Paper Failure

Have you ever seen video of a crash test? Engineers carefully design the front end of the car to incorporate crumple zones. These are designed so that the car breaks in exactly the right way to dissipate energy and protect the people inside. Engineers create crumple zones by designing materials that are just strong enough to work, but which break when the car crashes. Your job is to create a sheet of paper that breaks in a straight line through the middle when you pull on it. Like the crumple zone in a car, you are going to be controlling the failure of the material to accomplish your goal.
A blue car being test crashed

Paper Failure TEK8 Student Guide

The student handout will be given to all students working on the design challenge. It gives a brief recap of the story, it helps the students identify what they are attempting to achieve, and it recaps the design process.

Paper Failure TEK8 Instructor’s Guide

This Instructor’s Guide provides the instructor additional information on how to run the design challenge with alternatives for materials and test setups as well as information to help make the design challenge a good educational experience.

Telling the Story Video

The Telling the Story Video conveys the societal impact of the student’s research that is the basis for the design challenge and will set the problem-solving context for students.

Design Challenge Video

The Design Challenge Video leads students through the design process. It indicates materials available, states what the criteria are for success and any constraints. It also gives a second ‘level’ of the design challenge that allows ‘early completers’ to move on to a slightly more difficult challenge.

PowerPoint Presentation

The presentation can be used in conjunction or in place of the Design Challenge Video.