The Physics of Bridges

Norman Kwong

University of British Columbia

Physics 409D
2004-2005

Introduction

The purpose of my project is to see how the forces work in a bridge. The project will go through the ideas of torque, equilibrium, Newton’s Laws, compression and tension forces. In addition the basic types of bridges will be introduced then analyzed. Some of the more mathematically simpler bridges will be analysed mathematically. This project will have a demonstration of the failure of some styrofoam bridges.