Scale bridge
A plywood truss bridge that we modeled, laser-cut, and load-tested.
Design
We used 3 mm and 6 mm plywood, stacking layers where members needed more reinforcement. The initial sketches combined ideas from the team.
Analysis
In SAP2000, we varied member thickness, truss height, and geometry. We then used a SolidWorks model and finite-element analysis to check where stresses concentrated.
Fabrication and testing
We laser-cut the parts, glued the assembly, and tested it in an Instron machine. Upper members buckled, and a glued crossmember connection separated. I contributed across these stages with the rest of the team. The failure photographs are useful because they show which parts of the assembled bridge gave way, beyond what a model of individual members can predict.
