Research projects are open ended and students are encouraged to determine their own project. Projects are clearly limited by the scope of the seminar (6 units) and the availability of resources and funding. Nonetheless, there are many options: modeling of climbing systems (spread sheet, analytical models, finite element models), climber/physics education and curriculum development, simple experiments, climber psychology and habits survey, new equipment design/equipment improvement, and instrumentation for measurement of climbing systems. Students may work together or independently on projects according to the project scope and student inclination.
Three major student projects were undertaken:
- A model of the propensity for a karabiner gate to open due to transverse oscillation of the rope during fall arrest. (PDF) (Courtesy of Philippe Bertreau and Christopher Pipe. Used with permission.)
- A measurement of the propensity for a karabiner gate to open due to transverse oscillation of the rope during fall arrest.
- An investigation of the change in tensile strength and elasticity of nylon fibers subjected to rope marking ink.
