Blog Archives
My Mac OS X installation was working initiallly, but now it’s not. What’s wrong?
First make sure you installed the WPBD software, rather than running it directly from the downloaded disk image. To do this, follow the instructions in the Readme file that comes with the image: In the Finder that appears after mounting … Continue reading
Comments Off
I am in the “Design Project Setup Window” and can’t click the Next button at the bottom of the screen. What’s wrong?
Unfortunately, this is a bug in Java that we can’t control. In Windows 7 and 8, if you are using a font scale over 140%, some of the Bridge Designer’s dialog boxes become unusable. To fix the problem, you’ll need … Continue reading
Comments Off
My bridge bends too much. Shouldn’t that be considered in judging whether or not a design is successful?
In the West Point Bridge Designer, your design is judged to be successful if it passes the load test–if the truck is able to drive completely across the span without causing a collapse. Thus, to be successful, your structure must … Continue reading
Comments Off
My bridge design is perfectly symmetrical, but the load test results on one side are different from those on the other side. Is this a bug in the software? If the bridge is symmetrical, shouldn’t the load test results be symmetrical too?
This is not a bug in the software. In order to have symmetrical load test results, three conditions must be present: (1) the structure and all its members must be perfectly symmetrical, (2) the supports must be symmetrical, and (3) … Continue reading
Comments Off
Why does the cost of my design go up when I reduce the size of a member?
To understand the answer to this question, you need to understand how WPBD calculates the cost of your truss. Run WPBD and load any of the sample bridge designs. Now click the Report Cost Calculations button, located on the Status … Continue reading
Comments Off
How can I reduce the cost of my bridge design?
To reduce the cost of your design, you’ll need to learn a few basic principles of structural engineering. To do this, start up the Bridge Designer, and click the Help menu, then click “How to Design a Bridge.” On the … Continue reading
Comments Off
May I use the West Point Bridge Designer to design an actual bridge?
No. The West Point Bridge Designer is intended for educational use only. The loads, structural analysis methodology, and design algorithms used by this software have been simplified considerably from the procedures used to design actual bridges. Using the West Point … Continue reading
Comments Off
May I make additional copies of the West Point Bridge Designer and distribute the software to others?
Yes. The West Point Bridge Designer is in the public domain. You may make unlimited copies of the software, and you may freely distribute copies to others.
Comments Off
In BD, which deck elevation, support configuration, deck material, and loading do I use to enter the contest?
You may use any available deck elevation, support configuration, deck material, and loading. Each of these configurations has a different site cost, and each will significantly affect the cost of your bridge structure. Your challenge is to find the one … Continue reading
Comments Off
How can I learn how to use the West Point Bridge Designer?
Start up the West Point Bridge Designer, and click the Help menu. Then click “How to Design a Bridge,” and follow the step-by-step procedure provided.
Comments Off
