NYU Steel Bridge

  • Designing, fabricating and constructing a 20 foot long bridge for an annual competition where it is load tested with 2500 pounds

A picture containing a bunch of steel rods in the shape of a fence on a pier over a body of water.

The team's objective is to design a bridge spanning 20 feet and that can be fabricated in-house by students and participate in the annual American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC). The bridge has to be an optimal mix of strength, stiffness, constructability and functionality. Students will learn the process of iterative design to reach an optimized design for both strength and feasibility. The bridge needs to be equally efficient in structural integrity and assembly under timed construction at the competition. The bridge is load-tested at the competition, and must carry 2500 pounds with minimal deflections. Students extend their classroom knowledge with a hands-on steel design project that is intended to develop technical and interpersonal skills.

Methods & Technology

  • Structural Analysis
  • Steel Design
  • Computer-Aided Design
  • Welding
  • Fabrication methods

Subteams

  • Design
  • Modelling
  • Fabrication
  • Construction

Areas of INterest

  • Civil Engineering
  • Construction Management
  • Mechanical Engineering

Partners

  • NYU Tandon School of Engineering
  • NYU MakerSpace
  • AISC

Faculty Advisors

  • Mark Milkis
  • Email: mark.milkis@nyu.edu