We Make The Difference
Three-Hinged Arch
(ST104)
  • Familiarization with three-hinged arches (unsymmetrical and symmetrical)
  • Application of the method of sections and the conditions of equilibrium to calculate the support forces for point load, distributed load, and moving load
  • Investigation of the influence of the load on the horizontal thrust in the supports
  • Determination of the lines of influence for the supports under a moving load
  • Comparison of the calculated and measured support reactions for static and moving load 
  • Aluminum arches
    • 2x long: 480mm, total arch length: 960mm
    • 1x short: 230mm, total arch length: 710mm
    • arch height: 250mm
  • Weights
    • 4x 1N (hanger)
    • 36x 1N
    • 16x 5N
    • moving load: 10N+20N
  • Three-Hinged Arch (ST104)
  • Arch segments
  • Moving load
  • Supports
  • Set of weights
  • Storage system with foam inlay
  • Hard copy user manual

The three-hinged arch kit (ST104) is a bench top trainer, which is designed to illustrate the statically three-hinged arch. The unit offers experiments in various load cases such as point load, distributed load and moving load.

  • The educational unit includes two long arch segments and one short segment; two of them are connected at a time by a hinged joint.
  • When the two long arch segments are connected, they make a symmetrical arch however when the one short arch segment is connected with a long arch segment, unsymmetrical arch is produced.
  • The three-hinged arch consists of a curved beam mounted on two fixed supports, and usually featuring the so-called crown hinge at its crown.
  • The hinges on the two fixed supports absorb vertical and horizontal forces, and are known as abutment hinges. Their connecting line is the springing line. 
  • The crown hinge renders the system statically determinate.
  • The unit allows the investigation of the arch under a point load, distributed load or moving load.
  • The unit includes weights that are used to compensate for the support reactions of an abutment hinge, which enables a comparison between calculated and Actual measured values.
  • All the component elements of the experiment are clearly laid-out and housed securely in a storage system.
  • The complete experimental can be setup on the mounting frame.