AISC, ASCE Team Up for Student Steel Bridge Competition, Starting in 2021-2022
CHICAGO – The American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) today announced a renewed partnership for the Student Steel Bridge Competition, starting with the 2021-2022 school year.
The annual Student Steel Bridge Competition, which began in 1987, challenges student teams to develop a scale-model steel bridge to fit a given hypothetical environment. Each team must determine how to design and fabricate a bridge and then plan for an efficient assembly under timed construction at the competition. Bridges are then load-tested and weighed.
The two organizations plan to run regional competitions at ASCE Student Symposia throughout North America with a national finals to be held in May. The two groups previously worked together on the competition but separated three years ago. The new partnership runs for an initial term of five years.
“This is a natural fit,” said AISC Senior Vice President Scott Melnick. “AISC and ASCE both have very strong educational programs for students studying civil engineering. We believe we can best serve students by working together.”
“The competition is a unique opportunity for students to learn about the fundamentals of design, fabrication, and real-world engineering issues,” Melnick added. “The entire process is designed to provide hands-on, practical experience that stresses teamwork, innovation, safety, and professionalism–and it’s also a lot of fun. Students consistently tell us that the Student Steel Bridge Competition was a highlight of their college experiences.”
“With both AISC and ASCE committed to promoting safe, sustainable, and innovative practices and technologies, we are pleased to renew this partnership and join forces in developing, educating, and motivating the next generation of design and construction professionals,” said ASCE Executive Director Tom Smith.
“Our vision for all ASCE Student Symposia includes a portfolio of competitions and professional development opportunities that provide exceptional value to our student members,” added Smith. “The Steel Bridge Competition is a popular event and our students will be thrilled to see it added to the symposia program.”
“This new agreement also provides a foundation for ASCE to build upon the successful North American competition through steel bridge competitions in other global regions,” Smith continued. “More than ever, civil engineering is a global practice. What better way to advance our profession than to promote global exchange at the collegiate level?”
The official rules for this year’s competition will be released on September 7. To learn more and see photos/videos from previous competitions, please visit aisc.org/ssbc. To learn more about ASCE Student Symposia, visit asce.org/student_conferences.
About the American Institute of Steel Construction
The American Institute of Steel Construction, headquartered in Chicago, is a non-partisan, not-for-profit technical institute and trade association established in 1921 to serve the structural steel design community and construction industry. AISC’s mission is to make structural steel the material of choice by being the leader in structural steel-related technical and market-building activities, including specification and code development, research, education, technical assistance, quality certification, standardization, market development, and advocacy. AISC has a long tradition of service to the steel construction industry of providing timely and reliable information. For more information, visit www.aisc.org.
About the American Society of Civil Engineers
Founded in 1852, the American Society of Civil Engineers represents more than 150,000 civil engineers worldwide and is America’s oldest national engineering society. ASCE works to raise awareness of the need to maintain and modernize the nation’s infrastructure using sustainable and resilient practices, advocates for increasing and optimizing investment in infrastructure, and
improves engineering knowledge and competency. For more information, visit www.asce.org.
