MIE.28 – Gravitational Load Transposition Effect

• Angel Fernandez Rodriguez
• Robert Pecucci
• Humberto Salas
• Viktor Voytanovych

When creating a bridge there needs to be an effort to create a design that can work effectively with an acceptable cost. This is so bridge designs can work as intended without needing a significant investment to complete them. An innovative load-balancing system has been devised and patented by Dusault Engineering. This design demonstrates a pathway to structural optimization in reducing mass, carbon footprint, and cost of short-span to medium-span bridges. This is done by enhancing bridge design by redirecting loads through two fulcrums to create a negative bending moment on the ends of the bridge which allows for preloading. Allowing the construction of a bridge with less material that can efficiently support equivalent loads to that of a conventional bridge. Even though the project is in the preliminary stages of development we were able to model the embodiments of the concept, build a prototype, and test its performance under static loading. These preliminary tests identified the design’s limitations and helped inform us for our next iteration, leading to an improved version that better meets the project’s objectives. These objectives being an improvement on certain design aspects of previous prototypes directly from our sponsor while still being able to hold the principle of the patent. Once the concept can be proven to work effectively without issues, it will allow the construction of new bridges that will save money and reduce environmental impact.