Mind the Gap! Year 9

Challenge Workbook

Team members1 …………………..……………..2 …………………..……………..3 ……………………..…………..4 ……………………..…………..5 ……………………..…………..

In this exciting group work activity, teams will compete to build and test a bridge to destruction.

The brief is to design and build a scale model of a footbridge designed to span 100m.

Teams must test their bridge by hanging/placing weights from the centre of the span. The objective is to build a bridge that can support the greatest weight with the least use materials and the lowest cost.

Bridge Building Challenge

Your Bridges

The aim of the testing process is to test your structures to destruction. We are going to test the bridges by adding increasing numbers of weights to the middle of the span.

Your bridges will be tested according to three criteria:

• Maximum weight supported before collapse.• Strength to weight ratio.• Strength to cost ratio.

Testing and Judging

• Every team will present to the whole group!• The presentation can take any form you want… PowerPoint,

Keynote, video, posters, talk… etc.• The presentation should last no more than 4 minutes.• Everyone should take part… in some way• It should include….

Your team details, a logo and slogan.– Evidence of your design work– Photographs/pictures/drawings of the finished bridge– Evidence of testing and how it was measured.– Your findings from the research activity.

Presenting Your WorkChoose one of these areas to research and add into your presentation:

• What famous bridges are there in the UK ?• What types of bridges are there?• What is structural failure, how can this be measured?• What bridges did Brunel Design?• What forces are bridges subjected to?• Something of your own choice… but it must be

negotiated with a mentor/teacher.

Research Activity

Use this page to plan the tasks for your team members

Use this page to plan for your team identity

Team name?Logo?Slogan or strapline?

Use this page to plan for your research task

What are you going to research?Where will you get the information?How are you going to present your work?

Use this page to sketch designs for your bridge (page 1 of 3)

Use this page to sketch designs for your bridge (page 2 of 3)

Use this page to sketch designs for your bridge (page 3 of 3)

Use this page to plan your tests

How will you measure the speed?What equipment will you need?How can you be prepared for the run?

Use this page to plan for your presentation (page 1 of 2)

Who will do what?How will you show your work?What else will you need?

Use this page to plan for your presentation (page 1 of 2)

Who will do what?How will you show your work?What else will you need?

Notes etc.