Bridge Building Competition for Grade 9/10
The Bridge Building Competition provides an opportunity for Grade 9/10 classes to get a taste of the Civil Engineering Technician program!
Registration closes September 20th, 2024.
The Challenge
Grade 9/10 students will be tasked with building a bridge from balsa wood and multipurpose white glue in teams of 3. Bridges will be tested to determine the maximum weight they can support before breaking.
Judges will determine the winning bridge based on a combination of the weight of the bridge and the maximum load the bridge can support. For the Thunder Bay high schools, the judge will be a representative from a company in the field of Civil Engineering.
The winning teams will come to Confederation College campus (McIntyre Building) to rebuild their bridge from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm on Wednesday, November 27, 2024. Students will return to the College (McIntyre Building) for the competition on Tuesday, December 3rd from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm to have their bridges tested. Transportation and lunch will be provided.
Confederation College will provide:
- Bridge building materials for each team (6 pieces of balsa wood and multipurpose white glue)
- Physical and PDF copies of the bridge building rules
- Testing plate to be placed on bridges
- Scale to weigh the bridges
- Weights to load the bridges
What the Classes Will Need to Supply:
- Scissors, utility or craft knifes for teams to cut their balsa wood
- Two desks for bridge testing
- Rulers / measuring tape
Time Commitment
Teams will be given a maximum of 3 periods to build their bridges, this does not include planning and design (recommend minimum 1 additional period). Building will begin as early as September 23, 2024, and must be completed no later than November 15, 2024. Specific dates will be coordinated beforehand to enable a Civil Engineering Technician program representative to stop-by the class during the bridge building process. All bridges will be judged during the class period approximately one week after the completion of the bridge building to allow sufficient time for the glue to dry.
How To Apply
Contact Us
For any questions or concerns, feel free to contact Tabitha Zela, Recruitment Officer – SCWI, at [email protected] or (807) 475-6454.
Join the Grade 9/10 Bridge Building Competition and showcase your engineering prowess. Be part of this thrilling event brought to you by Confederation College. Register now and let the construction begin!