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Activity (Hands-On)Grades 6 - 8

Testing Fundamental Loads

An image showing three of the five fundamental load types that can act on a structure: tension, compression and shear.Different load types that can act on a structure.

Students conduct several simple lab activities to learn about the five fundamental load types that can act on structures: tension, compression, shear, bending, and torsion. To learn the telltale marks of failure caused by these load types, they break foam insulation blocks by applying these five load types, carefully examine each type of fracture pattern (break in the material) and make drawings of the fracture patterns.

So as to design buildings and structures that are safe for human use, engineers consider many forces when planning and building structures, including the anticipated tension, compression, shear, bending and torsion forces.

In this activity, students learn:

  • To identify the five fundamental loads: compression, tension, shear, bending and torsion.
  • What is meant by something being elastic and non-elastic.
  • About molecules and bonds.

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