The Scholar Bridge: Influence of Support Conditions in Bridge Deflection

The Scholar Bridge is offered to Rowan University undergraduate engineering students as part of a suite of Junior and Senior Engineering Clinic projects. This project provides students with the opportunity to have a hands-on structural engineering laboratory experience where they can transfer the knowledge learned in the classroom into visual self-conducted learning. After the completion of the project presented in this paper, students were able to (1) comprehend the relationship between load, deflection, and stiffness, (2) analyze point cloud data, and (3) understand the benefits of performing remote sensing. Some other topics developed in The Scholar Bridge are truss optimization, identification of zero force elements, analysis of the influence of support conditions on structural responses (bridges), and influence of column orientation on lateral drift (vertical structures). As part of the project deliverables, students are expected to produce educational videos that their peers can use to study for courses such as Statics and Structural Analysis. Another goal of this project is to promote the participation of female students in structural engineering. Even though the national average percentage for women in Structural Engineering is 15%, this clinic project has attracted a consistent female population, maintaining participation at 27% on average, contributing to supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion within the engineering community, which is a pillar of the Advisor's goals.