Ahh, springtime. The birds are chirping, school is getting back into the swing of things and the smell of metal fills the air.
That can only mean one thing: It’s time for the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) mid-conference meeting which means two things: a steel bridge competition and a concrete canoe competition.
Steel bridge competition
Each year, the ASCE student chapter participates in the steel bridge competition. Last year, they missed a bolt and were disqualified when the bridge could not hold the maximum weight of 2,400 pounds.
This year they brought their A game.
The steel bridge is judged on several things:
- Stiffness
- Lightness
- Construction speed
- Display
- Efficiency
- Economy
Missouri State’s team placed 7th overall and 4th in stiffness.
The team consists of six people:
- Jon Farr
- Sam Wyly
- Braxten Clark
- Luther Harris
- Mitchell Eutsler
- Evan McMahon
About the process
Creating a steel bridge that is 17 feet long and weighs over 300 pounds is no easy task.
The fall semester was spent creating a design. Each section was modeled individually using 3D CAD software.
After that, they started funding initiatives that raised $2,400, a $1,700 increase from last year.
Farr, the team lead, said that the spring semester is for construction of the bridge. It also requires practice assembling the bridge — it doesn’t just come in one piece.
“Many students have never used power tools or machinery and must learn in a short amount of time to meet the deadline of the competition date,” Farr said. “The fabrication process involves cutting, milling, grinding, drilling and welding.”
Farr encourages anyone to join. He stresses that being an engineering student is not required. Creativity and ingenuity are what is important in this competition.
Why would you want to get involved?
“Throughout the competition season, you are constantly learning and having fun,” Farr said. “The competition is especially important for allowing students to gain design and management experience, networking skills, fabrication processes and professionalism.”
Dr. Matthew Pierson, associate professor of engineering, is their faculty adviser.