Scene from last year’s Steel Bridge competition.

Missouri University of Science and Technology’s Steel Bridge Design Team earned third place at the American Society of Civil Engineers’ 2017 Mid-Continent Student Conference.

The competition was held April 21-22 at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas. During the event, the team raced to construct a scale-model steel bridge as fast as possible. The bridge was scored on its weight and rigidity, construction speed and the number of team members building the bridge. Each bridge was also “load tested” to prove its weight-bearing abilities.

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.

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

The following Missouri S&T students traveled 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.