Steel Bridge Team at UW-Madison

The annual National Student Steel Bridge Competition challenges engineering students to design, fabricate, and construct a functional and efficient 1:10 scale bridge. Last year, around 230 teams participated from around the country, with 47 of those teams qualifying for the NSSBC. Bridges are scored in structural efficiency and construction economy. Structural efficiency considers the deflection of the bridge under a predetermined load compared to the weight of the bridge. Construction economy is scored based on the time to construct the bridge and the number of builders used. These two scores are put together to determine overall rankings.

This year, the challenge revolves around constructing a bridge spanning the South Skunk River at Peterson Park, connecting trails along the Skunk River Water Trail. The bridge must cross the river over a natural sandbar and support both pedestrians and maintenance vehicles. It must meet aesthetic, environmental, and structural requirements. Story County Conservation has requested a steel bridge due to its strength-to-weight ratio, ease of prefabrication, rapid assembly, and sustainability.

This competition will challenge the team to adapt and apply our engineering knowledge to produce innovative solutions. Bridges will be judged on stability, strength, serviceability, aesthetics, and sustainability, as well as minimizing environmental impact during construction. We aim to improve on last year’s results and increase our membership while working toward our goal of a National Championship.

Your donation will help us meet our annual operating budget. We break this budget into three components: steel, subsidized competition travel costs, and new equipment. This year, we hope to finish paying for our steel and buy new angle grinders and right angle impacts. Additionally, we aim to purchase materials to build testing equipment to evaluate bridge performance. Your support is vital to our success. A donation is an investment in the future engineers of America. Thank you for considering a gift to the University of Wisconsin’s Steel Bridge Student Organization.