The McMaster University Troitsky Chapter rose to the challenge at this year’s Troitsky Bridge Building Competition in Montreal.
Hosted annually at Concordia University, the Troitsky Competition tasks university engineering students with building model bridges using only popsicle sticks, floss, toothpicks and white glue. Students apply engineering principles, while gaining hands-on experience in organization, leadership and teamwork.
McMaster’s bridge weighed just over 14 pounds, but it was able to withstand a load exceeding 600 pounds, achieving an impressive efficiency ratio of more than 40.
The team experienced a few hiccups prior to the competition. When the Hatch workshop’s laser cutter broke down, the team had to pivot to hand-cutting all bridge components using basic tools and a band saw. At the competition, they also faced challenges in meeting strict design constraints, including height, length and width, set by the Troitsky committee. Nonetheless, McMaster pulled through with determination and persistence. The team was thrilled to take home first place for sustainability and second place for the most aesthetic and creative bridge design.
“I’m able to work with an amazing group and be able to take the knowledge that I’ve gained and apply it to the real world, albeit at a smaller scale.”
For returning members, the competition marked a chance to grow. One participant, who had previously competed in 2023, when the team placed outside of the top five, said, “Using that as a stepping stone and a learning experience, we did quite well this year”.
Applying concepts from class proved crucial in refining the bridge. Micheal Nelson, a member of the team credited McMaster’s structural analysis course for helping them identify force flows and internal forces, calling it “a big help” in optimizing the design and preventing failure.
The Troitsky Competition not only tested the team’s technical skills, but also showcased the strength of collaboration, resilience and the drive to keep building better, both as engineers and as a team.
