Question

A company wishes to construct a 40 feet, 3,000 pound bridge between two buildings to allow a forklift to move materials from one building to the other. The forklift weighs 1300 pounds with the driver. The pallets weigh 2,000 pounds and the forklift driver will be moving one pallet at a time. The bridge’s supports on each sides is capable of supporting 30,000 pounds. What forces are generated in the supports at: a) 10 feet from the end of the bridge (from A)? b) 20 feet from the end of the bridge (from A)? c) 30 feet from the end of the bridge (from A)? If you want a safety factor of four for the supports, would you meet it? (Hint, you will have to determine the maximum loads at A or B to compare to the ultimate load strength of 30,000 lbs. At which location on the bridge the forklift will generate the maximum load on A or B? this happens when the load is positioned at the support (A or B). Find load at A or B, and then compare to the ultimate load to calculate the safety factor. Compare the calculated safety factor to 4, is it safe or not? Remember, safe means that the calculated safety factor should be equal or greater than 4.

Answer 1