MART Three-Hinged Arch Unit

THREE-HINGED ARCH UNIT - MART

INNOVATIVE SYSTEMS

The Three-Hinged Arch Unit, "MART", allows to investigate two statically determinate three-hinged arches (symmetrical or unsymmetrical) that simulate two different types of bridges.

See general description

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General Description

The Three-Hinged Arch Unit "MART" allows the student to become familiar with three-hinged arches, to calculate the bearing forces (for point load, for uniformly distributed load and for moving load), to investigate the influence of the load on the horizontal thrust in the supports, to determine the influence lines and to calculate support reactions.

The unit includes two long arch segments and one short segment, of which two at a time are connected by a central hinge, producing a symmetrical or unsymmetrical three-hinged arch. The arch segments are easily interchangeable. Moreover, the arch segments have two side hinges at their support, thus creating the three hinges.

The left hand hinge allows the arch section to rotate and move horizontally. The right hand hinge is held in position although it allows rotational movement of the arch section.

The arch under investigation can be loaded using a point load, a uniformly distributed load (by weights) or two moving loads, which simulate a vehicle.

The set of weights compensates for the support reactions of the side hinges, thus enabling a comparison between calculated and actual measured values.

Exercises and guided practices

GUIDED PRACTICAL EXERCISES INCLUDED IN THE MANUAL

  1. Familiarization with three-hinged arches.
  2. Understanding the characteristics of symmetrical and unsymmetrical three-hinged arches.
  3. Study of the method of sections.
  4. Application of the method of sections and the conditions of equilibrium to calculate the horizontal thrust for a point load.
  5. Application of the method of sections and the conditions of equilibrium to calculate the horizontal thrust for a uniformly distributed load.
  6. Application of the method of sections and the conditions of equilibrium to calculate the horizontal thrust for a distributed load.
  7. Comparison of the calculated and measured horizontal thrust for a point load.
  8. Comparison of the calculated and measured horizontal thrust for a uniformly distributed load.
  9. Comparison of the calculated and measured horizontal thrust for a distributed load.
  10. Study of the influence line for the supports under a moving load and a point load.
  11. Comparison of the influence line for the supports under a moving load and a point load with the calculated values

MORE PRACTICAL EXERCISES TO BE DONE WITH THE UNIT

  1. Simulation of a vehicle passing over an arch.
  2. Investigation of the relationship of the applied loads on the horizontal thrust in the supports.

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