CO-1: Project Problems

1. The diagram shows the pattern of one-way traffic flow at six road intersections at the
corners of two city blocks. The arrows show the directions of traffic flow, and the
associated numbers are the traffic flow rates in vehicles per hour at peak traffic time.

By equating the flow rate of traffic into an intersection to the flow rate out of it (no
parking is allowed), find equations relating the traffic flow rates x1, x2, . . . , x7 along
each of the roads. Explain why with the given peak flow rates it is impossible to close
road DE, and comment on the effect on traffic flow if road CD is closed for repairs.

2. Use Gauss elimination method to find the forces in the pin jointed framed bridge
section shown in the following Figure, given that a concentrated load m acts vertically
downwards at joint B. Give a simple example of a pin-jointed framed structure that
contains a redundant strut, and prove its redundancy by attempting to determine the
forces acting in the strut when the structure is loaded.

A typical truss found in a side section of a bridge

A truss supporting a concentrated load.