Calculating the Tensile and

Compressive Strength of Bridge

Members
EGN1006

What have we done so far?

Measured the WEIGHT, W, of a bucket
necessary to either rip or compress a bridge
member.
Measured the distance,L2, the weight, W, is
from the point of rotation of our testing
apparatus.
Measured the distance,L1, the Tension, T, is
from the point of rotation of our testing
apparatus. The same is true for the
Compression, C1.

Next step: Calculating T

and C
To measure the Tensile and
Compressive strength we MUST use
the lever equation.

Calculating Strength in EXCEL

Use formulas, copying

techniques, and ABSOLUTE
addressing.

YOU WILL DO THIS THREE TIMES

Tensile v.s. Width

Using your tensile strength data and your
width, make a TENSILE (y-axis) vs. Width
(x-axis) scatter plot. Perform a linear
regression on the plot and record your
equation.

Compressive Strength vs. Length: 6x10

& 10x10
Using your Compressive strength data and your length,
make a Compressive (y-axis) vs. length (x-axis) scatter
plot. Perform a polynomial regression(3 rd order) on the
plot and record your equation.

Calculating the ACTUAL

tensile and compressive
strengths

The lengths and widths you used

during testing are not necessarily the
actual widths and lengths on the
bridge. But you now know the
MATHEMATICAL MODEL that tells us
how the tensile strength behaves as
a function of width and how the
compressive strength behaves as a
function of length.

Method 1 : Reading the value off

the graph

Not exactly accurate if the graph

doesnt have a well defined scale

Method 2: Using the

equation
of
fit
y 5.5 x 2.9
x Member Width
y Tensile Strength

Measure the actual WIDTH of the bar on the bridge ,

then insert that width for x in your equation. Then
solve for actual tensile strength.
The same is true for compression strength. Measure the
exact LENGTH of the tube then insert that length into
the appropriate equation (6x10 or 10x10) to solve for
the actual compressive strength.