Chapter
Aug 9, 2015
Slope Stability of Pretzel Bags
Authors: Brian Brenner and Brian BrennerAuthor Affiliations
Publication: Too Much Information: Living the Civil Engineering Life
Abstract
The author is curious about the engineering implications of slope stability failure of a bag of pretzels on the edge of a sink. With a perfect model based on perfect geometry, perfectly defined boundary conditions, and flawless understanding of behavior, the lurch of the bag could be precisely calculated and timed with perfection. Conceptually, one could develop and mathematize hundreds of equations, determine weak points, calculate movement, and iterate. One could evaluate interpretzel friction and determine appropriate coefficients. However, determining perfect data and modeling the relationships perfectly would be impossible. In the old days, engineers without computers made broad assumptions about behavior based on the constitutive relationships. It is not clear that precisely measuring and modeling the behavior of pretzel bags perched on the edge of a sink would be possible.
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ISBN (Print): 978-0-7844-1394-4
ISBN (Online): 978-0-7844-7903-2
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© 2015 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published online: Aug 9, 2015
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Brian Brenner
P.E.
Vice President and Structural Engineer, Fay, Spofford & Thorndike, Burlington, Massachusetts
Brian Brenner
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Terms of Use: ASCE Library Cards are for individual, personal use only. Reselling, republishing, or forwarding the materials to libraries or reading rooms is prohibited.
Terms of Use: ASCE Library Cards are for individual, personal use only. Reselling, republishing, or forwarding the materials to libraries or reading rooms is prohibited.