Re: Bridge Contests

[brian whatcott <inet@intellisys.net>]

At 08:19 8/21/97 -0400, Ron Curtin wrote:
> I am thinking of doing some type of bridge building competition as a
> cooperative effort between one of my Physics classes and one of the design
> classes in our art department.  I know that I did such a thing several
> years ago with my students building bridges with glue and popcycle sticks,
> but I can't remember the specifics.(How many sticks allowed, the size of
> the bridge, the size of the opening in the bridge, etc.)  Does anyone out
> there have specifics of a bridge building competition they used
> successfully?
>
> Thanks.
I will say quite frankly that I am deeply biassed as to the merits of these
creative exercises.
  I suspect that when reasonably run, they can be the memories of a lifetime.
Moreover they are relevant to several science areas, and call for team work,
problem-solving and analytical skills.
(i.e what an employer would find the most valuable skills of all...)

I would suggest you act as an enlightened system specifier - that is,
specify the desired result and the cost criterion.
Example: Build a bridge to span to pillars spaced 24 inches apart, which
can carry a weight suspended by a sling from its midsection of at least 5 lbs.
 The devices will be tested with a bucket of water with incremental water
loads.
The devices will be evaluated at x cents per stick used in the
construction, etc.

 The criterion could reasonably be 
load at failure   divided by notional cost of components.

Regards


brian whatcott <inet@intellisys.net>
Altus OK