Which Type of Bridge Is the Strongest?

Overview

My project, "Which is the strongest bridge?" focuses on the Pratt truss, suspension, and arch bridges. My purpose with this idea was to investigate the qualities of each bridge to assist architects and engineers in their line of work. With my science fair project, I sought to discover the most durable bridge type. I believe the general public should value the work I did because they should have the right to use safe infrastructure. The work I did can ensure that there are no flaws when it comes to bridge construction and maintain the overall safety of the bridge's user. I began by hypothesizing that the Pratt truss bridge would carry the most amount of weight because the triangle is the strongest geometric shape and the Pratt truss design was mostly composed of triangles. To investigated my hypothesis, I built scale models of the bridges out of popsicle sticks and two different types of glue to simulate the real world performance. The prototypes I made underwent a test with different weights, which I put on top of each bridge and the Pratt truss design held the most. I found that the most reliable type of bridge is the Pratt truss bridge. The Pratt truss design held twenty-two pounds and the other two bridge types, the suspension and arch bridges, could not support more than ten pounds of weight. The arch bridge only held seven pounds before it was destroyed, and the suspension bridge only held five pounds. My results can be consulted before the construction of new bridges takes place, or improvements are being made to existing bridges. My hypothesis of the Pratt truss bridge holding the most amount of weight was correct.

Competition history

• CSEF 2026 Applied Mechanics (Junior Division) · Entry J-02-08

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