Leibniz IVW at the Experiment Days of MI(N)Tmachwelt 2024 in the Kaiserslautern Gartenschau

How do you build a bridge that is both lightweight and stable?

We answered this question at the MI(N)Tmachwelt in the Kaiserslautern Gartenschau from September 5th to 7th.

In our "Lightweight Experts" workshops, led by Florian Gortner, Peter Arrabiyeh, and Hendrik Hahlbom, participants faced the exciting challenge of bridge building. Using styrofoam, hot glue, and bamboo skewers, they constructed lightweight yet stable bridges. The highlight of the workshop was the load test: the bridges were gradually weighed down until they finally broke under the pressure. The lightest bridge that could carry the most weight won the competition. Besides having fun, participants learned how the proper orientation of fibers is key to maximizing structural stability.

On September 7th, with the support of Janna Krummenacker, Luidmyla Gryshchuk, Martin Müller, Thomas Hoffmann, Barbara Güttler, and Anke Kunze, children had the chance to explore various composite materials at our booth and experience their properties firsthand.

It was three days full of fun, discoveries, and teamwork at the Kaiserslautern Gartenschau!