Model Bridge Design

2012 West Point Bridge Design Contest

Garrett Boon — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 03:11:15 +0000

It’s that time of year again, and the 11th annual West Point Bridge Design (WPBD Contest) Contest is starting. Registration is free and open to anyone, so I encourage you to try your hand in this fun contest. The software for the contest is simple to use, and actually is a great tool for learning how bridges work, and how forces are spread out in a given bridge design.

Here is the link to the main site:

http://bridgecontest.usma.edu/

Is it just me or is the slenderness check new for this year? I did not get much of a chance to play around with the 2011 version, so I am not sure if it is brand new or not. The slenderness check caught me by surprise and is somewhat annoying.

I’d love to hear your comments about the program and how you are doing in the contest.

Popsicle Bridge Kit: Compare Three Bridge Types

Garrett Boon — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 01:06:17 +0000

Beam, Arch, and Suspension Bridge

Have you ever wondered what type of bridge is the strongest? I definitely did, and that is why I created this popsicle bridge kit to compare and contrast three types of bridges to see which one can hold the most weight. This is a very interesting project and was a lot of fun to make and test.

In order to be a scientific test, each bridge is made from similar materials (popsicle sticks and glue, and cord for the suspension bridge), and are the same length. These three bridges also have very similar construction techniques, which allows you to compare each type against each other.

Popsicle bridges are great for school projects and the like because they are very easy to make and a lot of fun to test to failure. Popsicle sticks, unlike toothpicks, are quite strong and allow you to make a solid structure which is capable of holding a lot of weight before collapsing into a thousand pieces. If you are looking to compare different kinds of bridges I highly recommend that you consider this kit.

Included in the kit are all the materials you will need to build these three bridges: a Beam bridge, an Arch bridge, and a Suspension bridge. Each bridge type is different to make and will provide hours of hands-on fun. This kit is designed for simplicity, which makes it great for younger ages. This kit is also created for sincere scientific testing, so students of all ages can benefit from it. Buy your kit today and receive it in the mail in just a few days!

You can purchase this kit directly from this page or find it in my main store

2011 Maine Transportation Conference PSBC

Garrett Boon — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 15:57:45 +0000

This video shows the top three performing bridges from the 2011 Maine Transportation Conference Popsicle Stick Bridge Competition. Evidently this is a competition that has been going on for a long time, and these bridges are impressive. I gather that the contest is open to anyone, as long as you purchase your popsicle bridge kit from the Maine ASCE Student Chapter which costs $10. This video is a fun documentary of the best bridges, and you can tell the competitors are having a lot of fun. It’s too bad I didn’t get to Maine in time for this competition, I would have loved to attend.

I like this video because of the commentary. The observers discus their opinions about why each bridge failed (casually) as the video plays. Notice the comment about lateral bracing on the first bridge. Would you agree with them?

Did you catch how the second bridge failed? This would have been an easy fix, and it just goes to say how you should reinforce the loading area on your popsicle bridges. Take the lessons from this video and use on your own models.

I also appreciate this video because the winner shares my name, Garrett. What do you think made Garrett’s bridge so strong?

New Popsicle Stick Suspension Bridge

Garrett Boon — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 02:33:04 +0000

Popsicle Suspension Bridge

Catch a sneak peak at one of my newest creations: a model suspension bridge made from popsicle sticks and paracord. This bridge was created as part of a custom project I designed. This idea was one I had been contemplating for some time. I found a simple way to construct a suspension bridge and this is the result. I have some ideas how to make this even better which might take some time to finalize.

You will be able to find a kit for building this popsicle stick suspension bridge in my store soon.

Popsicle Bridge Howe Truss Kit

Garrett Boon — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 23:31:29 +0000

Order Today!

This is a great opportunity to learn principles of engineering and physics while having lots of fun. This popsicle bridge kit allows you to construct a Howe Truss Bridge which really works. Not only does this bridge work, but it can hold some serious weight. Put a load of 100 pounds on it, no problem. And if you spread the load out along the entire span, this little bridge can hold 140+ pounds of force.

Popsicle sticks are easy to work with, making this kit enjoyable for younger ages. Yet, because of its strength and performance, this bridge is a great choice for older students who are looking to impress.

Included in the kit are all the materials you will need to build the popsicle Howe Truss bridge: popsicle sticks, glue, tape, blueprints, and step-by-step building instructions with pictures to illustrate each step. Join the fun and order your kit today!

HID Kits

Guest Author — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 00:34:32 +0000

Even though it has become one of the biggest trends to hit the automotive industry in years, HID kits for cars is a technology that has boundless benefits for the driver. These days you can find these unique lights on just about any kind of vehicle, from motorcycles to utility trucks, and everything in between. The important thing to know is that even though they are amazing to look at, they have also become an important tool for protecting yourself from the disastrous possibilities of the unknown world left in the night time darkness.

HID kits for cars are designed to be powerful lights to give the driver a broader view of the road. HID, which stands for high-intensity discharge, are headlights that reach wider and extend longer than the standard halogen, and they do this by utilizing the unique xenon gas after it is heated.

Purchasing HID kits for cars can not only add a sleek look to your car, but they are also easy to install. They only require some basic hook ups and a special ballast that enables the up conversion of your vehicle’s existing 12v DC power. This will enable the heating of the xenon gas, and produces the intense light.

Along with HID kits for cars there are LED lights that have become very popular as well. These are lights that are remarkable in that they are very durable, inexpensive, and energy efficient. When these two lighting systems are utilized together they create a powerful bluish white light that is beautiful and extremely effective.

The important thing to consider when thinking about whether or not to buy HID kits for cars is how they have enormous safety benefits. To begin with, 90% of what we use to base our driving decisions on comes from the things that we visually see. If we are using inefficient lighting that comes from traditional halogen bulbs than we are limiting what information we have to work with as we drive, and as a result we are putting ourselves and others at risk.

Night time driving is potentially the most dangerous, simply from a survival standpoint. There are as much as 60% less drivers at night making their way down the darken roads, but even with this reduction in traffic there are severe statistics when looking at accidents. Of all night time accidents 40% of those injured die. That is not good odds for survival. When already taking chances driving it seems like the only wise choice is to give your self a greater advantage with better visibility through HIDs.

Isuzu Trucks for Sale

Guest Author — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 16:50:57 +0000

Purchasing a big rig is a big deal, and you have to consider a lot of factors to make the right choice for you. Next Trucks Online has a great selection of new and used trucks to choose from. In particular, you should check this website out if you need an Isuzu truck. Whether you are looking for a semi truck or something smaller, you can probably find the right Isuzu here.

Each listing page gives you a thumbnail image of the truck, its price, location, and other important information about each truck. This information can be easily seen at a glance, which makes it easy to pick out the trucks you are interested in. Furthermore, you can select the listings that catch your eye and click to compare them against each other, a feature that helps you make you make the best decision when you are ready to buy.

When you click an individual listing, you are taken to a large photo (nice) of the truck. Often you can browse a gallery of images when available for your truck. This page also gives you all the specs about the rig, and allows you to print, save, or even calculate the a loan. In addition, you are presented with a small and easy form to email the seller to clarify any questions about the listing. All in all, this is a great website that you should be searching if you are looking for an Isuzu truck.

Hell Gate Bridge 1/4 Scale

high iron models — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 21:24:24 +0000

Bridge is almost complete, features wood deck 4 track main with all hand laid track dimensions are 25 in wide x 27 foot long end to end x 7 foot 6 inches high at center. Weight about 1000 pounds featuring stone covered steel towers and navagation lights.

Here is a picture of the Hell Gate model:

frame work started using steel bars welded together

Garrett’s Thoughts
This is an excellent piece of work. Thank you for sending in this photo of the progress you have made so far. I am definitely looking forward to seeing the finished product. What are your plans for it once it is completed? What inspired you to start building this model bridge?

Bates Tech Balsa Wood Bridge Competition 2011

Garrett Boon — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 14:41:04 +0000

Here are the video results from the Bates Tech Balsa Wood Bridge Competition 2011. This simple video footage of the competition makes for a good learning opportunity. This video does not explain the rules very much, and it does not say whether they were going for total weight held or the highest efficiency score. However, it does have a variety of designs that are interesting to observe if you are looking to build a balsa wood bridge.

I like this video because it gives the weight of each bridge, a nice close up of the design, and then has a slow motion video of how the bridge failed. This gives you a much better picture of how to improve these designs.

The video description mentions that a new rule for this year allowed the use of cabling. This is interesting to note based on which bridge won the competition. Did you guess which bridge would hold the most beforehand?

Water Well Drilling Rigs

Guest Author — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 12:21:55 +0000

Are you looking for water well drilling rigs? Do not be in a rush but put some time and effort into researching your options. Choose between a new and used rig. Used might be the better value, but it all depends on your needs and desires for drilling wells. There are some great options out there if you are willing to take it slow and pick out the best deal.

The above site is a great resource for seeing what is on the market today for these rigs. It lists drilling rigs from many different sellers in various states, so it doesn’t matter where you are in the United States, you can probably find something that is close to you. That site is nice because it gives you all the relevant information at a glance. You have a thumbnail image of the rig, the year and model, location of the seller, and contact information.

The website also allows you to sort the listings by make and model, which is a great feature especially if you already have an idea of what you want. And if you do not already know what make and model you are looking for in your water well drilling rig, it will give you some names to research online.