Balsa Wood Bridge

Background: TJ Chandler, Reva Kelly, Josie Le Mon

II. Designing and executing investigations:
Created bridge designs based on data from other
Washington Latin PCS
bridge structures.
5200 2nd St NW Bridge Score Sheet
IV. Developing and using models:
Used schematic design to plan out our bridge design.

VI. Using the Problem Solving Process Design process :

Engineered solutions to problems by adding glue when
joints were not strong enough. Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3

Research objective:
Build a bridge to obtain the maximum strength to
weight ratio (holds the most weight for how much
it weighs itself), to be presented at a celebration of
science event. Bridges will be judged on design,
comparison to official design drawing, construction,
strongest and best strength to weight ratio.

Materials: Conclusion:
● 1/8th inch Balsa Wood ● Our objective was somewhat met: we
● Wood Glue Our bridge’s basic Completed bridge.After Our bridge on breaking built a bridge that could hold the
structure pieces This day, It split after holding
cutting all of our pieces
12 pounds, at which point
allotted weight, but we didn’t meet
was early on in our to the correct length
building process when based on our design
the two bottom beams the ideal strength to weight ratio of 1.
Schematic Design: we began to cut
which were holding the
plan, we glued them bucket snapped clean off. ● Our design was accurate enough to
pieces based on our together to form our
schematic design. final structure.
hold 11 scoops of sand; 12 pounds:
our bridge weighed 13.9 grams, with
a strength to weight ratio of 0.8.
● Our original design was mostly
successfully recreated, except for
minor alterations with the angles of
our interior wood pieces being
slightly off.

Acknowledgements/ References:
https://sites.google.com/site/ryangeorgeen
gineering/balsa-wood-bridge