The ISAT Pasta Bridge Design Contest
Rooms 143 and 148 ISAT/CS Building
Objective:
Design and build a scale model bridge from fettuccine pasta according to the design specifications below. Winners will be determined by (1) the best technical execution (strength-to-weight ratio) or (2) the most interesting artistic expression.
Bridge Building Tips:
- http://www.balsabridge.com/ (Although these bridges are constructed out of balsa, the tips are useful.)
- http://pghbridges.com/basics.htm
Specifications:
- The bridge shall span a distance of at least 10”. This is to insure that the bridge is long enough to be set on the test stand.
- The Bridge must be between 3” and 5” wide.
- The decking does not necessarily have to be flat. It just needs to be stable enough to hold the load tray for testing bridge strength. There should be an opening measuring at least 1” by 1” in the center to attach the weight tray.
- All bridges must be constructed from the pasta supplied and hot melt glue. Caution: Be extremely careful when you handle the glue gun and the molten glue because they are extremely hot and can cause severe burns.
- Only JMU students who have not decided on their major and their guest are eligible to participate in the contest. Stu dents are strongly encouraged to work in teams of two or three to facilitate design creativity and construction speed.
- Before testing for strength each bridge will be evaluated on artistic merit and weighed
- Each bridge will be placed on a test stand and the hooked end of the weight tray is inserted through the 1” X 1” hole and attached over a piece of plastic piping resting on the mid point of the bridge deck.
- A bridge is deemed failed when any structural member breaks or when the first signs of structural failure appear. Decisions of the judges in this regard are final. The maximum load reached is recorded and it is later divided by the weight of the bridge to determine the load-to-weight ratio. These ratios will be the basis for determining the winning bridge design based on technical merit.
*Please register one time for both events.*
