Sponsoring the Future of Bridge Engineering
For the second consecutive year, Vesam sponsored the spaghetti bridge construction contest organized by the Student’s Association of Coimbra University.
Spaghetti bridge contests have gained tremendous popularity around the world, captivating the imaginations of engineering enthusiasts and students alike.These unique competitions challenge participants to construct bridges using only uncooked spaghetti noodles and adhesive materials, pushing the boundaries of structural design and creativity.
From the United States to Europe, Asia to Australia, spaghetti bridge contests have become annual fixtures, drawing participants from diverse backgrounds. The objective is simple: build a bridge that can bear the greatest load without collapsing, using only spaghetti and glue. The engineering principles involved in these contests mimic real-world bridge construction, emphasizing factors like load-bearing capacity, structural stability, and material efficiency.
Participants approach the competition with innovative ideas, employing various bridge designs and construction techniques. Some opt for classic truss structures, meticulously aligning the noodles to distribute forces evenly. Others experiment with arches, suspension bridges, or even cable-stayed designs, showcasing their ingenuity in adapting these concepts to spaghetti.
This year the event had the participation of 8 teams in a total of 40 students. Of the different typologies in the competition, the most used by the students were the lattice solutions.
However, the winner of this edition snatched the prize with an arch bridge of 1.1 Kg of its own weight, managing to withstand a point load of 32 Kg applied to half-span.
For VESAM, sponsoring engineering academic events like this one, plays a vital role in fostering innovation, knowledge exchange, and industry-academia collaboration, fueling the advancement of technology and the development of future engineers.
