The previous week had a number of questions answered because the Engineering librarian from Drexel University came to show a few resources that could be utilized for future references in the course project and future research papers for other classes. The navigation of the Drexel University library website was also shown for further understanding. In addition, the majority of the class allowed students to experiment and creatively design new ideas for a truss bridge with a kit called Knex. Though a final design has not been agreed upon, the progress of communicating ideas to other team members in a specific group is improving. Suggestions are constantly being offered and not enforced independently. For the upcoming week, the specific group hopes to accomplish a possible finalized design as a back up while creating new designs to improve on in the future with Knex. The main and only issue that the group is encountering is the inability to use or physically have more Knex pieces to experiment and design an efficient bridge. Permission was allowed to borrow pieces but only a few were taken. Next week, more pieces will be taken to create a great bridge.
The use of the program West Point Bridge Design and Knex certainly showed a few similarities and differences. Firstly, the computer program allowed a stimulation of a load being suspended on the bridge that was recently designed to show the compression and tension forces in each member, while the Knex allowed a literal hands-on experience. The computer program also allowed for a number of variety and changes of the member's material and size, but the Knex does not allow a change because the alterations of the pieces will result in a break of the material. The West Point Bridge Design seems to be more realistic and suitable for the project occurring due to the additional amounts of benefits than the Knex pieces.
No comments:
Post a Comment