Happy Christmas!
So the spaghetti bridges have all been broken, the mince pies are beckoning and exam fear still hasn’t raised its ugly head. Enjoy the festive season!
| Group | Bridge Weight (kg) | Strength (kg) | SW Ratio | Prediction (kg) | PS Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.861 | 4.81 | 5.59 | 7.0 | 1.46 |
| 2 | 0.820 | 9.01 | 10.99 | 8.0 | 0.89 |
| 3 | 0.859 | 4.24 | 4.94 | 15.0 | 3.54 |
| 4 | 0.641 | 6.48 | 10.11 | 10.0 | 1.54 |
| 5* | 0.327 | 0.97 | 2.97 | 3.0 | 3.09 |
| 6 | 0.857 | 1.9 | 2.22 | 2.3 | 1.21 |
| 7* | 0.971 | 8.14 | 8.38 | 10.0 | 1.23 |
| 8* | 0.523 | 1.07 | 2.05 | 1.5 | 1.40 |
| 9* | 0.400 | 1.5 | 3.75 | 2.0 | 1.33 |
| 10 | 0.787 | 6.88 | 8.74 | 10.0 | 1.45 |
| 11 | 0.885 | 7.86 | 8.88 | 3.5 | 0.45 |
* These groups were disqualified due to non-conformance with the specifications of the problem.
First, second, and third were awarded to Groups 2, 4 and 11 respectively (as may be seen by sorting on the SW column). The Faculty Director also awarded Group 5 a special merit prize for their unique entry.
One very intersting aspect of the results is the significant over-estimation of strength across the board, save for Groups 2 and 11. Is it coincidence that these groups were prize-winners?
Some housekeeping updates to the site include:
- Results of the Christmas Spaghetti Bridge Competition (as above);
- Structural Analysis III exam information, handout, and sample paper is available;
- Structural Analysis IV group laboratory submissions are now available;
- Structural Analysis IV stiffness analysis of beams spreadsheet available;
- Structural Mechanics column notes are available.
Please use the message board to communicate and ask questions of your colleagues. Hopefully this will help remove some of the panic. Remember also that 99% of all questions I am ever asked have the answer already in the notes – please read them closely. The infomation you seek may be in an earlier example, not necessarily on the page you’re looking at.
Here’s to a great Christmas and an even better New Year!
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