Do-It-Yourself Engineering

Following the seven steps in the engineering design process to create a golf ball launcher; applying the principle of conservation of energy to select the right steel spring for the job; the joys of do-it-yourself projects; the insights they provide.

Using cardboard to build a tower capable of supporting two loads; this exercise closely replicates problems faced by real-world skyscraper designers; using vector math to analyze the forces exerted on each structural element of the building.

Conducting compressive and tensile strength experiments to determine the size and shape of the structure's beams, columns and braces; building the tower using ordinary wood glue and simple tools after designing it; piling on concrete blocks.

Designing and building an eight-foot beam bridge; considering three alternative concepts with beams made of identical wood, but of different configurations; developing these designs; analyzing their stresses and failure modes; building it.

Building a suspension bridge; supporting the deck with suspension cables draped between two towers; analyzing the flow of forces through the structural system before designing each element; planning the project with a 3-D computer model.

A concrete boat can be made to float; creating a concrete sailboat that can operate safely in 10-mph winds; hydrostatics comes into play in designing a hull with sufficient buoyancy; aerodynamics enters the picture in designing an effective sail.