I-beam

Last Wednesday is the D-Day for the aluminum beam that my groupmates and I had design! We're told to design a beam to support a line-load in the middle, and with support at the two ends. The materials were provided by the lab, which only consists of flat aluminum plates, L channel, U channel, and rivets.

In other words, we need to design something that will last for at least 5 minutes before getting destroyed.

It was a big project, with HDB authorities sponsoring the prizes for it. So you'll get S$200 and a certificate if you can design a beam that has the highest load to weight ratio, best prediction and so on. Not bad eh?

Our beam was the first beam that will undergo the Smackdown! machine. One of us explained our design and the prediction load. After that the lab assistant went on and start testing on the beam.


Our beam resting on the Smackdown! machine and to be tested (marked with arrow)


Our beam (marked with arrow), finally failed after supporting a total load of 16,400 N, or 1670 kg of load

You heard me alright! This baby can support more than 1000 kg of load! It's the second highest among all other students, and the beam failure load was near our prediction, which is 16,700 N! Our baby truly rocks man!

It might even survive this.



If only our beam could talk...



Opps, it's going to be 12 pm. I need to help my friend on his Chinese homework. See ya!