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Abstract
The purpose of this project was to plan, design, and execute the fabrication of a scale-model steel bridge for the 2024 competition sponsored by the American Institute of Steel Construction. This bridge had to meet all requirements established by AISC such as spanning twenty-one feet, carrying 2,500 pounds without exceeding a deflection of three inches, and passing a lateral load test with a ¾-inch sway limit. Utilizing advanced structural analysis software such as RISA 2D and RISA 3D was of importance to evaluate design parameters and do proper connection calculations for all members of the bridge using steel design codes. The fabrication process involved getting welding experience to fabricate all members and becoming familiar with steel-cutting equipment accessible at the university. Since evaluation was based on structural efficiency, a strength-to-weight ratio had to be prioritized by properly sizing all members to achieve the lightest bridge possible. The steel bridge was successfully constructed, and load tested at the ASCE IN-KY Symposium at Purdue Northwest on April 12th, 2024, in Hammond, IN.