Strength of a Balsa Wood Bridge

Robert Campbell, Ian Steinberg, Nathan Goldsmith, Gideon Chaffee

Washington Latin Public Charter School 5200 2nd St NW, Washington D.C., 20011

Background: Fig 1: Schematic Design Fig 2: Materials

This project met the following course Bridge Weight Strength
domains: Developing and Using Models, Weight Held to Weight
as we were creating a model of the bridge Ratio
before constructing it, and Using the 89.1g 52.2 lbs 0.59
Problem Solving Process, as we were
engineering solutions to try to make a
strong bridge. We wanted to build an
extremely strong bridge that put little We built three equilateral We had to cut and
Data and Analysis:
weight on glue. Our design was, in part, triangles on each row laminate over 140 feet of
Our bridge was 89.1 grams we used a lot
inspired by this website which details the and built four rows balsa wood to build our
of wood and a lot of glue. We held 52.2
building of a truss bridge, which we instead of two because it bridge. We also used
pounds for a strength to weight ratio of .59
modeled ours after. By taking advantage support more weight. We rubber bands to hold the
pounds per gram. In the end, the glue
of 60 degree angles we were able to also added a second set laminated material
broke at the joints connecting the truss to
utilize the strength of triangles formed by of sticks on the bottom. together while it dried.
the base of the bridge.
our diagonal supports.

DESIGN
Conclusion:
Research Objective:
Fig 3: Completion Fig 4: Breaking ● The objective was met, we held twice
Our goal was to break the record of
the weight of the previous record
holding as much weight as possible. We
● Our final bridge design ended up being
decided to go for the weight because we
the same as the initial design except for
felt that the possibilities in this area had
the two diagonal sticks.
not yet fully been explored and it would be
easier to break the record just by thinking
of new ideas, whereas a strength-to-weight
ratio required careful calculations and Acknowledgments:
Our final bridge design We gradually increased We would like to thank teach engineering
planning and precise construction.
was almost the same as the weight hanging from for the truss bridge design.
the initial design. We the middle, filling the
added two sticks in an x bucket with 40 lbs of Ramirez, M. R. (2023, July 20). Trust in the Truss:
Materials:
shape to prevent the sand. It only broke when Design a Wooden Bridge - Activity. Teach
We used ⅛in balsa wood, rubber bands Engineering. Retrieved March 21, 2024, from
bridge from collapsing we added a ten pound
to hold the wood together while it dried, https://www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/in
sideways. plate because it was full. d-2472-trust-truss-design-wooden-bridge-activity
wax paper, and wood glue