Steel Bridge Building Competition

Never before in its 27-year history has the National Student Steel Bridge Building Competition included an entry from South Dakota State University.

When the results for the Midwestern Regional Competition were finalized March 23 at the Swiftel Arena, that changed. State was one of two qualifiers for the national contest at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. Eight teams competed. Winner North Dakota State and South Dakota State were the only schools able to pass each test, according to Zach Gutzmer, adviser for the South Dakota State program.

Teams had to build a scale-model bridge that was 20-feet long, 2 ½ feet wide and 2 feet high; made of steel and fabricated with nuts and bolts.

Based on efficiency of construction and ability to withstand load, judges estimate the actual cost to build a full-scale bridge of the students’ design. The North Dakota State bridge was estimated to cost $10.4 million while the South Dakota State bridge was pegged at $16.5 million, Gutzmer said.

The Bison bridge builders had an entry that was lighter and had less deflection when load tested, said Gutzmer, an instructor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Teams are given 30 minutes to build a bridge. The SDSU team took only 16 minutes with two construction penalties, which was slower than the NDSU build time of 12 minutes. Even though the Bison had 10 construction penalties, their final adjusted time still edged the Jackrabbits for the “construction speed” award, Gutzmer said.

Bridges completed on time then advance to load testing: lateral deflection (the amount of sway) and vertical deflection (how they can withstand a 2,500-pound load).

By the time the heavy pieces of angle iron were piled on the bridge decks, South Dakota State and NDSU were the only schools left in the competition.

Members of the South Dakota State University bridge building team pose by their finished product at Swiftel Arena during the aesthetics judging before the construction competition began March 23. The team finished second in the regional contest to qualify for nationals May 31-June 1 in Carbondale, Illinois. Members are, from left, captain Ted Sjurseth, Matthew Harris, Chris Mulholland, Justin Goossen, Matthew Heikens, Matthew Hoffman and captain Tyler Tetrault.

Complimenting the students on their design and preparation work, all done outside of class, Gutzmer said, “Our team members and captains did a tremendous job meeting the challenges of this difficult competition. From the initial design, to fabrication and throughout the competition, they continuously improved their technical and teamwork skills. It’s exciting to see their effort pay off.”

Team members are captain Ted Sjurseth, senior, Granite Falls, Minnesota; Matthew Harris, sophomore, Sioux Falls; Chris Mulholland, sophomore, Alden, Minn.; Justin Goossen, sophomore, Benson, Minn.; Matthew Heikens, sophomore, Spencer, Iowa; Matthew Hoffman, senior, Benson; and captain Tyler Tetrault, junior, Lakeville, Minn.