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Description

Merrimack students are participating in the 2026 AISC Student Steel Bridge Competition are tasked with designing, analyzing, fabricating, and constructing a steel bridge in accordance with official competition guidelines. The project focuses on creating a structure that meets requirements for strength, stiffness, constructability, efficiency, and overall performance. The selected design includes a cantilever design to effectively span the required distance while minimizing material use and maintaining stability. Throughout the process, students apply concepts from structural engineering to evaluate how the bridge will perform under loading conditions, hopefully being able to hold the assigned weight.

The design phase includes developing calculations, creating models, and refining member sizes to ensure the bridge meets all criteria while remaining lightweight and practical to build. Fabrication is completed using steel members that follow competition rules for size, materials, and construction limitations. The students themselves weld the parts of the bridge to then assemble parts of the bridge to then connect together. The bridge at competition is then assembled under timed conditions, where teamwork and planning play a critical role in overall performance.

This project also helps students gain hands-on experience that goes beyond classroom learning. It shows the importance of communication, coordination, and problem-solving within a team setting. It also includes public speaking at conferences, networking with other schools, and presentations with the mandatory poster and paper. Students must adapt quickly and make decisions in real time.

The overall goal is to produce a well performing bridge and qualify for regional competition.

Publication Date

4-30-2026

Keywords

Design, Construction, Analysis

Student Steel Bridge Competition 2026

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