🚀 go-pugleaf

        Reply to:   RE>>Interactive Physics
Why not design it out of multiple plates held together by rods (+ any
suspension), and put meters on the forces through the rods?

There's no direct way to do what you suggest with Interactive Physics II.
However, you could build your bridge and measure the loads on key truss element.
 All you need to do is attach a tension meter to the pin joint connecting 2
trusses.  Keep putting heavier objects on the bridge until the stress exceeds
 your
specifications.

If you're adventurous you could try a fancier solution.  With the built-in
equation language provided in Interactive Physics you could introduce a feedback
loop into your system.  You could set the mass of the load to be proportional to
the inverse of the tension of the supports.  Something like:

mass[1].mass = 2300 - |constraintforce(2)|

This equation would make the mass #1 be inversely proportional to the tension on
constraint #2.  Of course, any feedback loop is likely to be unstable, so you
may have to tweak the equations to make it work.

Knowledge Revolution Support Staff