Wooden Bridge

This project involved designing and constructing two small-scale wooden bridges to support a 160 lb off-center load, with a focus on understanding structural behavior and load distribution. An initial prototype made from popsicle sticks and hot glue was used to explore basic design concepts, followed by a refined bridge built from square wooden dowels and wood glue that emphasized improved precision, efficiency, and structural performance. The progression between designs highlighted the importance of iteration, joint integrity, and how material and geometry choices influence overall strength. This project was completed under material constraints, limited to wood and adhesive, which emphasized the importance of joint quality and construction accuracy. Testing focused on a static load condition, providing insight into structural performance under a single loading scenario but not accounting for dynamic or long-term effects. The hands-on nature of the builds reinforced practical engineering skills and, the challenges of translating design concepts into physical structures.