MA

Introduction:

Every day, bridges help people all over the world commute over difficult terrain such as bodies of
water or other such high-altitude locations. However, much to people’s ignorance, they require a
significant amount of mathematical planning to construct and design. Material dimensions can be of
primal importance in ensuring safety and reliability. The well-known Sydney Harbour Bridge is
world’s largest arched bridge. It has a shape of parabola and has four pylons securing it to the
ground, and 50 metres above these is the road across the bridge. The cabling for the bridge is
expensive but should be placed evenly apart to ensure proper support. Therefore, minimisation of
cables should be prioritised whilst considering stability.

Research Question:
To determine the total amount of cable required for the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Strategy:
As the shape of the bridge is a parabola, the equation y=a x2 +bx , can be used to model the
bridge. The a and b values were supplied; a is -0.018 and b is 2.5. Using the model, the key
dimensions; height of the bridge, the length of the bridge between the pylons, the distances
between the beginning and finish of the car and the middle point of the bridge, were found to help
in the investigation of the research question.

Calculations:
To find the overall key dimensions, the best starting point is using sketching graphs to find the points
of the bridge.

1. The shape of the complete bridge is negative.

2. When x=0 , y=?

y=−0.018 x (0) 2+2.4 x (0)

¿0
∴ The y-intercept is (0,0)

3. When y=0 , x=?

0=−0.018 x 2+2.5 x

The quadratic formula can be used for this equation:

−b ± √ b2−4 ac
x=
2a
 2
−( 2.5 ) ± √ ( 2.5 ) −4 (−0.018 )∗( 0)
x=
2(−0.018)
−2.5± 2.5
¿
−0.036

−2.5+2.5 −2.5−2.5
¿ or
−0.036 −0.036

−5
¿ 0=
−0.036

∴ The x -intercept is (0,0) and (138.88,0)

138.88 would be the length of the bridge between the pylons.

4.To find the Turning Point of the bridge the formula is:

x1 + x 2
=x
2
0+138.8
=x
2
69.44=x
69.99 would be the mid-point of the bridge.

From this, the height of the bridge can be calculated using the before mentioned formula.
y=−0.018 ( 69.44 )2 +2.5(69.44)
¿ 86.80555
The bridge is 86.80555 metres tall.

However, if you calculate the height of the bridge from the road to the top it would be:

y=−0.018 ( 69.44 )2 +2.5 ( 69.44 )−50

¿ 3.8056
∴ The bridge’s height starting from the road would be 3.805 metres tall.

y=−0.018 x 2 +2.5 x
The road is 50 metres above the pylons bases therefore 50 must be removed from the overall cable
length, this can also be used to find at which point the bridges’ arc points begins and ends by
subbing y=50 into the above equation and solve for x .

50=−0.018 x2 +2.5 x

0=−0.018 x 2+2.4 x−50

The quadratic formula can be used again for this equation:

−( 2.5 ) ± √ 2.52−4∗−0.018∗−50
x=
2∗−0.018
x=24.2255 and x=114.663
∴ The bridge begins at 24.225m and ends at 114.663m.
19 cables are to be placed across the bridge at even intervals, the distance between these cables can
be found by dividing the using the same amount of cables adding one which will equal to 20 intervals
between cables. This can be found by using the formula:

Let x 1be 24.225 and x 2 = 114.63

x 2−x 1
Distance apart=
no . of cables+1

114.663−24.225
Distance apart=
19+1

¿ 4.5219
The distance between the cables is 4.5219 meters.

The cable lengths can be found by the generated algebraic model:

Let clbe cable length, substitute x for point where the cable begins.

cl=−0.018 x 2+2.5 x−50

E.x.

cl=−0.018 ( 28.747 )2 +2.5 ( 28.747 )−50

cl=6.992
This is done for all 19 cables.
Cable Lengths

Adding together every cable length, the total length of cable is 489.514 metres long.However,
because of resonance frequency there should be extra cable added so the structure of the bridge
remains durable.

Using the calculations, the bridge would look like this graph.
Discussion:
The goal was the determine how much cable was needed for the Sydney Harbour Bridge and create
an algebraic model of the bridge. This was done by using the equation y=a x2 +bx , andthe supplied
a and b values; a is -0.018 and b is 2.5.

Assumptions
The 2D model of the bridge depends and assumes that the road across the bridge is level and
capable of handling continuous, ongoing traffic. It also does not consider the terrain, the weather
conditions and cost of the building and maintaining the bridge, along with the thickness of the
cables.The cables are symmetrical to each other from the turning point. This is shown in the diagram
and table above depicting the bridge’s dimensions.

Limitations
This model and calculations do not consider the flow of traffic over the bridge, if the bridge will be
able to withstand the weather conditions, the cost of maintenance or the weight of the entire bridge
which might deter the stability and safety of the bridge. The calculated total length of cable needed
is approximately 438.514 metres long, however because this is in decimal points it is hard to
measure with precise accuracy therefore the overall length will have to be rounded down which will
change the length of the cables.

Strengths
This model is vastly accurate as it is done by a graphing calculator which is more reliable than a hand
drawn graph which could include human error, the calculations are also done using decimals instead
of rounded numbers making it more precise.

Recommendations
One way to decrease the cost of the cables would be to increase the thicknesses therefore making
each cable stronger and the bridge needing less support cables. As bridges are very complex
therefore a more in-depth analysis is recommended, for example, the materials the cables and
bridge is made of, the tensile strength and resonance frequency.