Whether it’s the loud “CRACK” of a breaking bridge or the thrill of a close competition, bridge building engages future engineers in hands-on, project-based learning. 

Students will gain an understanding of how forces act in a truss and apply the engineering design cycle to identify weaknesses and strengthen their bridge design to improve performance. From middle school to college, bridge building competitions are a great way to demonstrate—and test—complex engineering concepts, like measuring applied load and deflection or determining the modulus of elasticity. Join Vernier engineering specialist Tom Smith as he introduces the trusted technology that educators and competition organizers use to help future engineers build better bridges.

What you’ll learn

✔ Find out how to use the Go Direct^® Structures & Materials Tester to evaluate truss, bridge, or other structure strength by measuring the applied load and deflection.

✔ Explore teaching strategies to help students test, improve, and retest their bridges while building their engineering and mathematical skills.

✔ Ask our engineering expert your bridge-building questions, and get our best tips for instructing students during a competition.

Whether you’re preparing students for a bridge-building contest or looking for hands-on projects to explore beams, trusses, and modulus of elasticity, this webinar is the perfect starting point.