Javelina Engineers Take 1st Place in International Competition

The Javelina bridge loaded with the required 500-lbs.being measured for deflection.

Javelina civil and architectural engineering students took 1^st Place while representing the TAMUK Institute of Architectural Engineering Heritage in the inaugural APTI (Association for Preservation Technology International) Student Preservation Construction Competition in San Antonio, TX. The challenge this year, was to design and construct a timber bridge, using technology and materials available in 1906. The first phase of the competition was based on the ASCE Steel Bridge Competition. For eight weeks, Javelina engineering students designed and built a six-foot timber bridge. They also prepared a poster to explain their work. The timber bridge was disassembled and taken to San Antonio for the competition, where assembly was timed and their bridge was load tested.   

The student participants are: Sara Williams, Brandon Darr, Santiago Vargas and Beatriz Alba with TAMUK Institute of Architectural Engineering Heritage Director, Mr. Jim Glusing, Civil engineering Professor Dr. Francisco Aguiniga, and Mr. Patrick Sparks, P.E. of Sparks Engineering served as mentor. 

Javelina engineering students Sara Williams, Brandon Darr, Santiago Vargas and Beatriz Alba with TAMUK Institute of Architectural Engineering Heritage Director, Mr. Jim Glusing. 

The second phase of the Student Preservation Construction Competition was unique. The teams were given two preservation problems. Many new materials and methods have been developed since 1906. Teams were given one day to develop a plan for restoration/repair of a damaged timber of their bridge, while minimizing damage to the historic authenticity of the bridge.  They were also told to research how they would modernize a bridge built in 1906 for pedestrian traffic to meet the demands of a modern bridge for automobile traffic, again, while maintaining the historic authenticity/fabric of the bridge. To foster student-professional engagement, all conference attendees were considered a resource for consultation in the development of solutions. The panel of judges included preservation professionals from the United States, Canada, and Europe.