FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SDSU TO HOST NATIONAL STEEL BRIDGE COMPETITION MAY 24
More Than 40 Bridges to be Assembled by Students at Cox Arena

SAN DIEGO, Wednesday, May 21, 2003 — San Diego State University will host this year’s National Steel Bridge Competition on Saturday, May 24 at Cox Arena. The event will bring approximately 45 teams of undergraduate civil engineering students from the United States and Canada together to stretch the limits of bridge design and construction.

“SDSU has a long history of excellence at this event,” said Janusz Supernak, Chair of SDSU’s Civil and Environmental Engineering department, and faculty advisor to the student chapter of American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). “In 10 years, we’ve qualified to compete in eight national competitions. Our team is excited to have qualified again this year and looks forward to presenting its construction to the judges.”

At the competition, teams will compete against each other, and against the clock, to design and assemble their structures. The bridges are approximately 20 feet long and must withstand at least 2,500 lbs. of weight with minimal deflection. To make matters more challenging, the bridges must be constructed over water so if a bolt drops during the installation process, the team loses critical time and points.

“SDSU is extremely pleased to both host and compete in this event, which provides such hands-on experience to our engineering students," said SDSU Provost Nancy Marlin. "It's impressive to watch students assemble more than 40 of these highly complex and large-scale structures in only a few minutes.”

The event, scheduled from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 24 at Cox Arena, is free and open to the public. Organizers expect about 600 people to attend the competition, including students, professors, and judges from around the country. Criteria that help determine the winners include lightness, economy (cost to build the structure), aesthetics, and assembly in the least amount of time. The winner will be announced at a private banquet with all participating students and judges at the La Jolla Marriott at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Prior to the competition, all bridges will be assembled and displayed for aesthetic review in front of SDSU’s Hepner Hall* on Friday, May 23 beginning at 2 p.m.

Some of the participating universities include: Arkansas State University; California State University, Long Beach; California State University, Northridge; Sacramento State University; Colorado State University; Columbia University; George Washington University; Iowa State University; Louisiana State University; North Dakota State University; Penn State University; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; Rochester Institute of Technology; State University of New York at Canton; Tufts University; University of Connecticut; and the University of Southern California.

The National Steel Bridge Competition is sponsored by the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). SDSU last hosted this competition in 1994.

San Diego State University is the oldest and largest higher education institution in the San Diego region. Since its founding in 1897, SDSU has grown to offer bachelor's degrees in 78 areas, master's degrees in 62 areas and doctorates in 14. SDSU's more than 33,000 students participate in academic curricula distinguished by direct contact with faculty and an increasing international emphasis that prepares them for a global future. For more information log on to www.sdsu.edu.

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