Why are triangles such a strong shape to build with?
In: Engineering
Two main reasons: Joints tend to be the weak part of structures, and it is much easier to bend beams or boards than to compress or stretch them.
Think about a square made of metal beams. You could turn it into a rhombus shape without bending, stretching, or compressing any of those beams. The stress is on those joints and all the leverage of the beams is working against them.
In contrast a triangle made of metal beams cannot be made to change shape without breaking a joint, bending a beam, or stretching or compressing a beam. This plays to the strength of the materials and mechanisms in the structure. The joints don’t need to defend against rotational force with leverage, and the beams don’t need to resist bending but instead compression and stretching.
Latest Answers