A backhoe weighing 8 tons is on top of a flatbed trailer heading east on Interstate 70 in western Kansas. The extended shovel arm is made of hardened refined steel and the approaching overpass is made of commercial-grade concert, reinforced with 1.5 inch rebar spaced at 6 inch intervals in a crisscross patter and layered at 1 foot vertical spacing.
QUESTION : When the shovel arm hits the overpass, how fast does one have to be travelling to slice the bridge in half?
ASSUMPTION : There is no effect caused by headwind and no braking is done by the driver.
EXTRA CREDIT : Solve for the time and distance required for the entire rig to come to a complete stop after hitting the overpass at the speed calculated above.
See answer below (and attached pictures).
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ANSWER : Who cares? The trucking company just bought themselves a bridge.
QUESTION : When the shovel arm hits the overpass, how fast does one have to be travelling to slice the bridge in half?
ASSUMPTION : There is no effect caused by headwind and no braking is done by the driver.
EXTRA CREDIT : Solve for the time and distance required for the entire rig to come to a complete stop after hitting the overpass at the speed calculated above.
See answer below (and attached pictures).
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
ANSWER : Who cares? The trucking company just bought themselves a bridge.

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