Scioly.org

Thanks for the rules clarification/confirmation. I was thinking along the same lines as far as abutment block location and the 2 cm rule on the opposite side.

I was wondering if someone could help me out a bit,
At our regionals, we normally pour the sand in a bucket using a cup, but at the three invitationals in my area+state, it is a lever that is used to put sand in the bucket. I've tried the lever before once-personally I find it hard to control. Any tips? Thank you!

Entomology wrote:I was wondering if someone could help me out a bit,
At our regionals, we normally pour the sand in a bucket using a cup, but at the three invitationals in my area+state, it is a lever that is used to put sand in the bucket. I've tried the lever before once-personally I find it hard to control. Any tips? Thank you!

What do you mean by hard to control? As in the setup doesn't work properly, or is it that it's difficult to get the optimum amount of sand flowing?

Entomology wrote:I was wondering if someone could help me out a bit,
At our regionals, we normally pour the sand in a bucket using a cup, but at the three invitationals in my area+state, it is a lever that is used to put sand in the bucket. I've tried the lever before once-personally I find it hard to control. Any tips? Thank you!

Consider asking the Event Supervisor if you can do a test on-off of the sand loader. I think allowing such a test would be justified, as it's better that you are comfortable with operation than have the sand running for 3-5 seconds after bridge failure.

Okay so I have a question. If i took a piece of balsa wood board and cut strips of it for my bridge supports to sit on will it counted off on the rules?scioly.org/rules

Engineer13 wrote:Okay so I have a question. If i took a piece of balsa wood board and cut strips of it for my bridge supports to sit on will it counted off on the rules?scioly.org/rules

What do you mean by bridge supports? Do you mean laminating your wood? More detailed questions tend to get more detailed answers.

Engineer13 wrote:Okay so I have a question. If i took a piece of balsa wood board and cut strips of it for my bridge supports to sit on will it counted off on the rules?scioly.org/rules

Do you mean using your own built block that is 5x5x2 cm for the one end of the bridge to rest upon? Instead of using the provided block?

Or are the strips a sort of bearing plate that the bridge rests on the abutment?

Entomology wrote:I was wondering if someone could help me out a bit,
At our regionals, we normally pour the sand in a bucket using a cup, but at the three invitationals in my area+state, it is a lever that is used to put sand in the bucket. I've tried the lever before once-personally I find it hard to control. Any tips? Thank you!

To start off with, you should start slowly letting the sand flow in, once there is a small steady flow, you can start to gradually increase the sand flow. However, you don't want to let to much sand come out at once, because the sudden amount of mass on your bridge can break it easily. You should practice with the loader more and test bridges with a loader like that, to find out how much sand you need to let in a once, and the speed in which you add more and more sand.

leinad520 wrote:

Entomology wrote:I was wondering if someone could help me out a bit,
At our regionals, we normally pour the sand in a bucket using a cup, but at the three invitationals in my area+state, it is a lever that is used to put sand in the bucket. I've tried the lever before once-personally I find it hard to control. Any tips? Thank you!

To start off with, you should start slowly letting the sand flow in, once there is a small steady flow, you can start to gradually increase the sand flow. However, you don't want to let to much sand come out at once, because the sudden amount of mass on your bridge can break it easily. You should practice with the loader more and test bridges with a loader like that, to find out how much sand you need to let in a once, and the speed in which you add more and more sand.

Thank you to everyone who helped me! I will ask my event coordinator.

Hate to sort-of double post, but I didn't know where else this should go.

Even though the bridge season is over for me, I was curious on this technique I've heard of called "pre-stressing", where you test your device to about 3/4 of its capability, and then stop. I've tried it before, but as soon as we decided to stop, my partner and I realized that we didn't have any safe way of removing the device without it breaking. Does anyone have a safe way of removing a pre stressed bridge?