Davinci Bridge Experiment
After we experimented with creating a Pratt Truss Bridge, I wanted to introduce the kids to the self-supporting Davinci bridge.
This was also a lot of fun and when I told the kids we were going to create a bridge with just dowels and rubber bands but that we couldn't wrap the rubber bands around another dowel to attach them or use glue they were pretty confused. After I had gotten the dowels ready, I had asked them if they could have a go at creating a bridge that could hold a litre of soya milk and first they tried creating teepee type structures and trying to balance them somehow but couldn't figure it out. After a short while we started building our Davinci bridge.
Here's what we used to make ours:
- 5 12inch dowels
- Lots of rubber bands
This is how we went about it: (we did make a little video to show how we did it which I've added at the end)
- Cut the dowels in half so that you have 10 small ones (we tried using the full length and it did work but it was a bit flimsy, we also tried our coloured pencils but they just kept slipping)
- Wrap three rubber bands on each dowel. Two at either end and one in the middle. Make sure that they all line up with each other.
- Now you're ready to have a go at building it. First place one stick vertically on the table then add two sticks horizontally on each end just inside the rubber band.
- Next add another dowel in the middle.
- Then add two dowels, one on each side by lifting up the first vertical one you placed and putting the dowel under and then over the one you placed in the centre.
- Then continue building it this way until you are finished.
Here's a little video showing you how we did it:
