CIV102: Matboard Beam Bridge

Prototyping - Diverging, Representing

Our use of prototypes for diverging as well as representing allowed us to effectively generate and communicate ideas in the construction of our bridge. One example of a particularly useful prototype was a sketch I made showing potential placements of diaphragms along the length of the bridge. This sketch is shown below.

In terms of diverging, this type of sketch allowed me to quickly come up with and visualize adjustments to the diapgragm placements by simply changing the lines on my iPad. I could then use those values to check results of calculations relating to the strength of the web. Some examples of these calculations are shown below. This form of prototype allowed for very quick iterations of diverging to new configurations, then calculating values, then diverging again accordingly.

As for representing, the sketch of the diaphragms allowed me to effectively communicate the placements to one of my teammates, who was actually the one gluing the diaphragms onto our bridge. Representing each aspect of the design was especially important in this project, compared to the Praxis I project, since we were actually required to construct the bridge, rather than just recommend a design concept. Although the sketch is quite a low-fidelity prototype (proportions are not to scale), it still served its purposes of allowing rapid diverging and effective communication for construction.