Pasta Bridge

STEM Project

• Objective:
• Students will construct the strongest, and most efficient bridge using uncooked spaghetti noodles and quick dry glue. This project will be based on real world experiences of engineers that deal with the challenges of building structures at the most minimum cost possible.
• Construction constraints
• Bridge will span 20.0 cm gap between two tables.
• Bridge dimensions will be: length 30.0 cm +/- 0.5cm, with a maximum height of 8.0 cm +/- 0.5 cm, and a width of 8.0 cm +/- 0.5 cm.
• Construction materials will be various types of uncooked pasta and quick dry glue.
• Each bridge must allow the placement of a 4 cm x 4 cm loading block and chain for testing.
• Cost of bridge is not to exceed a budget of $50,000.00

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Materials and cost

1. Glue cost will be assessed at $100/gram. (Assigned bottles will be massed before the project begins, and re-massed at the end of the project. The difference between the two masses will be used to assess the cost of the adhesive for the project.)
2. Pasta cost
1. Linguine - $1000/unbroken piece
2. Spaghetti - $800/unbroken piece
3. Angel hair - $900/unbroken piece
3. Scissors - $500 flat fee for project
4. Cardboard - $500 flat fee per piece used as work surface
5. Wax paper - $100/inch
6. 2 other items can be added to the cost proposal but must be assessed for availability and cost.

Budget Proposal – Each team will have to submit a proposed budget to start their project. This will include the materials list and cost of each material they will need. This must be documented in their STEM journal as well as a proposal submitted to the teacher. Additional requests for materials must be submitted in writing and documented in the STEM journal.

Judging/Testing

1. Each finished structure will be massed.
2. Each structure will be measured for constraint compliance.
3. Each structure will be tested for strength by place loading plate with cup on load base of structure. Sand will be added to the loading cup until the structure collapses. The mass of the sand the structure supported will be used to calculate the structures efficiency. The efficiency will be used to rate the structures strength.
4. Each structure will be rated for efficiency using the following formula:
1. Efficiency = (Mass of load/mass of structure) x 100
5. Overall cost of project will be assessed using the cost of materials checked out. No returns of unused pasta pieces. Cost score = 50,000 – actual bridge cost.
6. Total score = Bridge Efficiency + Cost score
7. Highest Total score wins.

Project Grade

Part 1: Bridge grade will be based on the competition system. (80%)

1. 1^st Place Team will be assessed a score of 100.
2. 2^nd Place Team – 97
3. 3^rd Place – 94
4. Any team meeting all construction parameters will be assessed a score of 92.
5. Any team who meets 2 out of 3 of construction parameters will be assessed a score of 85
6. Any team who meets 1 out of 3 of construction parameters will be assessed a score of 75.
7. Any team who does not meet any of the construction parameters but did have a finished bridge to test will be assessed a 70.
8. All others - 50

Project Grade

Part 2: STEM notebook (20%)

1. All project details must be documented in each team members STEM notebook.
2. All notes, ideas, drawings, project pictures, and reflections should be properly noted and given a data/time.
3. Notebook rubric will be included with this document.
4. Step by step pictorial documentation will be placed in a Google slides presentation supplied by Mr. Caruso. These can be uploaded from home, or if a team member has a phone or computer to upload photos during class time.

Part 3 – Project follow-up. (Included in notebook grade)

Project reflection should be included in the STEM journal. Students should reflect how this project relates to their STEM projects for this year, and how it relates to what they learned in their other STEM classes.

Designs