Criteria: Build a structure that can support as much weight as possible over a 18" gap.
**Magazines will be the weights and two separated tables will be the gap**
Constraints Part I:
Materials:
- 2 Manila Folders (letter size)
- 2 feet of tape (may not use a piece of tape longer than 6")
Weighing:
- Magazines will be used as "weights"
- Your "score" for our competition is determined by how many magazines your structure supports!
- Magazines will be added to your structure one at a time until "failure" is achieved
- You may place magazines anywhere on your structure as long as:
- All magazines must rest between the two vertical edges of the gap your bridge is spanning (magazines must be over the "gap")
- No magazines may tough the tables (magazines may not be piled up to "self support themselves)
Construction Practices
- Only one end of your design may have a "pinned" connection to the table top (i.e taped). The other end must act as if it were on a "roller" connection (i.e. laying on the table top).
- Manila folders may not be layered more than 3 layers thick at any location.
- Parallel structural members may not touch directly (they can be connected via non parallel connection members (ex. a "ladder" style design))
Our Design:
- Plan 1: fold the manila folders into thirds and place them across the gap connecting them with a few folded strips in the center
- Plan 2: make a design like the bed of nails on Mythbusters- make a lot of little pyramids out of one folder and then tape them all over the other one that is spanned across the gap to try and distribute the weight of the magazines
- Plan 3: use the manila folders and fold them into thirds and create a triangular prism place them side by side separated by two inches across the gap
- Final plan: make the folders into triangular prisms and put one inside the other across the gap
We managed to somehow get 50 magazines on our structure for a brief second before we achieved failure!
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