Techtronics Bridges Unit

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The Bridges Unit introduces students to the basic concepts of bridge building. On the first day students are introduced to a variety of concepts regarding the forces created by a load and the mechanisms that the different types of bridges use to dissipate this load. On day two, students are instructed to design a bridge on paper, and then input their bridge into the Modelsmart3D program for testing and simulation. Modifications to the bridges are made as needed. On the final three days of the unit, instructors assist students in constructing the bridges they have designed using epoxy and super glue, exact-o-knives, and of course balsa wood. Students must carefully determine how much material they will use to create the bridge with the highest strength to weight ratio. The students have a budget for their bridges that is determined in candy bars as outlined in the Techtronics Bridge Design Challenge worksheet.