, and two piers in the river. The main
concern was to carry U.S. Route 27 across the Ohio River, connecting Newport, Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio.

Warren Truss
James Warren and Willoughby Theobald Monzani patented the truss in 1848. The truss consists of longitudinal members joined only by
angled cross-members, forming alternately inverted equilateral triangle-shaped spaces along its length. However, the Taylor-Southgate
Bridge has the idea of Warren truss with vertical bracings.

Compression
Tension

Joints
Connections of each member are mainly uses rigid connections with gussets plates. Thick sheets of steel are used to connect each
member to the truss. Gusset plates are not only used to joining members together but also used to strengthen the joint. Steel members
of the structure welding and gusset plates are fastened across the joints, to integrate with the structural members they are supporting.

Double W bracings were used to connect to both main frames,

Side bracings are bolted to the mainframe and gusset plates to fasten across
the joints.

A blow up diagram of connection of members to


mainframe.

Testing of Glue
Different types of glue were tested to determine the strongest connection, each glue were used to stick 3 layers of fettuccine. After
testing different types of glue, 3 second glue has a high efficiency compared to others, with fastest solidify time. However, the fettuccine
bridge becomes brittle after a few days, therefore, load testing must be done few hours after completion of bridge.

Type of Glue

Weight of load (g)

Description

3 Second Glue

390

High efficiency, fast solidify time, brittle after 2 days.

UHU Glue

310

High efficiency, takes longer time to solidify compared to 3 seconds glue.

Epoxy

230

Low efficiency, slow solidify time.

3 Second Glue

UHU Glue

Epoxy

Three. Strength and truss analysis


Model 1- Arch Truss Bridge
The Pratt truss arch bridge is made of San Remo Fettucini. The upper horizontal member consists of
3layers, the curved lower horizontal member has 4layers and the vertical and diagonal truss only have
one layer, they are connected together using superglue and weighted 140g. The bridge is setup on
two sides of table with a 750mm clear span and both end of it are rested on stacks of books. The load
that it was able to withstand is 1500g, the analysis below explained the forces acting on trusses in the
bridge.

Plan view of truss bridge


!

Model 1 Testing
The first model was able to withstand 1.4kg of load.
500g The pail, hook and string are hooked onto the bridge, model is stable and firm.
1kg

Water is poured in, model is stable.

1.2kg Model starts bending.


1.4kg Model starts to produce cracking sound. Members start cracking which leads to the model to break completely in the
middle.

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Design Solutions
Calculation generated from Staad Pro v1.3, the bridge supports the load with two coplanar arch truss bridge components. The load are
then divided into four parts (diagram below shows the quarter of load-3.5N) as it rested on four point. The weak members of the bridge is
in the middle of it, therefore, in our model testing, the bridge buckles in the middle when the load hits 1500G. Although the truss bridge is
deemed statically determinate and has a stabe support, the bridge buckles at weight as little as 1500G, we belived the cause is the weak
and brittle material in the middle sustained too much weight and the narrow middle part of the bridge design could not deliver the load
equally to the side.

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Force Analysis

2J=M+3

Efficiency

2(13)=23+3

E=(maximum
load)/weight of bridge

26=26
Statically determinate truss

=2.25/0.14
=16.07

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Final Model - Arch Truss Bridge


The Pratt truss arch bridge is made of San Remo Fettucini. The upper horizontal member consists of 4layers, the curved lower horizontal
member has 5layers and the vertical and diagonal truss have only one layer, they are connected together using superglue and weighted
182g. The bridge is setup on two sides of table with a 750mm clear span and both end of it are rested on stacks of books. The load that
it was able to withstand is 3500g, the analysis below explained the forces acting on trusses in the bridge.

Plan view of truss bridge

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Final Testing 1
The second model was able to withstand 3.2kg.
500g - The pail, hook and string are hooked onto the bridge, model is stable and firm.
1kg

- Water is poured in, model is firm.

1.5kg - Model is stable and firm.


2kg

- Model is still strong.

2.5kg - Due to the quality of the hook, the water pail moves when water is poured in.
3kg

- The model starts to bend.

3.2kg - The model starts to crack and a few members eventually start to detach and fall from the model.

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Final Testing 2
The final model was able to withstand 3.25kg.
600g

- The pail, hook and strap are hooked onto the bridge, model is stable and firm.

1kg

- Water is poured in, model is stable.

1.5kg

- Model is stable and firm.

2kg

- Model is still strong.

2.5kg

- There is slight movement as water is poured in.

3kg

- Model starts to bend.

3.25kg

- Model bends drastically towards one side and starts to produce cracking sound.
- Some of the members cracked and the middle member where load is hooked on is detached and falls from the model.

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Design Solution
Calculation generated from Staad Pro v1.3, the bridge supports the load with two coplanar arch truss bridge components. The loads are
then divided into four parts (diagram below shows the quarter of load-8.5N) as it rested on four point. The forces are distributed more
equally this time as the design of the middle of the bridge has derived from the first one into a more stable and wide middle. Moreover the
components are further strengthening into more layers compared to the previous one. However the bridge buckled at 3500G, we
believed that it was caused by redundant member in the middle, thus the middle member did not help to distribute load. Besides, less
load are distributed to the side of the bridge because the bridge was not short enough. Lastly, during the model testing, the bottom of the
side of the bridge did not entirely rest on the table. In that case, the load was not successfully distributed to the bottom side as shown in
the diagram below.

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2J=M+3

Efficiency

2(18)=54+3

E=(maximum load)/weight of bridge

56=57

=12.25/0.182

Statically indeterminate truss redundant


members

=67.3

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