Skip to Content
School of Engineering
Advanced Composites Laboratory

Light-Bridge 2010 Seattle, WA

Students from Dr. Jitendra Tate’s MFGE 4367 Polymer and Properties course impress again for the third consecutive year in the 2010 Super Light Weight Composite Bridge Building Contest organized by SAMPE. This year six teams from Texas State University participated in the competition, and three won cash prizes. The Ingram School of Engineering is proud to have such a successful student showing in the competition year after year.  

This year the rules were the following 

“The contest will be for students only. The objective is to design and build a single deck composite bridge using an assortment of cores, fabrics and other materials supplied in kit form. Minimum bridge dimensions will be 24 inches long by 4 inches wide. Maximum bridge weight will be 600 grams. During testing, the bridge will be supported by 2 posts placed 23 inches apart. The bridge will be loaded in the center of the deck. The most weight efficient bridges will be judged winners.”  

“All student team entries must also submit a poster presentation highlighting some material, process and/or design aspect of their bridge. Each bridge requires a poster. A committee will judge the posters, based on technical merit.”  

“Multiple prizes will be awarded for the best efficiencies in each category. In addition, prizes for the best posters will be given out.”

Students participated and placed in different categories. The six teams ranked in their respective categories as follows.

Results

Kelly Kincaid, Andre Hartfield – Natural Fiber Bridge – 3rd place, $250
Ryan Kemmy, Jon Lightfield, Tony Le – Carbon Kit Bridge – 2nd place for poster, $200
Alex Herrera -  Natural Fiber Bridge – 2nd place (closed section), $150
Dmitri Kabakov – Glass Bridge – 3rd place (closed section)
Robert Fisher, Charles Jacobs, Emerson Dawson – Natural Fiber Bridge – 6th place
Justin Henry, Aaron Sosa, Aaron Adams – Glass Bridge – 5th place 

One of the teams won a second place prize for their poster, with which only 3 out of all competitors are awarded. SAMPE and the Ingram School of Engineering were able to provide funds for four students to attend the competition in Seattle, Washington: Dmitri Kabakov, Alex Herrera, Charles Jacobs, and Justin Henry. The students enjoyed their trip to Seattle and their success in the 2010 SAMPE Bridge contest.