1. Stick Together & Civil Structures
By Mike Umana

2. What will be covered Overview of the rules for each project.
Introduction of the Engineering Notebook.
Common reasons for disqualification.
Tips when constructing the bridge and structure.

3. Stick Together Project
6-8 grade competition

4. Overview of Stick Together
Objective
To implement STEM concepts in the design and construction of a model bridge to hold carry a maximum load while being as light as possible.
To stress neatness, craftsmanship, and creativity.
Through the use of the Engineering Notebook, encourage a purposeful and sustained approach to designing and building a bridge.

5. Overview of Stick Together
Materials
Solid untreated, natural wood craft sticks
Length: in. (11.4 cm)
Width: in. (0.95cm)
Thickness = in. (0.2 cm)
Water soluble Elmer’s-type white glue
Engineering notebook
Any standard notebooks with a page size equal to or greater than composition book page size (9.75” x 7.5”)

6. Overview of Stick Together
Dimension Restrictions
Maximum horizontal length: 17 in. (43.2 cm)
Minimum horizontal length: 15 in. ( 38.1 cm)
Maximum width: 5 in. (12.7 cm)
Minimum width: 4 in. (10.16 cm)
Maximum width of open roadway: 3.5 in. (8.89 cm)
Maximum height above the roadway: 7 in. (17.78 cm)
Maximum depth below top of roadway: 3.5 in. (8.89 cm)

7. Overview of Stick Together
Rules
Should be properly labeled with team members’ names, school, and MESA center.
No kits are allowed.
Must be the original work of the student.
A maximum of 50% of a craft stick’s total flat surface may be glued.
A maximum of 200 structural members may be used.
No coatings of any kind can be applied to the surface.

8. Overview of Stick Together
Rules cont.
The top of the bridge must be open to allow insertion of testing plate.
The roadway must be unobstructed and a toy car must be able to cross the entire length of the roadway.
I-beams are illegal.
T-beams and longitudinal lamination can only be used on the roadway.
The bridge can not interfere with the testing apparatus.

9. Overview of Stick Together

10. Overview of Stick Together
Judging
Judges inspect the bridges to see if they conform to the specifications.
The bridges are weighed and their weight recorded.
The bridges are judged for their neatness, craftmanship, and creativity.
The bridges are loaded onto the testing apparatus.
The maximum load is recorded.
The strength-to-weight ratio is calculated.
𝑅𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜=( 𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑(𝑙𝑏) ∗454 𝑔 𝑙𝑏 𝑊𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡(𝑔) )

11. Civil Structures Project
9-12 grade competition

12. Overview of Civil Structures
Objective
To implement STEM concepts in the design and construction of a model structure to hold carry a maximum load while being as light as possible.
To stress neatness, craftsmanship, and creativity.
Through the use of the Engineering Notebook, encourage a purposeful and sustained approach to designing and building a structure.

13. Overview of Civil Structures
Materials
Square balsawood sticks
Length: 3 ft (91.44 cm)
Width: in. (0.635cm)
Thickness = in. (0.635 cm)
Water soluble Elmer’s-type white glue
Engineering notebook
Any standard notebooks with a page size equal to or greater than composition book page size (9.75” x 7.5”)

14. Overview of Civil Structures
Dimension Restrictions
Maximum length: 40 cm (15.75 in.)
Maximum width: 10 cm (3.94 in.)
Maximum height: 21 cm (8.27 in.)
Minimum span: 25 cm (9.84 in.)
Minimum clearance at least on one point: 10 cm (3.94 in.)
Maximum weight: 95 g (0.21 lb.)

15. Overview of Civil Structures
Rules
Should be properly labeled with team members’ names, school, and MESA center.
No kits are allowed.
Must be the original work of the student.
Joints must be at or within in. of the end of a least one of the members.
No glue may extends beyond 3 mm of any joint.

16. Overview of Civil Structures
Rules cont.
The angle between members must be 30° or more.
Members may be carved, notched, or cut along their length.
Pins and gussets are illegal.
No coatings of any kind can be applied to the surface.
The top of the structure must allow insertion of testing apparatus.
The structure can not interfere with the testing apparatus.

17. Overview of Civil Structures
Glue Rules
Only the joints of the members may be glue.
Overlapping members are assumed to be glued together.
So members cannot overlap more than in. at the joint.
Spacers are a grey area and strongly discouraged.
They are in. pieces of balsawood whose sole purpose is to separate structural members.

18. Overview of Civil Structures

19. Overview of Civil Structures
Judging
The structures are inspected to see if they conform to the specifications.
The structures are weighed and their weight recorded.
The structures are judged for their neatness, craftmanship, and creativity.
The structures are loaded onto the testing apparatus.
The maximum load is recorded.
The strength-to-weight ratio is calculated.
𝑅𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜=( 𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑(𝑙𝑏) ∗454 𝑔 𝑙𝑏 𝑊𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡(𝑔) )

20. Engineering Notebook
Any standard notebooks with a page size equal to or greater than composition book page size (9.75” x 7.5”).
To follow the practices of an engineer.
To keep track of a team’s progress.
Research, designs, analysis, results, thoughts of the students, etc.
Failure to meet the requirements will result in a 20% reduction to the final score.

21. Engineering Notebook Requirements Proper labeling
Group members’ names, grades, school, and MESA center on the inside cover.
One page of introduction
At least 10 daily entries
Each entry should be dated and at least half a page long.
What you did?, what was the result?, and what you need to do?

22. Engineering Notebook Requirements cont. At least 2 project sketches
They must be detailed and show the progression of design.
Must be larger than half a page.
Applied mathematics (Stick Together)
Must contain at least 2 applied mathematics principles.
Must calculate the surface area of the entire bridge.
Must calculate the mass of the bridge.

23. Engineering Notebook Requirements cont.
Applied mathematics (Civil Structures)
Must contain at least 2 applied mathematics principles.
Must calculate the internal member force of a joining angle from a truss.
The joint must be labeled with a red dot on the exterior side of the structure.

24. Engineering Notebook

25. Common Reasons for Disqualifications (Stick Together)
Gluing
Glue coating a member.
50% glue rule is violated.
Dimensions
The bridge exceeds the maximum limits.
Roadway is too narrow.
Testing plate fails to sit on roadway.

26. Common Reasons for Disqualifications (Civil Structures)
Gluing
Glue coating a member.
Glue exceeding 3 mm from a joint.
Dimensions
The structure exceeds the maximum limits.
The angle of two joining members is under 30°.

27. Tips when constructing the bridge
Check for glue by holding the bridge up towards a light at an angle.
Use sandpaper to remove any excess glue after it has dried.
Allow the glue to dry for 2 weeks for maximum strength.
Do not use an oven to dry the bridge.
Make more than one bridge.
Set margins. Don’t build a bridge up to maximum length.
Examine the bridge using the checklist every time a change in design is made.

28. Tips when constructing the bridge

29. Tips when constructing the structure
Check for glue by holding the structure up towards a light at an angle.
Use sandpaper to remove any excess glue after it has dried.
Allow the glue to dry for 2 weeks for maximum strength.
Do not use an oven to dry the structure.
Make more than one structure.
Set margins. Don’t build a structure up to maximum length.
Double check angle measurements.
Examine the structure using the checklist every time a change in design is made.

30. Tips when constructing the structure