Bridge Set Report

Laurent Lindquist Qi Ming Zeng

02/21/2011

Abstract:

The Bridge Set PASCO includes almost everything needed to build variety of basic trusses and explore the properties of I-beams. The Bridge Set provides an introductory set of I-beams, a flexible road bed and a small car, to which masses added for the studying of dynamic loadings as the car pass through the bridge. These I-beams are made up of light weight, sturdy and easy to assemble I-beams that take structure building from an idea to reality.

Table of Contents
1.1 Construction of the model ...................................................................................................................................3 1.2 Connections ......................................................................................................................................................3 1.3 Sensors .............................................................................................................................................................4 1.4 The Finished Model with Sensors .....................................................................................................................5 2.1 Static Test .............................................................................................................................................................5 2.2 Influence Line and Comparison of Hand Calculated Values to Sensor Data ....................................................6 3.1 Dynamic Analysis ..................................................................................................................................................7 3.2 Deeper Analysis of Varying Cart speed and effects on Internal Forces ...........................................................9 Procedure: ............................................................................................................................................................... 10 Conclusion: .............................................................................................................................................................. 11 References: .............................................................................................................................................................. 12

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1.1 Construction of the model

PASCOs basic bridge model set included a collection of 5 beams differing by length, connections that act as gusset plates, screws for connections, and nylon string to be used for tension members. The bridge design that was agreed upon was a Howe truss bridge as you can see here:

Figure 1: Howe Truss 17 cm members were used for horizontal and vertical positions while 24 cm members were used for the diagonals. 1.2 Connections Connections were used in the construction of the truss bridge. The connections supplied by PASCOs model kit acted similar to a gusset plate allowing up to six members to be attached in premade slots for the members. The members were attached with screws and a pin which is illustrated in Figure 2.

Figure 2 Connections with screws It is important to note here that the screws were attached but very loosely to imitate the mechanics of a pin connection.

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1.3 Sensors

The package also provided 4 sensors to be used to digitally measure the internal member forces. These four sensors were placed at the support, the middle, top and bottom of the truss. Sensors were
used in the construction of the model also and needed to be attached by breaking members into two smaller members so that the sensor. Attachment method used in the model can be seen in Figure 3.

Figure 3 PASCOs sensor and attachment to members Screws attaching to sensors were tightened as much as possible to imitate a solid member that it replaced. 4 sensors were included in the PASCO bridge model kit along with a data acquisition system (DAS) Figure 4 that allowed for USB connection as well as an additional 2 more sensors.

Figure 4 Data Acquisition System with USB connection

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1.4 The Finished Model with Sensors

Figure 5 Completed model with 4 sensors attached and connected to DAS.

2.1 Static Test

A USB connection enabled the DAS to be connected to a computer. The software used was called Data Studio. A trial version of the software was downloaded from www.pasco.com and served as the interface to record the forces in the four sensors. A weight of 200 grams was used and put into position 1 to compare the errors between the hand calculated internal forces at the supports and to the recorded value at the support when Data Studio was used.

Figure 6 Positions where 200g weight was applied

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2.2 Influence Line and Comparison of Hand Calculated Values to Sensor Data After seeing that the hand calculated value at the support did not have too much error it was possible to look at how an influence line would agree with PASCOs sensor compared to the hand calculated. The Influence line at support A was computed through hand calculations and with the use of PASCOs software, which will serve from here on as the experimental value. The way this was carried out was by moving the 200 gram weight into varying positions on the bridge truss as can be seen in Figure 6. The results from this analysis can be seen here:

The results from this experiment showed that the values computed from the sensors were very close to the values obtained through hand calculations with an error at a maximum of 20%. Again this error was mitigated once all screws were loosened except at the sensors. A comparison of the influence lines at
support A obtained experimentally and through hand calculations showed that the slopes of both lines were exactly the same with an error between points only reaching as high as 8.3%. This continues to show how well PASCOs sensors work to obtain the true values of forces in the truss. 6 | Lindquist & Zeng

3.1 Dynamic Analysis

A Dynamic analysis was then done on the bridge truss using a road deck, a cart, and the 200 gram weight. The cart was placed on the road deck then pushed at different velocities. The object of this test was to obtain influence lines at the members where the sensors were located by pushing the carts through the bridge. In Data Studio a graph was obtained with the force representation on the y-axis and time in seconds on the x-axis. For this experiment it was considered practical to let the x-axis, which measured time, also represent the distance on the truss. Figure 7 shows how similar Data Studios data compares to a calculated influence line.

Sensor 4
2 Force 4 ( N ) 1 0 -1 6.5 7.5 8.5 Time ( s ) 9.5 10.5

Figure 7 Influence line recorded from Data Studio with x-axis recording time The procedure of the dynamic analysis consisted of pushing the cart through the road deck that was attached to the truss bridge at two speeds, fast and slow. Our experiment had no means of measuring the speed of the cart but was deemed unnecessary because we were only trying to distinguish the difference between the influence lines created from when the cart was going at different speeds. All four sensors were used to do this analysis and the results from Data Studio for all 4 sensors are shown in graph 3.

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Once this data and graphs were obtained peak values of the influence lines could be pulled from the compared, i.e. peak force slow speed vs. peak force fast speed.
Sensor 1 slow min -1.7 Sensor 2 max Sensor 3 min max -0.65 0.87 sensor 4 max 1.35 1.52 -12.5926 % -0.68 0.89 -4.61538 % -2.29885 % 1 1.14 -14 % fast -2.25 difference -32.3529 %

Table 3 Shows the difference between peak values of computed from fast and slow speeds of the cart The results of table 3 showed that the varying speed of the cart did show different peak values for the internal forces in the members. This difference was consistence to where the internal forces were always greater when the cart was pushed faster through the road deck and showed as much as a 32% percent increase.

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3.2 Deeper Analysis of Varying Cart speed and effects on Internal Forces More analysis was done using the cart and weight and this time with four more pushes on the cart. An average speed was calculated by using the estimated time it took for the cart to span the bridge and the distance of the bridge Span/Time=Velocity.

The results of this experiment consited of 6 runs with the cart and creating three graphs for sensors 1,3, and 4 measuring the max internal force vs the velocity of each run. The results are shown graphically in Graph 4 showing that the relation with velocity to maximum force. This relationship can be seen as an exponential one, as velocity increases the maximum force exponentially increases.

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Procedure:
1. Using the instructions provided by PASCOs basic bridge set we built a Howe truss using the members, connections, and bolts provided with the set. 2. The package also provided 4 sensors to be used to digitally measure the internal member forces. These four sensors were placed at the support, the middle, top and bottom of the truss. 3. The instructions told to download the software required to use the sensors at www.pasco.com where a program called Data Studio, which was used as the interface for the four sensors. 4. The model was then subjected to a static test using a weight (200 grams) using the Data Studio allowed to experimentally measure the internal forces within the truss. These values were then compared to hand calculated values and values obtained using another program called SAP2000. 5. Information learned from Structural Analysis told that obtaining influence line graphs would help improve bridge design because of the fact of moving loads across the span. A calculated influence line was obtained at the vertical force at support A and was compared to sensor readings of the model at support A. 6. A quick analysis was done using the small cart and track that was provided with the kit. A simple analysis consisted of determining the difference if the cart was going fast or slow and how the different speeds would affect the internal forces in the truss. 7. The cart was pushed across the span at various speeds and then the Data Studio was used to capture the internal force measurements as the cart rode by. Four sensors we used in this procedure and were located on the support, top, bottom, and diagonal of the truss. Three sensors were relatively located at mid span. The cart was subjected to a fast speed and a slow speed. Once the sensors measured the data a plot was made using force and time to relate to an influence line. 8. Dynamic test was done using the cart with different speeds. Using the same process of pushing the cart but instead with about 6 different speeds Data Studio was used to record the internal forces at where the sensors were located. An average velocity of the cart was determined by using the estimated time it took for the cart to get through the span and the length of the span. Velocity = Distance/Time. A plot was made to determine how forces would react with varying speed. The plot was made by graphing maximum force and velocity of the cart.
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Conclusion:
From procedure 1 determined that only certain shapes bridges could be made; for example under deck, Howe, or warren trusses. Making various forms of angles were limited due to the connections given in the set. From procedure 4 it was determined that all calculated data and experimental data were off by a maximum of 20%. Values of forces obtained from the sensors worked better when the screws at the connections were loosened so that they worked more like pin connections. From procedure 5 comparing the influence lines at support A showed that the slopes of both lines were exactly the same with an error between points only reaching as high as 8.3%. From procedure 7 it was determined from the graphs that the influence line was affected by the speed of the cart creating greater peak forces by as much as 30%. From procedure 8 the graph created with maximum force vs. time, although with much room for error, showed that the velocity of the cart created an exponential effect of the internal forces within the truss. This shows that other than buildings highway design needs to take account to the varying speeds of drivers going across the span and how thats effect has on design road bridges.

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References:

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