The Missouri S&T Steel Bridge Design Team competes in the Gale Bullman Building on Thursday, April 21, 2016. Sam O’Keefe/Missouri S&T

A team of students from Missouri University of Science and Technology will test the principles of bridge building by constructing a scale-model steel bridge as part of the American Society of Civil Engineers’ 2017 Mid-Continent Student Conference.

The conference will be held April 21-22 at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Missouri S&T’s Steel Bridge Design Team will compete with other regional collegiate teams to construct its bridge as fast as possible. The competition is scored based on a dollar amount rather than a points system. This scoring simulates the actual accounting process involved in determining the budget for an actual bridge construction project.

The bridge is scored on its weight and rigidity, construction speed and the number of team members building the bridge. Penalties are assessed for infractions like dropping bolts, holding two pieces of the bridge at once and stepping over designated lines. Each bridge is also “load tested” to see if it can hold a required amount of weight.

Missouri S&T’s team has designed an over truss bridge with a cantilever on one end. It is comprised of approximately 70 pieces and has been tested to support up to 2,500 pounds. Four students from the team will construct the bridge during the competition.

Recently, the team has had to overcome the loss of its faculty advisor, Dr. Timothy Philpot, an associate professor of civil, architectural and environmental engineering at Missouri S&T, who died in January of this year. The team dedicated its bridge to Philpot during a memorial ceremony in March.

“This year is really special for us; our bridge and work is dedicated to our late advisor, Dr. Philpot,” says Jonathan Kuchem, leader of the Steel Bridge Design Team and a junior in civil engineering from Augusta, Missouri. “We have a lateral piece carved with his name on it and everything; the team members really miss him.”

To support the Steel Bridge Design Team, visit crowdfunding.mst.edu.

The following Missouri S&T students will travel to the competition:

Randi Cory, a senior in engineering management from Atchison, Kansas

Matthew Duncan, a senior in mechanical engineering from Moberly, Missouri

Ben Dyhouse, a freshman in architectural engineering from Olathe, Kansas

Nikk Edgmond, a graduate student in civil engineering from Labadie, Missouri

Clayton Fritsche, a senior in civil engineering from Frohna, Missouri

Artur Graesser, a senior in civil engineering from Springfield, Missouri

Michael Janke, a senior in civil engineering from Rolla, Missouri

Sarah Jemison, a senior in civil engineering from Nixa, Missouri

Brendan Judge, a junior in mechanical engineering from Eureka, Missouri

Kyle Kentner, a senior in petroleum engineering from Liberal, Missouri

Jonathan Kuchem, a junior in civil engineering from Augusta, Missouri

Ana Messmer, a senior in civil engineering from Festus, Missouri

Brett Murray, a junior in civil engineering from Bolivar, Missouri

Paige Oursler, a junior in mechanical engineering from Columbia, Missouri

Ben Parr, a senior in mechanical engineering from Old Monroe, Missouri

Jordan Pugh, a freshman in civil engineering from Pacific, Missouri

Alyssa Purdy, a senior in civil engineering from Kansas City, Missouri

Simon Sargon, a graduate student in civil engineering from Chennai, India

Alex Schull, a junior in civil engineering from Washington, Missouri

Cameron Smith, a junior in metallurgical engineering from Loudon, Virginia.