Howe Truss Bridge
Have you wanted to make a strong popsicle stick bridge that used 100 popsicle sticks or less? This popsicle bridge was made from 98 unmodified popsicle sticks and WeldBond glue. It was 21 inches long, 4 inches tall, and 4 inches wide. It weighed about 150 grams, and held 140 pounds. With less than 100 popsicle sticks, that is a lot of strength in this bridge. Its efficiency score was 424.
This is the strongest popsicle bridge I have built so far.
I tested this bridge by putting the edges of the bridge on two books, and then placing a scale on the top of the bridge. Then I slowly lowered myself down on the scale with the help of two chairs. I carefully watched the scale to mark the exact spot of failure.
Before this bridge broke, I did hear several loud “popping” noises. This means several popsicle sticks came unglued. I probably could have stopped testing and re-glued those popsicle sticks. Had I done that, the bridge might have been able to hold even more.
That is the value of pre-testing your bridge. Evidently, a couple popsicle sticks weren’t glued on well enough, at least not as well as the others. That means I had several “weak links” that limit the strength of the bridge. Pre-testing allows you to identify those weak spots and fix them, without completely destroying your bridge.
umm how did ou get to attach the walls to the top and bottom i kicked it slightly and it like EXPLODED!!???
thnks for the hepl dude!
Im gonna get a good grade!
I think that all of these bridges are realy cool but can you also do and Arch bridge or a Box grinder. some variety would be nice website is still cool
was this bridge on any MESA competition?
I have never been to a MESA competition. However, it is possible that someone used this design at one of their competitions, but I do not know.
hi guys awesome bridge i have to do the same thing for my end of yr project
hey i hav a science project to see if u can build a bridge with the least amout of popsicle sticks and hold the most im excited and i hope ur desings will help mine thx its been a grea help!!
I’m coing it for my science fair project to but a little diff tell me how it goes
It would have held much more if it had more strength holding the two trusses together. Basically if there were more X’s running through the center. If you look at it in picture “D” you will see only two Popsicle sticks keeping it from just “Falling over” I wasn’t there to see it break, but my guess is that it broke (fell) to the left or right rather than strait down.
Eric, that is a good point. However, I don’t think that is why this particular bridge broke. I think some of the joints in the top chord failed first.
Hey, Me and My Friend are building this for class.
We have done the bottom base but it has used 48 popsticks for just that…
How many did it take you?
=S
thanks gonna be good for science project
Amazing!!!!!!!!!! I can’t believe you built that from scratch!!!!!!! That is definitely going on my science project!!!!!!!!!! Peace out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
whoa! dude i love that tower building thingy.
ha that is amazing, i think when i get home im going to celebrate my birthday and then build that. it looks amazing.
that bridge is tight. i can’t believe it held 140 pounds. is it because the sticks on top were glued tight togeter in threes or twos? i don’t really know much about building except legos…
my teachers held up to 150 pounds
That is a good question, John. However, as the scale does not weigh very much (under a pound), I don’t include the weight of the scale in the calculation of the bridge’s efficiency.
with the scale do u add the weight of the scale
hey hrey this site is the BOMB! Hello A+!!!!!!