A Hefty Problem

The I. K. Brunel Railroad Bridge weighing 1000 tons and 150 metres long was built in 1859 on the banks of the river Thames and then floated on barges to its permanent site. Brunel personally supervised this procedure communicating with large teams of workers. The problem presented to the students is to lift a 56kg concrete block off the floor and move it to another location. The materials provided were steel constructions kits including steel strips and the plates nuts and bolts to put it all together; fishing line with a breaking strength of 25 kg; pulleys and spindles, casters and tools. One team of students is given two hours to create a printed design that another group of students will build. It seems to be a choice between pulleys and levers and the students learn that communicating a design to those who will do the construction is just the first challenge in this project.