The bridge is painted! The team selected a matte black for the outer members and a metallic gold for the lateral bracing and inner support members. Additionally, the team developed a marking system to indicate which members connect to each other, and where they belong within the overall structure of the bridge. The marking system is pictured below:

The team also constructed and attached a name place to the bridge as required by the competition specifications.

Finally, the team has been practicing the construction process in order to minimize the time of construction for the competition. The sequencing has been tweaked a variety of times in order to maximize the use of the piers and the efficiency of each builder.

With the fabrication complete, the next big step was to load the bridge. This was done to determine weather the bridge will be able to withstand the applied load during the competition in late April. Safety provisions were implemented to ensure that the bridge could deflect no more than two inches to prevent failure or risk to students. To simulate the applied load, two grates were placed on the bridge in the most critical locations. Students then sat on the grates to replicate the angle irons that will be used to test the bridge. Constant visual checks were completed to ensure that failure was not imminent. Overall, the bridge passed the test and was able to withstand approximately 80% of the competition load with ease. Prior to this testing the tension connection strength on the bridge was verified. This was done because it was the location of last years bridge failure, and overall the most critical connection on the bridge. The Tinius Olsen testing machine was used to determine the strength of a single shear and modified connection using our bolts. Both tests exceeded our expectations and helped verify our our calculations. Going forward we will be painting the bridge, practicing construction, and preparing our materials for transportation to the competition. Additionally, design reports and presentations will be updated in the coming weeks. Stay tuned to the pictures of the painted bridge!