COMP2 - Final Results

See the following link for the comp 2 results: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Aq9AvRYJR07tdFpoRExuUlpGcVZMa2VONm8zZjdxemc

Group highlighted in Red had the lowest cost-to-strength ratio.

Group highlighted in orange had the smallest deviation between predicted and actual failure.

Week-6 - Bridge Testing - Lessons Learned

Your Results - You can see the spreadsheet here

Lessons About the Rules 

• The SPAN is 24" - NOT the length of your bridge
  
  • Your bridge must be longer than 24" to allow the supports at the end
  • The next bridge will require a SPAN of 36"
• The Width of your bridge matters
•  For your last bridge the width must be at least 3.5"
• Vehicles should be able to drive across the bridge
• For your last bridge there must be a "tube" at least 3" wide x 2" high - continuous

•  You can only contact the supports at one level at each end
• For the next bridge we will span between the tables, a plywood surface.
• There will not be the "V" to take advantage of from the sawhorses

• No one will be penalized this time for not meeting the requirements, except it must span 24" - there was no grade for this testing.  There will be for week-9

Lessons about Bridge Building - Your Observations

•  Most failures occurred at gusset plates
   
• There were unexpected failure modes - e.g. twisting 
• Long pieces passing through gusset pieces helped some groups

 

WPBD Registering to Local Contest

Registering for the West Point Bridge Designer Contest

Our contest ID is DUPA - Please register as individuals

Here are the instructions from the authors of WPBD on how to set up your copy so you're scores will be entered in our "Local Contest".

(1) Instruct all of your students to register for the West Point Bridge Design Contest at http://bridgecontest.usma.edu/login.htm.  If any of your students are not “eligible contestants,” as defined by the WPBDC rules, that’s OK.  They can still register in the “Open Competition.”   (Anyone in the world can enter the Open Competition, though there are no prizes associated with this category.)

(2) On the final page of the web registration system (the same page on which teams are asked to provide their e-mail address and password), your students will see a text box labeled, “If you are participating in a local contest organized by your school, a local engineering association, or other organization, enter your Local Contest Code here."  Students should enter the Local Contest Code in this text box.

(3) The website will check that the code is a valid one and will post a confirmation on the Team Home Page.

(4) If a contestant has already registered and did not enter the Local Contest Code at the time of registration, he or she can add it at any time by logging into the Team Home Page.

(5) Once your project or contest is underway, you can view your own Local Contest Scoreboard on the following web page: 

http://bridgecontest.usma.edu/standings/local/DUPA.htm