🌉 Building a Bridge with Finite Element Analysis
📖 About
This project involved designing and analyzing a bridge structure using Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to assess structural integrity and optimize performance.
🚨 Problem
Bridges experience stress, deformation, and material fatigue over time. The assignment required me to design a bridge that can support a 1kg point load without failure, using FINEL, finite element analysis software written in C++ by our professor. I was part of 5 person team of second-year engineering students who individually designed and tested multiple iterations of a bridge that could support a 1kg point load.
🛠️ Our Solution
Using Finite Element Analysis (FEA), we conducted simulations to:
- Understand how FEA can predict bridge performance under different loading conditions.
- Analyze stress distribution, deformation, and safety factors.
- Optimize the geometric design of the bridge.
I spent Easter break designing and testing multiple iterations of the bridge design. As testing continued, the bridge design became rounder - it began to resemble a suspension bridge.
📊 Simulation & Results
Once the final design was agreed upon, we had six hours to build the agreed-upon design using rivets, aluminium channels and strips using hand tools. We spent 2 hours agreeing on the manufacturing process; we decided to create an assembly line of builders with two students riveting parts that were folded and assembled by other team members.
📌 Conclusion
When tested, the constructed bridge supported 2.3kN of point load.