Truss Essays - Structural System, Truss Bridges, Trusses, Mechanics

Truss The definition of a truss is any of various structural frames based on the geometric rigidity of the triangle and composed of straight members subject only to longitudinal compression, tension, or both: functions as a beam or cantilever to support bridges, roofs, etc. Trusses are the most commonly used structural device used in architecture today. Trusses are used in almost every thing they are in your attic, barns, buildings, and bridges. A truss is used in architecture and engineering, it is a supporting structure made of beams, girders, or rods usually made of steel or wood. A truss usually takes the form of a triangle or combination of triangles, this design is capable of carrying large amounts of weight. Trusses are used for large spans and heavy loads, especially in bridges and roofs. Their open construction is lighter than a beam structured platform but is just as strong. The parts of a truss are the tie-beams, posts, rafters, and struts; the distance over which the truss exte nds is called the span. A truss is formed by connecting the ends of straight pieces of metal or wood to form a series of triangles lying in a single plane. A truss is based on the fact that a triangle is a configuration that cannot collapse or change its shape unless the length of one of the sides is changed. The two most commonly used truss designs are the Howe and Warren trusses. In 1806 the first patented bridge system, the Burr arch truss was used in the US. The Town truss was invented in 1820, in 1840 the Howe truss was invented, and in 1841 the bowstring was invented it was a breakthrough in engineering design. The Pratt and Warren trusses were invented between 1838 and 1844. The first trusses were made of wood and used for building homes and roofs. During the 18th and early 19th centuries cast and wrought iron were used, mostly in the construction of railroad bridges. Later in the 19th century steel became the most used truss material. Trusses are used also for the constructi on of iron-frame industrial buildings and in roof and floor systems. They are also used in the construction of certain industrial machines, such as cranes, lifts, and in the design of aircraft and automobile frames. Two types of trusses are the Howe and Warren trusses, Warren trusses are more efficient than Howe trusses in carrying a load considering the weight of material used in the construction of the truss. The optimum ratio of height to span length is anywhere between 0.23 and 0.41 for Howe trusses, and 0.16 and 0.39 for Warren trusses. The Pratt and the Warren were simple skeletal forms that adapted well to iron and eventually to steel that is why they are two of the most popular trusses used today. Trusses are very important in today's world they help us cross huge bodies of water, they hold the roof up over our heads, and they allow cranes to be able to support huge amounts of weight when building giant skyscrapers. The fact is the invention of the truss is just as important as the invention of the wheel. Life would be very difficult without trusses.

Ice Breaker for Classrooms - The Name Game

Ice Breaker for Classrooms - The Name Game This icebreaker is ideal for almost any setting because no materials are needed, your group can be divided into manageable sizes, and you want your participants to get to know each other anyway. Adults learn best when they know the people surrounding them. You may have people in your group who hate this icebreaker so much they’ll still remember everyone’s name two years from now! You can make it harder by requiring everyone to add an adjective to their name that starts with the same letter (e.g. Cranky Carla, Blue-eyed Bob, Zesty Zelda). You get the gist. Ideal Size Up to 30. Larger groups have tackled this game, but it becomes increasingly harder unless you break into smaller groups. Application You can use this game to facilitate  introductions in the classroom or at a meeting. This is also a fabulous game for classes involving memory. Time Needed Depends entirely on the size of the group and how much trouble people have remembering. Materials Needed None. Instructions Instruct the first person to give his or her name with a descriptor: Cranky Carla. The second person gives the first person’s name and then his own name: Cranky Carla, Blue-eyed Bob. The third person starts at the beginning, reciting each person before her and adding her own: Cranky Carla, Blue-eyed Bob, Zesty Zelda. Debriefing If you’re teaching a class that involves memory, debrief by talking about the effectiveness of this game as a memory technique. Were certain names easier to remember than others? Why? Was it the letter? The adjective? A combination? Additional Name Game Ice Breakers Introduce Another Person: Divide the class into partners. Have each person talk about himself to the other. You can offer a specific instruction, such as tell your colleague about your greatest accomplishment. After switching, the participants introduce each other to the class.What Have You Done Thats Unique: Request each person introduce himself by stating something hes done that he thinks no one else in the class has.  If someone else has done it, the person has to try again to find something unique!Find Your Match: Ask each person to write two or three statements on a card, such as an interest, goal or dream vacation. Distribute the cards so each person gets someone else’s. The group has to mingle until each person finds the one who matches their card.Describe Your Name: When people introduce themselves, ask them to talk about how they got their name (first or last name). Perhaps they were named after someone specific, or maybe their last name means something in an ancest ral language. Fact or Fiction: Ask each person to reveal one true thing and one false when introducing themselves. The participants have to guess which is which.The Interview: Pair up participants and have one interview the other for a few minutes and then switch. They can ask about interests, hobbies, favorite music, and more. When finished, have each person write three words to describe their partner and reveal them to the group. (example: My partner John is witty, irreverent, and motivated.)

Growth in Health Expenditures Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Growth in Health Expenditures - Article Example Apparently, between 1993 and 2003, the health care expenditures in the US grew from a total of $900 billion to $1.7 trillion which was equivalent to an increase from 13.3% of the total gross domestic product (GDP) to 15.3%. When these values were compared to the health expenditures in Canada, Germany, Japan and the UK, it was realized that the US had the highest health care costs and expenditures (Zuckerman and McFeeters, 2006). The table below summarizes the trends in health care expenditures. As noted by Rettig (1994), new and improved medical technologies have been seen in areas such as: the development of new treatments for terminal conditions such as AIDS, cancer and diabetes; treatments related to untreatable acute conditions such as coronary artery bypass graft; clinical progress for patients with mental illness and/ or substance abuse; procedures for treating secondary diseases within a disease, for example erythropoietin which treats anaemia in dialysis patients. Moreover, technological equipments such as sonogram machines and dialysis equipment together; new procedures such as laproscopic gall bladder surgery and new treatments such as statins to control cholesterol and cardiac catheterization have also contributed largely to the total health care spending. Despite that, it was noted that technology can equally increase the standard costs for treatments and it can also lower the standard unit costs of treatments so as to allow more people to benefit from the treatments being offered. For example, cardiac catheterization has increased the standard cost of treatments since it is highly used to treat and monitor heart attacks while laproscopic gall bladder surgery has lowered the unit cost of treatment so as to allow more patients to undergo the procedure as compared to using the open gall bladder surgery (Zuckerman and McFeeters, 2006). The aging population has been increasing rapidly over the past few