Bifalgorithm post

If you build a frame using steel, you can quickly construct a factory building. However, a square frame itself isn't very stable. If a forklift accidentally bumps into it, the structure could collapse and create a serious safety hazard. So, you realize that adding a single diagonal brace across the frame will make it much stronger. When the frame leans to the right, the brace resists the movement by being pulled in tension. When the frame leans to the left, the brace pushes back in compression. But there's a problem. Steel members perform well in tension, but long, slender braces can buckle under compression, causing them to fail. So you come up with a better idea. Add a second diagonal brace to form an X-shaped crossbracing system. However, placing two braces so they cross each other creates interference at the intersection. To solve this, you cut a slot in the middle of one brace and fasten the other through it using a steel plate. Of course, cutting a slot weakens the structure. So you cut both braces at the intersection and reconnect them using steel gusset plates and high strength bolts. Just like that, you've just invented the X-bracing system.

If you build a frame using steel, you can quickly construct a factory building. However, a square frame itself isn't very stable. If a forklift accidentally bu…