This article was posted 08/03/2006 and is most likely outdated.

An Engineer's Story Problem
 

 
Topic - Unusual and Special Issues
Subject - An Engineer's Story Problem

August 3, 2006  

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An Engineer's Story Problem



 A Backhoe weighing 8 tons is on top of a flatbed trailer and heading east on Interstate 70 near Hays, Kansas. The extended shovel arm is made of hardened refined steel and the approaching overpass is made of commercial-grade concrete, reinforced with 1 ½ inch steel rebar spaced at 6 inch intervals in a criss-cross pattern layered at 1 foot vertical spacing.

Solve:  When the shovel arm hits the overpass, how fast do you have to be going to slice the bridge in half?  (Assume no effect for headwind and no braking by the driver...)

Extra Credit: Solve for the time and distance required for the entire rig to come to a complete stop after hitting the overpass at the speed calculated above.  Yes, you can neglect friction...

Demonstrative Solution: (Doesn't look as though he could get up enough speed to make it all the way...)

 

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Comments

  • Looking at the huge dent in the underside of the bridge above the operator's cab, it looks like the machine REALLY wanted to flip over, but didn't have the clearance. Also, the bridge's concrete guardrail isn't broken. I'd hate to have been driving near this fella when he hit the bridge...or crossing over the bridge!!!

    Leo
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