Brief
For this project, we had to engineer a paper bridge that could hold a significant amount of weight. It had to be done using seven paper clips and seven pieces of paper. It had to span a 40cm wide “river”. The weights of each bridge would be measured and recorded for each team. Cups full of seeds would be used for weight at the beginning. Heavier objects would then be used afterwards such as books etc. The project is to test our design and construction abilities as a team.
Design #1
Our early bridge design was weak and unsturdy. The bridge could hold little to no weight and it collapsed with ease.
We tweaked the design of this bridge slightly, adjusting paper clips hoping it could hold a heavier load.
Pros Design #1
- It looked nice
- Nothing else
Faults Design #1
- The bridge stooped below the table level
- The design was far too loose and unstable
- We think the bridge could have been successful with a different material, not paper
- It was not long enough to hold a firm grip on either table
Design #2
After the bridge collapsed again we decided that we would need an entirely new design in order to sustain any significant weight. We rolled up three pieces of paper very tightly. We knew if this bridge design was going to be successful, it had to be firm. Once a piece of paper was rolled up tight, we would hold it together with the use of two paper clips, one on each end. Once the three pieces of paper was rolled up, we then wrapped another piece of paper tightly around them. This was also held together with a paper clip.
We immediately found this design much more stable. The last design could hold 200 grams maximum and this design held an entire kilo instantly! We continued adding weight carefully. The bridge showed no signs of strain as the load approached 2 kilograms. We continued to add weight until the bridge collapsed. The final load weighed in at 2.7kg. We were satisfied with this as we didn’t believe a bridge made of paper would be able to hold this kind of weight.
Pros Design # 2
- It was very stable and sturdy
- It had a firm stance on both tables
- The design could hold significant weight when executed correctly
- Unique
Faults Design #2
- Paper clips became loose on the rolled up pieces of paper after heavier weight was placed
Reflection
We enjoyed this project as we thought it improved our teamwork. Having done this project we feel more confident in our ability to tackle challenges as a team as to solve any problems. In hindsight there is one or two things we could have done to improve the design of our bridge. We are happy with it also because it was a learning experience that will benefit us in the future.
Ignite 