After using West Point Bridge Designer for a few weeks, I have noticed a few flaws but also noticed the realism in the program. The program does very well to mathematically predict the weight placed on certain parts of the bridge and determine whether or not that section is strong enough to support a given amount of weight. The program takes accurate calculations and does well to display the areas of the bridge that were not strong enough to support the truck. It can calculate weight and tension as well as displacement.
However, I do believe there are some aspects of the program that are not very realistic. For one, the program does not take into account stress put onto the bridge by weather such as wind rain and snow. Also, it does not account for the normal wear and tear every bridge undergoes over time. Despite these weaknesses, I think the program is about as realistic as possible for a bridge simulation program.
Last week, our group was able to come up with our least expensive bridge design. To do this, we put together many of our money-saving designs and combined them to form one, very inexpensive bridge. We used the thinnest possible beams and the cheapest material. When simulated on West Point Bridge Designer, the bridge sagged very much. This, of course, was not very realistic, but luckily the truck was able to make it to the other side of the river safely. I'm happy with this design, keeping in mind the goal of an inexpensive bridge. However, if the goal is to make a sturdy, safe bridge that can support larger amounts of weight, I would use more hefty materials and thicker beams.
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