Spaghetti Bridge Competition

Event Phone: 07 3102 7394

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  • Spaghetti Bridge Competition 2018
     08/08/2018 - 19/08/2018
     8:30 am - 3:00 pm

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The Spaghetti Bridge Competition is a problem-solving engineering challenge for students from Grades 5 to 12.  Teams have two months to plan, design and build a bridge from store-bought spaghetti and glue.  They come together at a venue to test their bridge’s strength on a custom-made rig.  The bridge that withstands the most force is declared the winner.

The event fosters team-work, problem-solving and hands-on learning.

The Spaghetti Bridge competition can be used by schools as an extension activity or embedded into their science, engineering or physics curriculum.  Ready-to-go lessons and resources are being developed to help schools to achieve this with the minimum of effort.

There is prize money totaling $2500 and entry is free to all schools, subsidised by sponsorship from the Department of Transport and Main Roads, and Engineers Australia (Qld Division).

  • First Place – Largest Peak Load (across all three testing locations) – $1000
  • Second Place (across all three testing locations) – $500
  • Regional Prize (largest load in a region not already receiving first or second place) – $250
  • Year 5, 6, 7 Winner (if not receiving any of the above prizes) – $250
  • Best “First Time School” team – $250
  • School Prize (most bridges tested from the one school) – $250

[1] The “Year 7” prize is defined as the top-placing team, where at least 75% (or as close as possible) of the team are Year 5, 6 or 7 students.  The oldest member of the team can be in Year 8.

[2] The “First Time School” team is defined as a team from a school that has not participated in the competition since TELG took over the competition, in 2014.

Teams are challenged to build the strongest bridge weighing no more than 300 g (including a load plate), to span a gap of 35 cm.

Teachers are asked to register the approximate number of teams they wish to enter.  Schools will then be contacted closer to the event to determine how many load hooks are required (the first three hooks are provided free, with each additional hook costing $6.50 + postage).

The testing will take place in four locations in 2018:

  • Brisbane South / Gold Coast @ Chisholm Catholic College, Cornubia, Wed 8 August 2018
  • Brisbane North / Sunshine Coast @ St Eugene College, Burpengary, Friday 10 August 2018
  • Brisbane Central @ TAFE Brisbane, South Bank, Brisbane, Monday 13 August 2018
  • Townsville @ James Cook University, Sunday 19 August 2018

All tests are recorded and photographed, and this media is made available to the teams for analysis.

Processes are being put into place to allow teams from regional areas to participate – contact TELG for more details if you are interested.

You can download the Rules and Conditions here.

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