Missouri S&T’s Steel Bridge Design Team earned first place at the American Society of Civil Engineers’ 2018 Mid-Continent Student Conference. The team now qualifies for and will compete at the national competition May 25-26.

Missouri S&T’s team earned five awards at the competition, including first place in economy scoring, second place in construction speed, first place in lightness, second place in efficiency and third place in stiffness.

The regional competition was held April 19-21 at the University of Southern Illinois-Carbondale. During the event, the team raced to construct a scale-model steel bridge as fast as possible. This is the first time since 2014 that power tools were allowed for construction.

Photo by Bob Phelan.

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 was scored based on a dollar amount rather than a points system. This scoring simulates the accounting process involved in determining the budget for an actual bridge construction project.

The Steel Bridge Design Team is currently raising funds for travel through a crowdfunding campaign. To support the team, visit crowdfunding.mst.edu.

The Steel Bridge Design Team is one of 18 student-run groups in Missouri S&T’s Student Design and Experiential Learning Center (SDELC). The SDELC, housed in the Kummer Student Design Center, provides teams with computer design laboratories, a manufacturing shop, office space and logistical support. Design teams mirror small start-up companies that plan large-scale projects, organize into departments, raise funds, communicate their ideas and solve open-ended design challenges. Almost every team competes annually at an event against other collegiate teams from around the country and the world. For more information about the teams, visit design.mst.edu.

The following S&T students were a part of the competition:

Luke Biernbaum, a sophomore in metallurgical engineering from St. Louis

Krista Deffenbaugh, a junior in civil engineering from Lee’s Summit, Missouri

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

Ben Dyhouse, a sophomore in architectural and civil engineering from Olathe, Kansas

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

Clayton Fritsche, a graduate student in civil engineering from Frohna, Missouri

Gabe Holst, a freshman in metallurgical engineering from Strafford, Missouri

Michael Janke, a graduate student in civil engineering from Rolla, Missouri

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

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

Brittney Kennedy, a senior in civil engineering from St. Charles, Missouri

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

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

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

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

Lucas Ochs, a junior in mechanical engineering from Lee’s Summit, Missouri

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

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

Jordan Pugh, a sophomore in architectural and civil engineering from Pacific, Missouri

Alex Schull, a senior in civil engineering from Washington, Missouri.