Pasta Bridges
Materials List
Each group needs:
40-60 Spaghetti Noodles
Glue
scissors
measuring stick or ruler
Paper for Blueprint
For the entire class to share:
small paper cup
200-300 pennies (to use as weight)
wooden support structure (or use two desks)
balance (for weighing, or count the pennies instead of weighing)
STEP 1:
Blueprint. Draw an exact drawing of the SIDE-VIEW of your truss.
STEP 2:
Glue two strands of pasta together the length of the truss along the bottom.
STEP 3:
Glue the outside frame and verticals.
STEP 4:
GLUE the diagonals. **You can measure them before gluing,
OR
as illustrated, glue then cut off the extra...carefully!
STEP 5:
Do it again! Make a second truss for the other side.
STEP 6:
BLUEPRINT #2: The bottom frame (a.k.a. "the frame for the roadbed/deck)
Notice that the cross bars on the bottom frame line up with the vertical braces of the truss?
STEP 7:
GLUE the frame for the bottom.
STEP 8:
Glue the roadbed/deck onto the bottom frame.
Leave a hole in the middle for the eye-hook!
STEP 9:
Glue bottom frame to one truss. (It's easier to glue together with the truss on its side.)
STEP 10:
Glue the other truss on the other side of the bottom frame.
Make sure the sides are straight up!
STEP 11:
Measure how wide the bottom of the bridge is. Break pieces this size to connect the trusses.
Then glue the trusses together with the pieces.