http://www.teachengineering.org/view_activity.php?url=collection/wpi_/activities/wpi_squeeze_is_on/squeeze_is_on.xmlactivitytext/xmlThe Squeeze is OnCenter for Engineering Educational Outreach, compressionforceloadstructuresupportforcestructuresloadinternal stresscompressionThrough hands-on group projects, students learn about the force of compression and how it acts on structural components. Using everyday materials, such as paper, toothpicks and tape, they construct structures designed to (hopefully) support the weight of a cinder block for 30 seconds.
When civil engineers are asked to design a building, one thing they must calculate is the total compressive load that will be at work in the structure. To do this, they take into account the anticipated loads resulting from how people will use the building and the weight of the structure itself. Based on these calculations, materials with appropriate properties for carrying the weight are chosen, and structural components (such as columns and beams) are designed to provide adequate support and weight distribution.
Students gain insight into structural supports designed to withstand compression. Students develop construction skills. Students learn about the fundamental loads.24100TeachEngineering.orgS100DB96MassachusettsScience5.3 Explain how the forces of tension, compression, torsion, bending, and shear affect the performance of bridges.68S1009558MassachusettsScience2.2 Demonstrate methods of representing solutions to a design problem, e.g., sketches, orthographic projections, multiview drawings.68S1010C69MassachusettsScience2.4 Identify appropriate materials, tools, and machines needed to construct a prototype of a given engineering design.68S1004F28MassachusettsScience2.5 Explain how such design features as size, shape, weight, function, and cost limitations would affect the construction of a given prototype.68United StatesCopyright 2012 - Center for Engineering Educational Outreach, Tufts Universityhttp://www.teachengineering.org/policy_ipp.phphttp://www.teachengineering.org/2011-10-267Teacher