Ever seen concrete fly?
These engineering undergrads have
Jennifer Davis, senior, shows her design of her Frisbee, which survived three throws intact --although it didn't go far.
By Marilee DeGoede
College of Engineering and Applied Science
How far can a concrete Frisbee go? Well, that depends. Civil Engineering undergraduate students in Assistant Professor Stephan Durham’s Materials Testing Lab were given criteria to use to build a Frisbee out of concrete.
Frisbee designs ranged from removing the center portion of the Frisbee to solid disks of concrete. Several Frisbees were painted to improve the appearance. Glass micro-bubbles were used to develop lightweight Frisbees. Steel wire mesh was also used as reinforcement to improve durability of the Frisbees. Durability is an important factor in the competition since the Frisbee must endure three throws. The competition challenges the students to think of creative ways to make their Frisbees lighter and yet durable.
The Frisbees were judged for flying distance (the average distance after three throws), weight, and originality of design. At the flying portion of the competition, held at a large field on the Auraria campus on April 25, the average distance of more than 100 feet, “flight and roll,” was observed.
The concrete Frisbee competition is an optional project offered to the students. “The competition is intended to be a fun way for the students to demonstrate their knowledge about concrete materials and to be creative in design,” Durham says.
Amin Fakhimalizaid, senior in civil engineering, holds his now-fragile Frisbee.