Balsa Bridge Middle School Competition
Building model bridges promotes the study and application of physics and engineering and helps students develop “hands-on” skills. Participating students get to experience what it is to be an engineer, designing structures to a set of specifications and then see them perform their function.
Register your team of up to six students and build the lightest bridge capable of supporting the heaviest load. Teams design, build and load-test a 36” scaled bridge using balsa wood and wood glue. Load testing occurs at MU College of Engineering.
Grades: 6-8
Date: Postponed until further notice due to COVID-19.
Location: 102 Naka Hall
Sponsored by: University of Missouri College of Engineering and MU Extension
Registration: Applications are currently closed.
Application Deadline: October 15, 2019
Awards
Student awards will be given to the team with the first, second and third highest score. Awards will also be given to top ranking team’s teacher/mentor.
Balsa Bridge Team Photos
October 15, 2019: Deadline for mentor to submit application and letter of intent.
November 15, 2019: Submit computer design and interim report.
November 22, 2019: Kits will be mailed to schools within one week of receiving interim report
April 10, 2020: Submit final report.
April 18, 2020: Bridge testing and competition on the Mizzou campus.
Schedule
102 Naka Hall
- 8 am Doors Open for check-in; bridges will be evaluated by judges upon check-in
- 8 – 10 am Breakfast (bagels, pastries, coffee and juice)
- 8:30 – 10 am Testing Block 1
- 10 – 11 am Testing Block 2
- 11 am – Noon Testing Block 3
- 12:30 – 2 pm Testing Block 4
- 11 am – 1 pm Lunch at The Mark (515 S 5th St)
- 2 – 3 pm Awards Presentation
Meet Mizzou Day is hosting additional events around campus in which you can participate.
Students interested in competing in the Balsa Bridge Middle School Competition should:
- Find a teacher or counselor to act as a mentor for the duration of the project.
- Gather a team of up to 6 students.
- Write a paragraph explaining your interest in the competition.
Mentors interested in bringing a team(s) to competition should:
- Gather a team of up to 6 students.
- Consult with school officials to discuss the possibility of getting school credit.
- Determine and original team name.
- Complete the online application for the team.
- Write a paragraph explaining your team’s interest in the competition.
- Obtain parental permission as needed.
Balsa Bridge Online Application
Applications deadline is October 15, 2019.
Objective: Design, Build, and Load-Test a 36-inch Scaled Bridge using Balsa and Wood Glue.
Approach: Teams made up of up to 6 students will design, construct, and test a 36-inch long bridge using only balsa and glue provided by the College of Engineering. As a minimum, the bridge must support the first truck loading of 15 pounds to pass over the full length of the bridge.
For a successful project, teams should divide the responsibilities between team members. As a suggestion, each team should have:
- Team Name
- Project Manager: keeps all team members on track, coordinates all team discussions during design phase and construction phase, delegates responsibilities and gives a helping hand as needed, ensures the project is progressing on schedule, leads the writing of the report(s), etc.
- Design Engineer: Interprets the rules, leads the team while selecting alternative designs using the computer software, helps the team select the best design alternative, manages the drawing of the layout of bridge design, helps in construction, etc.
- Construction Engineer: leads the construction efforts, communicates with designer and project manager to select best feasible design, build various bridge components as suggested by the selected layout/design, etc.
- Other Engineers: all team members should actively be involved in the interpretation of the rules, the design using the computer software, design selection process, the writing of the report(s), and the construction.
On the bridge testing day, before the bridge testing is performed, all team members are required to give a short introduction summarizing their role in this project and their experience.
Get the Complete Rules
Bridge Building Tips Video Series
Bridge Building Details Video Series
Balsa Bridge Design Fundamentals
Learn more about designing and building your Balsa Bridge. Get started with Design Guidelines here. Watch the video for more information.
Student Awards
First Place
Each student on the winning team receives:
- $400 cash award
- Mizzou Engineering Summer Camp Scholarship ($500 value)
- Trophy
- Engineering apparel
Second Place
Each student on the second-place team receives:
- $150 cash award
- Mizzou Engineering Summer Camp Scholarship ($500 value)
- Trophy
- Engineering apparel
Third Place
Each student on the third-place team receives:
- $50 cash award
- Trophy
- Engineering apparel
Mentor Awards
First Place:
- $300 classroom stipend
Second Place:
- $200 classroom stipend
Third Place:
- $100 classroom stipend
2019 Balsa Bridge Team Ratings
Team Name |
Structural Rating (x2) |
Design Rating |
Report Rating |
Overall Rating |
Brave Corps | 100.0 | 88 | 97 | 385.0 |
The North Middle School | 84.9 | 97 | 100 | 366.8 |
Gentry Jaguar Boys | 88.1 | 95 | 95 | 366.2 |
Chuckaholics | 91.1 | 90 | 84 | 356.1 |
Tenacious Chihuahas | 76.7 | 95 | 96 | 344.5 |
Vikings | 73.3 | 97 | 98 | 341.6 |
Pirates | 84.7 | 80 | 88 | 337.3 |
Bremer’s Braniacs | 54.2 | 87 | 100 | 295.3 |
The Architects | 64.3 | 81 | 85 | 294.6 |
Not Fast, Just Furious | 52.0 | 96 | 94 | 294.0 |
3 Bridgadeers | 56.3 | 91 | 89 | 292.6 |
Bulldog Industrial Creators | 52.0 | 89.5 | 96 | 289.5 |
Euclid’s Elements | 48.0 | 94 | 92 | 282.0 |
HEZL | 66.6 | 64 | 82 | 279.3 |
Knights of Roundtable | 40.4 | 87 | 96 | 263.8 |
Quest Queens | 39.2 | 87 | 94 | 259.4 |
Gentry Jaguar Girls | 38.9 | 86 | 91 | 254.7 |
Slightly Above Average | 33.5 | 90 | 95 | 252.1 |
Battle Cats | 21.5 | 87 | 96 | 226.0 |
Master Builders | 22.8 | 84 | 92 | 221.5 |
Max Possible | 100 (x2) | 100 | 100 | 400.0 |