BRIDGE MAKING ACTIVITY
Duration of the activity ( 2 hours and 30 mins )
15 minutes - Introduction and running over the guidelines
1 hour - bridge making proper
20 minutes – checking the specifications & picture taking
45 minutes – testing of the bridge
10 minutes - conclusion
Tentative Venue
Covered Courts
Possible # of student/teacher volunteers assigned ( 7 )
1 - emcee/host
4 – usher/watch over the participants
2 – teacher/facilitator/judge for the testing/loading
Number of participants
10 groups, composed of 5 participants per group
Awards
1st , 2nd , 3rd – certificate for the group
Proposed budget/materials needed for the activity
o Bond paper to print things(group number , scoring sheet, and etc. )
o Laptop (for the ppt presentation of guidelines)
o Loads/weights for bridge testing(alternative: bucket then put any weights inside it such as :
rice, rocks, water )
o Bamboo/BBQ sticks, glue gun and stick, cuter, and ruler ( to be provided by the participants )
o Certificates for the awards
Mechanics and Rules of the activity
Goal
· Encourage participants to apply their critical thinking, creativity, and resourcefulness to structural
analysis, and to solve practical problems by designing a model of a bridge.
· The participants will work together in order to design and build a bridge that meets a challenge. The
bridge model must be strong enough to withstand the load test.
Materials
o Glue gun and stick
o Bamboo/BBQ sticks
o Cutter/scissors
o Ruler
Not allowed materials
o Adhesive tapes ( Scotch tape ; masking tape ; double sided tape and such )
o Cardboard/Illustration board
o String / yarn
o Other forms of glue ( white glue, wood glue, fabric glue )
Dimensions
o Height – 4 inch to 6 inch
o Width - 3 inch to 5 inch
o Length - 13 inch to 17 inch
o Weight – maximum of 200 grams
Graphics
Rules
o Only bamboo/BBQ sticks, glue gun and stick, cutter/scissors, and ruler are allowed to be
used for the making of the bridge model. The use of any kind of adhesive tape and board,
string/yarn, and any other kind of glue ( white glue, wood glue, fabric glue ) is not allowed.
o The participants are to bring their own materials.
o The participants are allowed to notch or cut the popsicle sticks.
o The weight of the bridge would not affect the score in the testing of the bridge as long as the
weight of the bridge would meet the required specifications.
o The bridge model that will not be able to meet the required specifications will be disqualified
and will not be tested anymore.
o There is no limit as to how many bamboo/BBQ sticks the participants can use. However, the
total weight of the bridge model(including the glue stick) must not exceed 200 grams.
o It is important that the bridge must span more than 12 inches. This is to ensure that the bridge
does not fall through the 12 inches opening of the test apparatus when the load is applied.
o The highest center portion of the bridge should be designed to withstand a load.
Mechanics
o The bridge making competition is open to all grade 11 students and grade 12 students from
any strand with 5 groups from the G11 and 5 groups from the G12. Each group is composed
of 5 members from any strand.
o Since only 10 groups can participate, it will be on a first-come, first-serve basis.
o The objective of this contest is to determine who can design, construct, and test the most
efficient bridge that meets the specifications.
o Model bridges are intended to be simplified versions of real-word bridges, which are designed
to permit a load to travel across the entire bridge.
o The participants are to satisfy the design requirements and limits while constructing the
strongest bridge possible using a truss pattern of their own design.
o Only one loading position is tested ( the center top of the bridge ).
o The bridge model must follow the required specifications and dimensions. The length should
be 13 to 17 inches. The height should be 4 to 6 inches. The width should be 3 to 5 inches.
The total weight of the bridge must not exceed 200 grams.
o The design of the bridge model would depend on the own creativity of the participants and
according to the specific dimensions.
o The participants will only be given 1 hour to finish making their model.
o The structure design of the bridge should mimic a roadway/railway structure for the purpose
of passing vehicles.
o A load will be applied at the top of the bridge, at the center, using a bucket that will be filled
with weights. The load will be measured as the bridge fails.
o The bridge model that can withstand the most load will be declared as the winner.
O Have fun - Be safe!
Testing
o The bridge will be examined and measured by the judges to check whether it meets the rules
and specifications.
o The bridge will be centered on the support surfaces.
o The loading will continue until the failure of the bridge.
o Bridge failure is designed as the inability of the bridge to carry an additional load or a load
deflection of 2.5 cm under the loading location, whichever occurs first
o The bridge with the highest structural efficiency will be declared the winner.
