Designing Shoes to Walk on Eggs: Ideas Welcome!

[flipper2388]

Hello! We've begun a new project in our Physics class, and the objective is to walk on eggs with shoes designed by each group. My problem is designing the shoes. I have learned that we need to increase the surface area of the shoes to reduce the pressure, but I don't know of any ideas on how to construct the shoes. We also have the following guidelines:

1. We cannot use prefabricated shoes.
2. No wood, metal, or glass in the shoes.
3. The shoes will have a maximum thickness of 10 cm (with no one standing on them)
4. The shoes can make contact only with the eggs, not the cartons.

We also receive more points for having the lightest shoe and/or having the person with the greatest mass walking on the eggs. (the largest member of our group is 240 lbs, if that can help in ideas)

I'm simply in need of ideas, and any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[xanthym]

Try rigid Poly-Foam packing material. It's fairly rigid, extremely light, and available in blocks that can be fabricated. (This material is often used for packing electronic equipment like computers and printers. You may actually have some around already.)


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[MathStudent]

Are the eggs going to be upright in their cartons, or on their sides? ( it makes a big difference ).

what about layers of cardboard, or rubber, or plastic, somthing that is somewhat flat and rigid that will spread the force over a large area.
try researching snow shoes (the ones that look like tennis rackets) for ideas.

 

[flipper2388]

Are the eggs going to be upright in their cartons, or on their sides? ( it makes a big difference)

I'm almost positive that they will be on their side.

Thank you both for your ideas so far.

 

[FredGarvin]

Eggs are extremely strong along their longitudinal axis (long axis). Even though it reduces the surface area you would be stepping on the strength gains will more than out weigh the loss. If it is not specified, I would set them all upright before starting.

A high density foam is definitely the way to go. Make them large to spread out the load across as many eggs as possible.