We can combine tension and compression elements to form trusses that span further than the pieces from which they're made. Exciting stuff! We start with a cantilever and then build to a full structural span. I show you some bridge examples and also how to optimize a truss for material efficiency. Enjoy!

I'm Paul Kassabian. I'm a structural engineer and a Principal at SGH in Boston, MA. I taught graduate students at MIT for nine years and currently teach on/off at Harvard's Graduate School of Design (GSD). These are videos based on my years of teaching structures to students.