Pasta Bridge Construction Ideas
School students often create bridges constructed of pasta---or more specifically, spaghetti---not just for the sake of science, but for art's sake as well. Bridge construction requires sound engineering skills, which combine real life mathematical solutions, precision and a lot of creativity. A variety of architectural designs are available for the novice spaghetti contractor to consider.
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Bridge Construction
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Bridges are always constructed dependent upon the nature of their projected needs. A spaghetti bridge, besides being fun to build, is specifically designed to withstand various amounts of weight, and thus, must sustain the stress of tension or comprehension, or both. Tension is defined as a force that pulls or stretches a structure, such as a strong wind. Compression, when applied to a structure, actually causes it to shrink or collapse inward as it is forced together by an accumulation of weight. The objective is to dissipate force so that no one spot ever solely consumes a concentrated pressure.
Strength in Numbers
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A well-designed spaghetti bridge can tolerate substantial weight. While the strands of spaghetti are quite delicate in an isolated state, they demonstrate terrific strength and durability when strategically placed in a scientifically calculated manner. With the goal in mind, creating a spaghetti structure that can bear substantial weight will depict a well planned, solid architectural design.
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Truss Designs
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The simple designs of truss bridges are ultra supportive. Truss structures maintain the integrity of a bridge in its ability to support the forces of stress. They are some of the oldest types of the bridges. Covered bridges are examples of early truss design. Though old, they are far from primitive, and are actually considered modern in their construction. The blueprints for covered bridges are prime for use in spaghetti building.
Keeping it Simple
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Maintaining simplicity in spaghetti construction is critical, and truss designs are well suited for sustaining this requirement. There are a vast array of truss designs available, and the less elaborate are wonderfully fitted for noodle fusion.
Maintaining Integrity
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Inverted triangles are more supportive. Though there are a variety of options available for construction, there are a few guidelines which must be consistently followed. Inverted triangular designs, for example, are by far superior for structural support. Having an upside-down triangle creates more stability than having one with the apex on top. The compression members, the links across the top of the bridge (or the cables), must be kept fairly short to maintain the integrity of the structure. At the same time, they must be fit as long as is functionally possible. At these points where the noodles are connected, it's also important that the junctions be smooth and even. If these points are not flat, the structure will most likely twist and eventually break.
Flexiblilty
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Constructing an arched bridge works best with cooked noodles. When the fragility of the noodles becomes a concern, it's sometimes recommended that the noodles be cooked and then dried for a specified amount of time to increase their flexibility, which is ideal if seeking to construct a truss-style bridge with an arch design.
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References
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