<<<2021 Contest Links>>> Major sponsor All-time winner: 2012-13 Matteo Circo(273.55 kg, 603 lbs, 121311) Current Record: 273.55 kg Now more than 1500 photos Quick Access About Photos: current year Contest Rules Tips Fact Sheet Sponsors Results graph Graph: moving average Graph: 2002 Graph: 2001 Graph: 2000 Graph: 1999 Graph: 1998 Graph: five-year Clipart Bridges of Vancouver Bridges Slide Show Visitor origins Contest Logos ND Alumnus? Famous Bridge Project balsa (Ochroma lagopus, or O. pyramidale) Contest Cam (open during contest) Bridges of Vancouver, BC Bridge of the Month Contest Other contest links Bridge of the Week Contest Sponsors 2021 Sponsor recognition publication Pinterest boards: 2011 2012 Bridge construction basics (pdf) New photo each visit Next contest: May 19 2021 Contest Rules Current Record Holder(s) Tips Page Timeline Test Items Performance Graph Flickr Photos Videos 2021 Times, Team Numbers Numeric, Alpha SimpleBooklet shows: All Bridges Bridge Testing Bridge closeups Sponsors Bridge Photographs: 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 [1998 1997 1996] Bridge Records: 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 Current Results Local Hobby Stores Student Info Sheet Judges' Instructions Testers' Instructions Scoring Guide Records Contest Fact Sheet Student Comments: 1995 Bridge Records: 1981-2019 At the 33rd annual contest, held March 12 2013, the Circo family continued its recent domination of top spot. Matteo Circo, winner of the 32nd contest, not only set a new all-time record, he surpassed the previous high mark, set by his brother (see below) by a very wide margin. Leaving nothing to chance, Matteo built his tied arch structure to support an amazing 273.55 kg. For those not inclined to SI units, that corresponds to 603 lbs. When the Circo brothers appeared on the scene the contest record had stood unchallenged for a decade at 209.4 kg. Now they hold three of the top four all-time top spots for this long-running event. (pictures from the 2013 event above) New (2011) Contest Record: 220.0 kg At the 31st annual contest, held March 15 2011, a ten year-old record was broken as Physics 12 student Gino Circo, the winner of the 2010 contest, blew past the previous mark to set a new record of 219.95 (rounded to 220.0) kg. The previous record had been deemed out of reach by students for the past decade. Gino's bridge, based on his successful structure design from his entry in his Physics 11 year, was copied by others but none of those structures were up to the standards of construction set by this graceful entry. At the right is pictured the new Port Mann Superbridge (a cable-stayed structure) with the original steel arch bridge in front). Additional links <<Physics Links>> ABCD's Bridge Design Tips for Kids AC Supply (commercial site for teaching kits etc.) Ask-a-Scientist Engineering Archive Automated Balsa Bridge Testing at FSU: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Balsa Wood Facts Bridge Basics Bridge Clipart (as collected by balsabridge.com) Bridge Designer Bridge Dictionary Bridge of the Month Contest Bridge Structures and Shapes Bridge terminology BridgeSite.com Bridges from PBS Bridges of Paris Bridges of St. Petersburg (Wikipedia) Bridges Webography from PBS Building Big Forces Lab from PBS Bridge Engineering Glossary from PBS Bridge the Gap (NOVA) from PBS Bridge Photo Gallery Bridge To Classroom (build a bridge and test earthquake effects) Bridges: Worldwide Panorama-September 2004 Brooklyn Bridge Buckland and Taylor BridgePros Building a Medium Girder Bridge (Military application) Building a Medium Girder Bridge: 130th Engineer Brigade Building Model Bridges Following the Engineering Process Civil Engineering Edufacts from BCIT Compact Flash Card Survives Bridge Demolition Conestoga Bridge Building Elmer's Glue Ferris, George: Bridge Engineer and Ferris Wheel Designer Geometry of Bridge Construction George Washington Bridge Golden Gate Bridge Greatest Engineering Achievements of 20th Century How Bridges Work Juscelino Kubitschek Bridge (Wikipedia) Laminating and Bending Balsa Lusas Bridge Software (commercial) Making the Modern World: Bridges Millau Viaduct Model Smart Notable Modern Bridges (Fact Monster) Odyssey of the Mind Balsa Suggestions Physics of Bridges Pitsco Structures Pitsco Testers and Tools Popsicle Stick Contest (Crunchfest) Santiago Calatrava (bridge architect) SC Solutions Bridge SIG Balsa Wood Facts Spaghetti Bridge Contest at Camosun College Steel Bridge Site, U of Wisconsin Structurae: Database and Gallery of Structures Suspension Bridges: Strait of Messina Types of Structures TwigJig: Jigs and Trusses for Toothpick Structures US Coast Guard Bridge Administration West Point Bridge Designer Contest Information Winston Science Bridge Building General Engineering Links (under construction) So you wanna be an engineer (University of Guelph) Engineering Humour/Jokes Wood/Timber Materials Links (under construction) CCA-Pressure Treated Wood: Health Issues CN Rail Bridges Ordered Inspected (CBC article) Pressure Treated Wood (Company site) Timber Bridges (Bridge Builders USA) Wooden Bridges (Wikipedia) Wood Preservation Canada (Industry Association) Emerging technologies: Vancouver Bitcoin startup Netcoins Previous record-holding 100-gram bridge built in 2000 by Physics 12 student Matt Sullivan. This photo was taken after the bridge was put back together from the remnants. A portion of the roadway is missing. In an attempt to reduce overall mass several holes were drilled in the upper portion of the structure. Typical preparation before testing. Bridge is carefully placed on testing beams and testing apparatus is gently lowered into place. Cable in foreground was used to transmit live webcam feed during testing. Bridge Breaking Graphic created by Antonio Papalia March 2003 Matt Sullivan with his award-winning bridge at the trophy presentation ceremony. The trophy, held here by sponsoring teacher Peter Vogel, has been presented annually since 1981. APEGBC, the professional body that governs engineering in this province, has been a contest sponsor since 1999. In 2001 we welcomed Dofasco Steel as a sponsor. For 2002 we welcomed CSCE, the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering, the UBC Engineering Physics program, GlobalIntercom.com and SFU's School of Engineering Science as sponsors. More recently we have added Buckland and Taylor, one of Canada's most famous bridge design firms, SRC Engineering, Hatch Mott MacDonald, Stantec, FortisBC, The British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) and the Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of BC. Visit our sponsors' page for further information. The author with 1997 contest winners Clarissa Gamboa and Vanessa Wong (117.5 kg supported) Contact me by e-mail PRIME MINISTER'S AWARDS FOR TEACHING EXCELLENCE 1995-96 Premier's Award for Excellence in Teaching 2007-08 Canadian Association of Physicists Award 2011 TRIUMF report Tumblr of CERN/LHC Award trip 2011 APEGBC President's Award 2011 Video produced for APEGBC award (old link: Contest Overview) This contest has been held annually since 1980. Hundreds of bridges have been tested. The students who take part in the contest are enrolled in either Physics 11 or Physics 12 at Notre Dame Regional Secondary School in Vancouver, BC, Canada. All physics students at Notre Dame take part in the contest. While there is an evaluation component to the contest, the primary aim is for students to experiment with materials, in this case balsa wood and glue, and learn about structure and strength. Instructors wishing more information on the contest, in particular on the way it is run, may wish to contact me directly. A package of materials is available for instructors at a nominal fee to cover photocopying and shipping costs. A contest such as this is relatively straightforward and inexpensive to offer. There is no need for any "sophisticated" testing equipment. copyright 1994-2020 Peter L. Vogel Last updated: May 20, 2021