A barge filled high with sand approaches a low bridge over the river and cannot quite pass under it should sand be added or removed?

Answer 1

In order to pass under the bridge, the barge must either be made to ride lower in the water or carry less height above the water, or both. Removing sand altogether would just make the barge ride higher in the water, negating the purpose.

The following options involving could allow the barge to pass under the bridge either by adding more sand making the barge heavier, and thus ride lower in the water or simply redistributing the weight of existing sand to form a lower, broader pile of sand, but without adding new height to the pile:

* Build up the walls on the barge, to give vertical sides to the lower portion of the sand pyramid. Either fill in the new space with more sand or knock the top of the pile down into the new space. * Build platforms out to the sides, increasing the possible footprint of the sand pyramid. Either fill in the new space with more sand or knock the top of the pile down into the new space.. * Add cargo boxes to the sides of the pile or hung over the edge of the barge like panniers, filled either with new sand or sand from the top of the pile.