Bridge Beam
Softwares used Autodesk Fusion 360, Cura (Slicer)
Objective The following project was completed individually during my Materials Science & Engineering: Designing for Society’s Needs course at the Brown Pre-College Program in 2020. The goal of the project was to create an affordable and durable metal beam that would be a part of the construction of a bridge.
The Process
The material used and the design of the beam would ultimately dictate the cost of the beam. After doing research on the material and beam designs for bridges, this design was the optimal choice, specifically with the two steel rods that run along the span of each side of the beam. Sketches were drawn first before modeling. After sketching, the soap bottle was then modeled using Autodesk’s Fusion 360.
In terms of the material used for this beam if it were to ever be used in the real world, the majority of the beam would be made of heat treated carbon steel. Glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) would be incorporated into the heat treated carbon steel rods. The rods on the sides of the beam are made of GFRP, specifically S-Glass as there are various types of GFRP, to strengthen the beam.