Coolest Popsicle Bridge

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Garrett Boon
Last Modified:
24

This bridge was built by Michael in Quebec.

I have a bridge I built for a physics for engineers class I’m taking in cegep (QUEBEC). My partner and I didn’t have much confidence in it, but it blew the competition away! The design was a fairly straightforward arch as you can see. We primarily focused on keeping the weight of the bridge down. The bridge weighed in at 211 grams.

The efficiency rating worked as follows:
Weight supported by the bridge divided by the weight of the bridge squared.

This was our score. 173 KG./ (.211)squared. Our score was 3886, second place was 2100 and the rest of the competition was well below 2000. Our bridge held 381 pounds! And the lab class which we tested them in ran out of weight for us to load it with, so we couldn’t break the bridge! our teacher is building a hydraulic system to crush it next week!
~Michael.

24 thoughts on “Coolest Popsicle Bridge”

  3. Just so you know the weigh of the bridge in the eaquation should not be squared. The equation stays as the 173kg/(0.211)=E , E weight held per kg, so you effiecency would only be 819.905%

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  5. hey guys, i built this thing a few years ago. It ended up holding around 650 pounds before a popsicle stick just sheared in half! and the thing blew up. I dont have any plans for it but i can send a few pictures of it if people are interested. just leave your email on this page and ill send then your way.

    Cheers,

    Mike

    Ps. the middle is raise as there are load bearing cross beams to distribute the load to the trusses.

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    • Hi! I would like to see any information that you have on this bridge. My son is having to build one for school and we are researching it.

      Thanks!

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    • Hey! I have to build a bridge for physics and he’s having this really cruel grading system. i’d love to see how you made yours if it might help me. And any tips you have would be helpful.
      thanks

      Reply

  6. I’m about to enter a competition, I just need to ask a few questions

    Approx. how many sticks was it?
    Can you send me some pics of the bottom, so I can get a simialar layout of the base.

    Thanks!!

    Reply

  7. it is a good design **** however this bridge cannot be entered into most popsicle bridge competitions because there are “modified” sticks. The sticks are not supposed to be altered in any way.eg. cut into smaller pieces split down the middle broken etc. (sorry if someone has already pointed this out)

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    • I would also like to build one with my kids using your design. I think they will be amazed as to how much strength can be acheived with such little mass. Please forward a copy.

      Thanks in advance.

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  9. How many popsickle sitcks…?? i have to do the same thing for my tech class but i can’t only use 100 and wood glue…would that be enough>?

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  10. NICE i think im gunna try that for my tower project. We are only allowed to use 150 sticks tho. I hope i beat everyone else. BTW holding over 600 pounds make the 25 pound weight seem like a leg weight compared to the 600 pounds lol. Very Nice. Gratz

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    • Alexa, the author of this post probably does not follow this page and I do not personally have the blueprints. Sorry.

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    • Can i get the blueprints.. i am in a special ed class n i need yto win .. if i win i am able to go to homeless shelters and help feed them and i am able to win a trip to Mexicao.. I have never been.. Please help me .. i am a specisal need child… HELP THE NEEDY IF YOU HAVE A HEART

      Reply

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