A fun and challenging annual competition for aspiring engineers will be held on Wednesday 15 April from noon to 3pm at USC.

Fifteen teams of USC Civil and Mechanical Engineering students will test their theoretical and practical skills in the Spaghetti Bridge Challenge, expected to attract a crowd of onlookers to this year’s open space venue outside the Brasserie.

The teams will be battling to design and build the strongest bridge out of only three materials – spaghetti, superglue and string.

USC Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering Dr Selvan Pather said the bridges would be put under increasing pressure until they broke and judges would determine the winner with the best load-to-weight ratio.

Staff and students are invited to the visually appealing event which is fiercely contested by the students and sponsored by Covey Associates.

Timing:

12 to 12.45pm – review of bridge designs and discussions with students

12.45 to 3pm – bridge testing, selection of winners, presentation of prizes

— Julie Schomberg