BRIDGE BUILDING COMPETITION MECHANICS

BSCE AND BSARCH

Date and Time: June 19, 2024 (8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m)
Venue: National University Dasmariñas Gymnasium

Team Composition
1. Six (6) or seven (7) members per team. It’s the discretion of the instructor on how the team
composition will be made.
2. The members of the team must belong to the same section.

General Guidelines
1. The students must be currently enrolled in Statics of Rigid Bodies (CESTAT30 or ASTATICR).
2. Each student is required to bring 5 pages of newspaper.
3. The team is required to bring four scissors, two 12-inch rulers, and two rolls of scotch tape.
4. Participants must be at the venue thirty (30) minutes before the event begins.
5. The students will use the newspaper as the material for the truss members and the scotch tape to
join them.

Construction Phase
1. There will be three (3) hour time allotment for each team to construct the bridge at the venue. Any
bridge constructed after the three (3) hour allotment will be disqualified.
2. Teams can build any type of bridge truss with a horizontal driveway.
3. The bridge shall conform to the following dimensions:
a. The length of the bridge shall be 450 𝑚𝑚 with an allowable tolerance of ±25 𝑚𝑚 only.
b. The minimum width of clear and open roadway is 100 𝑚𝑚.
c. The maximum width (outside-to-outside) must be 140 𝑚𝑚.
d. The minimum clear and open height above roadway is 120 𝑚𝑚.
e. The maximum height (outside-to-outside) must be 160 𝑚𝑚.
4. The bridge must have a level and flat base where a board will be placed but not fastened to any
member of the bridge. It will be used as pavement for the model during verification of measurement
and will be removed prior to testing.
5. The bridge must have a horizontal member perpendicular to the length of the bridge at the midspan
of the bottom portion.
6. The materials to be used to connect and tighten the joints of members should not be utilized as an
additional tension member.
7. No other additional member/s shall be allowed extending below the main bottom girders of the
bridge. Likewise, the supporting bottom members must not be cambered. The bridge must be
completely flat on the table without any protruding members below.

Inspection Phase
1. Participants are no longer allowed to alter their bridge once submitted for inspection.
2. The bridge will be checked of any improper utilization and use of materials. Any deviation and
additional material and tool utilized will be a ground for disqualification.
3. The specified dimensions must all be satisfied to qualify for testing. Failure to satisfy a single
dimension requirement will be another ground for disqualification.
4. A 100 𝑚𝑚 cube must successfully pass thru the roadway without difficulty.
Weigh-in Phase
1. The bridge will be weighed prior to testing. The team representative must be the one to place their
bridge on the balance.

Testing Phase
1. The bridge model will be tested on a clear span/gap of 300 𝑚𝑚.
2. A bucket will be connected using a ring at the horizontal member at the midspan of the bottom
portion of the bridge.
3. A series of 300 𝑔, 500 𝑔, and 1000 𝑔 loads will be placed in the bucket one at a time.
4. The maximum load capacity of the bridge will be the number of 300 𝑔, 500 𝑔, and 1000 𝑔 loads
it carried before collapse after 5 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑠.

Judging Phase
1. The bridge will be judge according to strength rating.

𝑀𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑟𝑖𝑑𝑔𝑒 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑐𝑎𝑟𝑟𝑦 𝑏𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑓𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑢𝑟𝑒

2. Special Awards
a. Best in Aesthetics
i. Three (3) professors at National University – Dasmariñas will judge the bridge in
terms of aesthetics. The bridge with the highest point based on the following
criteria will earn the Best in Aesthetics Award:
1. Visual Aspect (60%)
2. Uniqueness (20%)
3. Innovative Idea (20%)

BRIDGE BUILDING COMPETITION PROGRAM FLOW

8:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. Registration

8:30 a.m. – 8:35 a.m. Opening Prayer

8:35 p.m. – 8:45 p.m. Introduction

8:45 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Opening Remarks (Arch. Hilario)

9:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. Discussion of Mechanics (Engr. Leonera)

9:15 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Preparation for Bridge Construction

9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Bridge Construction Phase

12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Inspection Phase/Lunch Break

1:00 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. Judging Phase (Aesthetics)

1:45 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Weigh-in and Testing Phase

3:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. Closing Remarks (Engr. Terrible)