By Tom Pleasanton

tpleasan@polytech.k12.de.us

Bridges have always been useful links. There are physical bridges as well as conceptual bridges. For this particular assignment we will concern ourselves with the physical nature of bridges. You and your team of four will design and build a scale model of a working bridge. There will be five class periods in order for you to complete this project.

Your task will be broken down in to five class periods. In these class periods you will be responsible for the five steps of this particular assignment. The steps are as follows:

• Determine the purpose of your bridge (i.e. pedestrian traffic, light vehicles, etc.)
• Design the structure. Search for various web sites that will give you some direction.
• Determine the materials and the cost of your structure. The budget is set at $200,000.
• Develop a timeline for the construction of your bridge. Completion will be in six months.
• Present your design and project as a final group evaluation. Each member will be responsible for a section of the presentation.

Pupose for the Bridge:

You and your team of designers must first determine the purpose for the bridge you will construct. In this process the team should decide who the bridge will serve, and how the bridge will serve that population.

The Budget:

The team should keep in mind the budget of 200,000 dollars in this phase. The budget will help determine the design nature of some team's projects.

Design of the Project:

Now that your team has a general understanding of the financial constraints of the project, you can start the preliminary design features for your project. Your team has already determined how the bridge will be used. You may now develop an engineering prototype. This prototype should meet certain guidelines pertaining to safety and use for all bridges. Your team will begin with some basic measurements such as length, width, and load bearing capacities.

Timeline:

Remember to use the timeline in your development of the design, it may determine the type of structure you will build. When this aspect of the project is taken in to consideration you may soon find the length of time needed to build a bridge is much longer than you might think. Your total time from start to finish should be no more than six months.

Presentation:

Now that your team has developed a budget, a design, a material list, and a time schedule, you should now begin work on your presentation. The presentation will be given to the review board. Your team should be able to convince the board of the viability

of this particular project. Each member of your team will be responsible for some aspect of the presentation.

Ask these questions in reference to the type of bridge you and your team will construct.

1. Who or what will be served by this bridge?
2. Where will this bridge be built?
3. What are the rough dimensions of the structure?
4. Will the bridge be located in a state or municipal location, and what entity will be responsible for the maintenance of the structure?
5. How important will this structure be to the community in which it serves?
6. If possible, can you determine the approximate life span of the structure?

Your team should answer all of the above questions to the best of your ability. Any other pertinent questions that are generated from the initial meeting should also be documented and recorded in your logbook.

Your team has previously been given a budget of $200,000 for the entire project. At this point this may seem like a great sum of money for a small project. Keep in mind the immense amount of labor that is required for all bridge projects. In your research you will find the cost of the materials to build a bridge could easily be matched by the wages of the skilled workers on the project.

Questions to Consider:

1. What materials will be used to build your structure?
2. Where will these materials be secured?
3. What transportation costs will be added to put the materials on the job site at the required time?
4. What type of equipment will be needed to successfully complete this project? Will the equipment be rented or purchased?
5. How many people will be needed on the job site to do the actual construction work?
6. What jobs of coordination and design will be performed off of the job site?
7. In the construction of this bridge will the normal route of traffic be disrupted? How will you remedy this disruption?
8. Poor weather can cause delays and problems on the job site. How will you account for this potential problem?

In answering these questions your team should also think about any more problems or situations that could possibly arise. Remember something as minor as the wrong bolts arriving on the job, to a mechanical breakdown of an important piece of equipment can cause serious problems for the entire project.

In the design phase of your project you should remember the purpose, the budget and design accordingly. The budget of $200,000 dollars will in most cases severely limit the "grand scale" of the project. This budget will in most cases serve the small to medium sized pedestrian type bridge. Do not let this influence your decision if your team can somehow design a bridge that can meet the budgetary requirements and be a true "work of art".

1. The site or location of the structure.
2. The materials for the construction.
3. The labor for the entire project.
4. Any equipment you will need to complete the project.
5. Have you bought any insurance yet?

As with any construction project there is a specified amount of time in which to complete the project. For your particular project you will have six months. You and your team will accurately describe the construction process as it progresses over this time span.

1. Geographic location in relation to the materials you will need to assemble your project.
2. Weather related hold-ups that could slow the progression of work.
3. Labor related issues such as the availability of skilled workers in this area.
4. Equipment availability and dependability (very hard to predict).

Congratulations, your working project is done. All phases of the project are in place and it is now time for you and your team to present the package to the people that will finance your endeavors.

1. This presentation should be as professional as you and your team can possibly make it.
2. You should have all of the facts and figures readily available for the Board of Finance.
3. Be prepared for any questions that could theoretically be encountered.
4. Each member of the team should play a specific role in the presentation.
5. Good Luck!