May 26, 2011
This year marks the 20th ASCE/AISC National Student Steel Bridge Competition (NSSBC) and for the first time in the history of NSSBC a Canadian team wins first place. Competing against 47 other qualified teams, the Lakehead University team, sponsored by CISC Central Region and SSEF, amongst others, placed first overall. Michigan Technological University and SUNY College of Technology at Canton placed second and third place overall, respectively. The competition took place on May 20-21 at Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas.
The competition requires civil engineering students to design, fabricate and construct a steel bridge and encourages students to apply their theoretical knowledge in a hands-on project that addresses the full breadth of steel design requirements including: construction speed, lightness, display, stiffness, economy and efficiency. This year’s competition was particularly challenging with the design requirement of a cantilever portion of the steel bridge, and also with heavier lateral load yet less allowable deflection than in previous competition years.
The Lakehead University was the first qualifying Canadian team that participated at the National Competition level in 1999. At that competition, they placed first in the category of Aesthetics. They have qualified for the Nationals every year since then, except for one.
This year marks the 20th ASCE/AISC National Student Steel Bridge Competition (NSSBC) and for the first time in the history of NSSBC a Canadian team wins first place. Competing against 47 other qualified teams, the Lakehead University team, sponsored by CISC Central Region and SSEF, amongst others, placed first overall. Michigan Technological University and SUNY College of Technology at Canton placed second and third place overall, respectively. The competition took place on May 20-21 at Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas.
Poster - Lakehead Team
This year, the Lakehead University team was ranked first place in the categories of Construction Speed (at 4.74 minutes), Lightness (at 141 lbs) and Efficiency. A video of Lakehead University team constructing their bridge may be found at http://bit.ly/jLQvFc. Lakehead University media release regarding the competition may be found at http://communications.lakeheadu.ca/news/?display=news&nid=824.
Assembled Steel Bridge - Lakehead Team
Results of the Student Steel Bridge Competition at both National and Regional levels for Canadian teams may be found on our Competitions Page. Detailed results of all participants at the National and Regional levels may be found at www.nssbc.info.
The NSSBC is sponsored by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and by the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) and co-sponsored by the American Iron and Steel Institute, the James F. Lincoln Arc Welding Foundation, the National Steel Bridge Alliance, Nucor Corporation, Nelson Stud Welding, the Canadian Institute of Steel Construction (CISC), the Structural Steel Education Foundation (SSEF), Bentley, and DSS Solidworks.