Overview: You will be designing a model bridge which can support a vertical load of 50 lbs and span a gap of 2 ft. You will be utilizing structural design with multiple members to achieve this problem. Internal forces on any member of the bridge cannot exceed 3 lbs in normal and shear forces and 2 ft-lb in bending moment.
Figure 1: Bridge design example
Report: A final design report should include the following with point breakdowns:
1. Introduction (10 pts): Give an overview of the problem and describe plans to achieve the goals.
2. Design concepts (30 pts): Describe details on the problem-solving approach. List step-by-step process in structural analysis, and it should include figures for the bridge design.
3. Design analysis (50 pts): Solve the designed structure with structural analysis techniques (see chapter 6 for reference). Make sure each individual member does not exceed the prescribed limitation. List all the equations used and calculated results for all members.
4. Conclusion (10 pts): Summarize results. Discuss any problems with the design and potential improvements.