Famous Bridges Research

Instructions: This is your first portfolio entry. Use the links below to conduct research on your famous bridge. Make sure that you locate a picture of the bridge and print out in black and white to label the vocabulary and forces.

Link to bridge choices (one per person and three to four types per team):

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/wonder/structure/browse.html

Link to bridge basics: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/bridge/basics.html

Link to bridge webography: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/bridge/webography.html

Portfolio Requirements:

1. Printed picture of your bridge labeled with its parts (ex: deck, abutments, forces [compression and tension]) and type of bridge.

2. Summary of your bridge on a shared team google doc that includes:

a. Name and location of bridge

b. Type of bridge

c. Purpose of bridge

d. Materials of bridge

e. Two unique engineering facts about the bridge.

3. A written reflection that responds to this prompt, "Based on your research so far, what type(s) of bridge(s) would BEST meet the needs of your clients? Explain why. What parts of that bridge design are essential to your design and why?"

Beam:

Chesapeake

George Coleman

Truss:

Firth of Forth

Arch:

New River Gorge

Garabit

Iron

Suspension:

Golden Gate

Sunshine Skyway

Akashi

Brooklyn

Charles River

Tacoma Narrows

Tower