Bringing Back Traditions: Spaghetti Bridge Competition is Back at AUIS

This semester, the engineering department revived the Spaghetti Bridge tradition.

On March 5th, 2023, the engineering department held a spaghetti bridge competition, led by Payam Abubakir, a senior civil engineering student as well as the secretary of the ACI chapter. Six groups participated with different bridge designs. The competition aimed to showcase the students’ engineering skills and creativity in constructing spaghetti bridges.

Each group was given the same materials to construct their bridges, which were spaghetti sticks and glue. The designs of the models varied, and they weighed differently as well. Each model was first weighed, and then a sand container was attached to the models to test their strength. The container was empty at first. Then, sand was gradually added to it while waiting for the model to break.

Testing the models

The competition was intense, with each group showcasing their unique bridge designs. The ratio between the maximum load a model could take before breaking and the weight of the model itself determined the winners.

The competition was judged by a panel of professors from the engineering department, who evaluated the strength and creativity of the bridge designs. The judging professors were Dr. Ashty Qazzaz, Dr. Ahmad Salih, and Dr. Aram Hassan.

Judging Committee

The Brainiancs group won the first place award. This group consisted of five students, including Ahmed Saeed, Payam Jalil, Miran Nadhim, Rojin Faraidoon, and Binaee Salar. The group’s bridge design was unique and had exceptional strength, making it stand out among the other models. The model weighed 1 kg, and it was capable of bearing 79 kg. This model won the competition with a ratio of 79.

First Place Winner

The second place winner was the Schmetterling group, which consisted of Dyari Omed, Papula Salahadin, and Ashiyan Iqbal. Their bridge design was also impressive and showcased their engineering skills. The model weighed 1.3 kg, and it was capable of bearing a weight of 70 kg.

Second Place Winner

Lastly, the aesthetic award was given to the The Savant Builder’s group, consisting of Rana Salam and Lizan Mubarak. Their bridge design was not only strong but also visually appealing.

Aesthetics Award Winner

More than a 100 students attended the event, as well as an elite of instructors from the different departments at AUIS. Spaghetti Bridge Competition is a common tradition among engineering students. It is set to encourage students to apply their theoretical knowledge in testing structures made by spaghetti, a not so common construction material. This tradition was also famous among AUIS engineering students back in the days. However, the last time this event took place was in 2017.