2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

The concept of tipping and stability are closely related and have several practical implications and applications. For example, tipping is the reason behind several accidents and recalls and the resulting injuries and deaths. For instance, 200+ fatalities were caused by furniture tipping between January 2000 and April 2022. Improper loading can also cause the tipping of airplanes, cranes, and other products, resulting in significant financial consequences. On the other hand, some devices use instability for their functioning.

While this concept is essential, it is usually given limited attention in traditional statics books and lectures. It is generally discussed as just a short section on the equilibrium of a rigid body. The current treatment of this topic in statics books needs to be revised. Thus, this paper recommends a more in-depth examination of this topic and provides insights into the pedagogy, potential activities, and practical examples to help faculty better integrate the concept of tipping. The experimental results highlight the benefits of integrating the footprint concept in the tipping module.