Schools build a scaled down version of a steel bridge. Each year requirements and rules change. Usually bridges are about 20 feet long and 4 feet wide. Members are fabricated by the students. At the competition, the members will be put together to construct the bridge in a timed competition.
Some categories that factor into the competition scoring are: construction time, lightness, and stiffness. There is also a separate category for aesthetics which doesn’t factor into the main competition.
More information about the steel bridge competition can be found at nssbc.info.
Steele Bridge Contacts: Nicolas Estrada-Stephen and Natalie Wilkins.
First Bridge Meeting: September 1, 2010 in ECG 237 6:30pm