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Comparing the Howe, Pratt, and Warren truss bridge designs |
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Like simply supported beams and A-frames structures, the load bearing capacity of truss |
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bridges is directly related to their span. Due to the different geometries of their designs, |
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which determine their load bearing characteristics, truss bridges differ in the maximum load |
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they can bear for any given span. |
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| The following graph compares the maximum loads that static demonstration models of the | |||||||||
| Howe, Pratt, and Warren truss bridges withstood versus their span. Destructive testing was | |||||||||
| conducted on each model by increasing its span incrementally, and then its load, to the | |||||||||
| point of failure. All loads were hung from the midpoint of the deck of the truss. In each | |||||||||
| case structural failure occurred at the joints, that is, the models failed in tension. | |||||||||
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Fig. 174 - Graph of maximum load vs. span for models of Howe, Pratt, and Warren trusses |
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Back to Knowhere |
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