TrussKit
The TrussKit was my final project for my Mechanics of Solids and Structures class in my junior year at Olin. I wanted to build a teaching aid that could help students gain an intuition of how the members of a truss behave. The TrussKit allows users to assemble truss structures of their own design and configuration, and then examine whether each member is in tension or compression. The members are laser-cut bars split into two halves and joined in the center with an adjustable gauge: a hex nut and some thread. Because the central connection is loose, the members can slightly extend or contract to visually demonstrate whether the bar is in tension or compression.
The members of the TrussKit come in unit lengths of 1x, x√2, x√3, and 2x/√3 to support building trusses with 45-45-90 and 30-60-90 triangle patterns. Students can design and build trusses in these configurations, mount them to the base stand, and then load the trusses with paper clips and washers. The kit contains 24 1x unit trusses and 6 of each of the x√2, x√3, and 2x/√3 unit trusses. I wrote an accompanying problem set and solution manual designed to get students acquainted with a few of the basic types of truss structures, analyze them for compression and tension, and calculate the load of the members with the method of joints.
The members of the TrussKit come in unit lengths of 1x, x√2, x√3, and 2x/√3 to support building trusses with 45-45-90 and 30-60-90 triangle patterns. Students can design and build trusses in these configurations, mount them to the base stand, and then load the trusses with paper clips and washers. The kit contains 24 1x unit trusses and 6 of each of the x√2, x√3, and 2x/√3 unit trusses. I wrote an accompanying problem set and solution manual designed to get students acquainted with a few of the basic types of truss structures, analyze them for compression and tension, and calculate the load of the members with the method of joints.