1. 2016 West Virginia Bridge Design & Build Contest

2. Welcome Introduction & Purpose Agenda Engineering as a Career
Nationwide Contest
Engineering Encounters Bridge Design Contest
Statewide Contest
West Virginia Bridge Design & Build Contest
Bridge Designer Software Demonstration
-Presenter intro’s self
-Purpose – I am here today to talk with you about…..
Prepared by: Rahall Transportation Institute 2016

3. Engineering as a Career
Without engineers, life in modern society would not be possible
Engineers are people who use their knowledge of math and science to solve real-world problems
Types of engineers: Chemical, Electrical, Environmental, Industrial, Mechanical, Nuclear, Petroleum…
Civil engineers design and build the nation’s infrastructure

4. Applying Engineering Knowledge
This contest will help students:
Learn about engineering and the engineering design process
Learn how engineers use the computer as a problem-solving tool
Learn about bridges
Have fun while challenging your brain!

5. Engineering Encounters Nationwide Bridge Design Contest
Hosted by Engineering Encounters, an organization dedicated to high-quality K-12 educational outreach for engineering
Source of free Bridge Design software used for Nationwide and WV Statewide contests
Website used to submit all bridge designs, simultaneously entering in both the national and statewide contests, after proper registration
Contest open to students in Middle School and High School, in teams of two
Qualifying Round ends at 1:00pm on April 22, 2016
bridgecontest.org

6. West Virginia Statewide Bridge Design & Build Contest
Primary sponsor: West Virginia Department of Transportation
Objective: getting WV middle school and high school students interested in engineering
Enter the “local contest code” WVSW when registering at bridgecontest.org so bridge designs submitted are entered into the WV Statewide contest
WV website used to register for the WV statewide contest
wvbridgedesignandbuildcontest.com

7. West Virginia Statewide Bridge Design & Build Contest
Contest open to students in grades 6-12 in public, private, or home schools in West Virginia
Students work individually or in teams of two
Qualifying Round ends at 11:59pm on April 1, 2016
Top teams will be invited to Final Round, on May 21, 2016 at Marshall University in Huntington, WV

8. West Virginia Statewide Bridge Design & Build Contest
Teams competing in the Final Round will be sent a balsa wood kit and guidelines for construction
Teams will have approximately one month to construct their bridge
Bridges will be load tested and judged during the Final Round

9. Nationwide & WV Statewide Contest Registration
ALL participants MUST complete
BOTH steps below to be registered.
Log on to bridgecontest.org and register for the national contest using local contest code: WVSW
Log onto wvbridgedesignandbuildcontest.com to register for West Virginia Bridge Design & Build Contest*
*Will ensure necessary contact information to invite teams to the final round

10. WV Statewide Contest Prizes
Top teams from the Qualifying Round will compete for CA$H prizes in the Final Round
WV teachers and volunteers who assist the top teams will be formally recognized and can also win prizes
All Final Round participants will be invited to a Bridge Walk tour the day after the Statewide competition

11. Steps to Compete 1. Form a Team
Contestants may compete
Individually OR
Teams of two
Teams perform better and build on each other’s knowledge!

12. Steps to Compete 2. Install the Software
Download the current Bridge Designer software from the national contest website bridgecontest.org

13. Steps to Compete 3. Design a Bridge
Use the Bridge Designer software to design a bridge
To be eligible for submission to the contest, the design must
Pass the simulated load test
Should be as inexpensive as possible (rankings are based on bridge cost)
Once the design is complete, save it on your computer as a “bridge design file.”

14. Steps to Compete 3. Design a Bridge
Test
Repeat!

15. Design: Create a Bridge Design Using the Mouse to Draw Members

16. Test: Load Test the Bridge to Determine Its Strength

17. If the Design Fails…

18. Repeat: Modify the Design

19. Steps to Compete 4. National Contest Registration
Log on to bridgecontest.org and register for the national contest
Create a team name and password to receive your “Team Home Page” on the contest website
Enter local contest code WVSW to be entered in the WV Bridge Design & Build Statewide Contest

20. Steps to Compete 5. Contest Leaderboards
National Contest Leaderboards
WV Statewide Contest Leaderboard

21. Steps to Compete 5. Contest Leaderboards

22. Steps to Compete 6. Submit a Design
Log in to the Team Home Page via bridgecontest.org (Provided during registration for National Contest)
Upload your “bridge design file” for immediate judging
Once upload is complete, the web-based judging system checks to ensure
Bridge design passes the load test, determines the team’s contest standings based on the cost of the design
Use Bridge Designer 2016 software to refine and improve the design to reduce the cost
No limit to the number of designs a team may submit
Once the design is complete, save it again as a “bridge design file.”

23. Steps to Compete 7. WV Statewide Contest Registration
Make sure you have completed Step 4 to register for the National Contest and entered Local Contest Code WVSW
Log on to the West Virginia Statewide contest wvbridgedesignandbuildcontest.com and register you team
This extra registration step is to ensure we have accurate contact information for each participant

24. Contest Goal
Iterative process: design, design, design again Design the most cost-effective bridge to hold the required test load. The lowest cost bridge that passes the load test WINS!

25. Final Round Balsa Wood Bridge Build
Teams selected for Final Round will receive a balsa wood construction kit
Team are required to construct a balsa wood bridge per the rules that will be provided
Bridges will be load tested and judged on the day of the Final Round
Rules (construction of the bridges, judging criteria, and testing procedure) will be communicated when kits are delivered

26. Video Tutorials
Learn how to use the Bridge Design software at your own pace
Jimmy Wriston (WVDOT – WVDOH) demonstrates how to use the 2016 Bridge Designer software and how to optimize your designs to minimize the costs and be more competitive
Video links can be found
On the WV contest page under “Resources” OR
Google Search for “YouTube WV Bridge Design and Build Contest”

27. Final Rounds The WV 2007 Final Round – Charleston

28. Final Rounds The WV 2008 Final Round – Huntington

29. Final Rounds The WV 2009 Final Round – Charleston

30. More Information Visit Like WVBDBC on Facebook
wvbridgedesignandbuildcontest.com
Like WVBDBC on Facebook
facebook.com/wvbridgedesignandbuildcontest
Contact Carlton Apgar, Rahall Transportation Institute
Phone: (304)

31. Questions