Ind., Ill. students to compete in Bridge Bust

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Teams from 17 Indiana and Illinois high schools will work to build and then destroy model bridges at this year’s annual Bridge Bust.

Each team will build a bridge using 20 sticks of balsa wood and a bottle of glue. Judges will hang buckets of sand from each bridge to see how much weight it can hold. They’ll also give points for the best-looking bridge. This year, about 200 students will participate.

The Purdue chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers sponsors the competition. Event chairman Ashley Lane says the event gives students hands-on engineering practice.

The event will take place from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Feb. 24 in Purdue’s Stewart Center. The competition is free and open to the public.