Teaching article
Folded or flat paper bridge? Keep the span unchanged
Test how a specified fold changes a small model's performance.
Equal paper amounts can form very different bridge decks. Mark the supports and use the same safe load procedure so the comparison concerns deck shape, rather than a shorter gap or a different testing arrangement.
To hand: Equal paper sheets and low supports.
- Keep the span fixed.
- Change the fold.
- Compare safe paper loads.
Shape is the feature being investigated
Mark the supports so they cannot drift between tests. Otherwise a changed span may explain the result rather than the fold.
A folded deck and flat deck use equal paper but different shapes.
Which condition stayed constant? Use educator-led testing.
This does not certify a real bridge.
Resources
- Paper Bridge Design Challenge — Apply a stated span and test method when comparing the paper prototypes.
Further reading
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