I just bought the beta version of Thea Render, a software package that should help me get better at producing photo-realistic bridge models. I am hoping to produce photo models part-time for bridge design firms.
A) I like drafting/rendering/imaging, B) I know something about bridges and C) I could use the money! I thought videos would help me remember all the different steps and since youtube will store it for free…..I thought why not.
So here is a first/quick video showing depth of field in Thea.
Update: Mark (comment) is right that headed bars are gaining more interest in the bridge community. Here is a paper by John Stanton on rapid construction details.
Sitting in a seminar for rapid bridge construction in seismic regions, by John Stanton. (uw)
He is explaining an ABC cap/beam connection and a rapid pier design. The main point, typical of precast construction, is the lack of good connection details.
Mr. Stanton is discussing how they used 6-#18 bars to connect the pier cap to the columns. The development length was tested in the lab because the cap depth did not provide the code required development length.
He is discussing how this connection works well under sesmic loading.
In what can olny be called sour grapes on my part, I think the finally solution was a letdown. Two arches connected by a little platform bridge, meh, okay but nothing special.
I can’t belive this solution was the stated goal of the competition? Does it really compete with Calatrava’s design? I don’t think so. This is a bridge chosen by politicians. Okay, but safe.
We have a few of these kind of arches in our state, (we should join two bridges together!) maybe I could just send them the calculations and save them some more money….again sour grapes, but really, that’s the best solution?
Okay some Mondays are tougher than others but we have to soldier on….
Today I started teaching the moment distribution method started by Hardy Cross. (who is a minor god by the way.) We skipped the slope deflection method (not sure why) and then on to the direct stiffness method.
I have been busy with a) real work b) teaching and 3) thinking about a new part-time, side job. I keep thinking there is a market for 3D renderings done by a real bridge engineer. So I have been looking around at photorealistic software.
The problem is, I’m cheap! An intro package goes for $250 dollars and the big players are around $1500. So my question is, would design firms like 3D rendering done by a professional bridge engineer?
