NTU Bridge Design Competition 2022

Bridging Accessibility, Enhancing Sustainability, Empowering Possibility

Preliminary Round
Case Document

Prepared by NTU BDC Committee 2022

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 Contents
1 Case Scenario
2 Bridge Designer 2016 Software
3 Client’s Specifications
4 Judging Criteria
5 Bonus Scores
6 Timeline and Submissions
7 Rules and Regulations
8 Additional Resources
9 Contact Information

Prepared by NTU BDC Committee 2022

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1. Case Scenario
As an engineering firm specializing in bridge design and construction in Singapore, you are tasked to
design a vehicular bridge for cars and other light goods vehicles across a river as part of a
prequalification process for an upcoming tender. You are required to prepare a structurally optimised
bridge design that spans across the river using the Bridge Designer 2016 software.

2. Bridge Designer 2016 Software

To download the software: https://bridgedesigner.org/download/
Software tutorial: https://bridgedesigner.org/tutorial/
Software FAQ: https://bridgedesigner.org/faq/
To learn more about the software: https://bridgedesigner.org/about/
Note that this software is intended for educational purposes only and should never be used to design
an actual bridge.

Prepared by NTU BDC Committee 2022

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3. Client’s Specifications
Unless stated in this section, the client has no other specifications. There is no local contest code to
be entered into the software. The specifications to be inputted into the software are:
Deck elevation 20m (i.e span is 40m, support to support)
Abutments Standard abutments
Pier Pier (two spans). Height of pier is 20m.
Cable Anchorages Option of no, one, or two cable anchorages
Deck material High-Strength Concrete (0.15m thick)
Loading 480kN Permit Loading (Centred)
Template None (no templates allowed)
While you are allowed to have as many steel members as you wish, the client only allows a maximum
of 8 different combinations of sizes and material types for the entire bridge. Members with different
cross-sections (solid or hollow) but same size and same material type are considered as having the
same combination. Example:
Carbon Steel, Hollow Tube, 100x100x5 Considered as 1 combination
since same size and material type
Carbon Steel, Solid Bar, 100x100 despite the different cross-
sections
High-Strength Low-Alloy Steel, Hollow Tube, 70x70x3 Considered as 1 combination
Quenched & Tempered Steel, Hollow Tube, 70x70x3 Considered as 1 combination
since same size and material type
Quenched & Tempered Steel, Solid Bar, 70x70 despite the different cross-
sections
Quenched & Tempered Steel, Solid Bar, 60x60 Considered as 1 combination
Total 4 different combinations ≤ 8
Note that teams that fail to meet the client’s specifications will be disqualified.

Prepared by NTU BDC Committee 2022

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4. Judging Criteria
Bridges will be judged based on how economic, structurally efficient, and environmentally sustainable
the designs are. These three parameters will be captured in a single value, the Cost-Efficiency-Green
Value (CEGV). CEGV = (Bridge Cost Ratio) x (Average Force-to-Strength Ratio) x (Green Ratio).
Bridge Cost Ratio
The total cost of your bridge (material + connection + product + site costs) will be benchmarked
against the lowest cost out of all the bridge designs submitted. The total cost will be based on the
number provided by Bridge Designer 2016, as shown in the red box below.

The ratio will then be calculated using the formula:

Lowest overall bridge cost
Bridge Cost Ratio = .
Submitted bridge cost

Average Force-to-Strength Ratio

Firstly, the force-to-strength ratio for each individual truss member will be calculated.
Compression force
If in compression only (i.e. tension force = 0), member force-to strength ratio = Compression strength.
Tension force
If in tension only (i.e. compression force = 0), member force-to strength ratio = Tension strength.

If in both compression and tension (i.e. tension force ≠ 0 and compression force ≠ 0), member force-
Compression force Tension force
to-strength ratio = (Compression strength + Tension strength) ÷ 2

The forces and strengths will be based on the number provided by Bridge Designer 2016, as shown
in the red box below.

Then, the force-to-strength ratios will be summed up and averaged using the formula:
Sum of Individual Force-to-Strength Ratios
Average Force-to-Strength Ratio = .
Total Number of Members

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Green Ratio
In the production and shipment of the materials for your bridge, carbon dioxide (CO 2) is emitted at a
rate of 1.863kg/kg of steel produced and shipped. The total weight of steel required for your bridge
will be measured based on the number provided by Bridge Designer 2016, as shown in the red box
below.

The equivalent amount of CO2 emitted will be calculated using the formula:
Total CO2 emitted = 1.863 x Total Weight of Steel.
The total CO2 emitted for your bridge will be benchmarked against the lowest CO 2 emitted out of all
the bridge designs submitted. The ratio will then be calculated using the formula:
Lowest overall amount of CO2 emitted
Green Ratio = Submitted amount of CO2 emitted

CEGV
The three ratios will be multiplied with each other to obtain the CEGV. The team with the highest
CEGV gets 100 marks and every other team gets a proportional number of points based on their
achieved CEGV. For example, if the highest scoring design’s CEGV is 0.9 and your team scores 0.6,
0.6
your score is 0.9 x 100 = 66.7 points.

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Example
Your total bridge cost = $1,879,064.71
Lowest cost of all bridges submitted = $1,000,000.
$1,000,000
Bridge Cost Ratio = $1,879,064.71 = 0.53218

Member Compression Compression Tension Tension Force-to-Strength Ratio

Force Strength Force Strength
1 800 1000 0 1500 800/1000 = 0.8
2 0 1200 2000 4000 2000/4000 = 0.5
3 150 500 40 400 (150/500 + 40/400)/2 = 0.2
0.8 + 0.5 + 0.2
Average Force-to-Strength Ratio = = 0.50000
3

Your material weight = 30625.9 + 11784.9 + 21227.7 + 5377.7 + 66779.5 + 14032.5 = 149828.2kg
CO2 emitted = 1.863 x 149828.2 =279129.9366 kg
Lowest CO2 emitted of all bridges submitted = 200000kg
200000
Green Ratio = 279129.9366 = 0.71651

Your CEGV = 0.53218 x 0.50000 x 0.71651 = 0.19066

Highest CEGV = 0.30000
0.19066
Your final score = 0.30000 x 100 = 63.55333

Note that these numbers are merely for illustration purposes and do not reflect the model answer.
All results will be cross-checked by separate committee members to verify the scores processed.
Bridge designs that do not meet the submission deadline, neglect any of the technical specifications
as listed in the case document, or breach any competition rules will be disqualified.

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5. Bonus Scores
All teams can earn additional 5 points which will be added to their final score. To earn the additional 5
points, teams must submit a photo of the team working on the Bridge Designer 2016 model together
with the country flag (of the country in where you are studying) featured in the photo. The photo must
be submitted together with the bridge model.
Requirements:
1. All members of the team must be visible in the photo.
2. Bridge Designer 2016 virtual bridge model must be visible in the photo.
3. Country flag must be visible in the photo (as virtual background, edited in, physical flag etc).
4. Photo can be taken virtually (e.g. via Zoom, Skype etc) or physically, following the safe-
management measures of your country.
Example of an acceptable photo submission:

Should any of the requirements not be met (e.g a member missing), the team will not be awarded any
bonus score. If all the requirements are met, 5 points will be added to your final score. For example,
final score before bonus points = 63.55333. Final score after bonus points = 68.55333.
Note that these photos may be used for publicity purposes and posted on our social media accounts.

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6. Timeline and Submissions

Virtual Case Competition (Preliminary Round)

(Monday, 28 February 2022 – Saturday, 5 March 2022)

Timeline Activity

Mon, 28 Feb
Release of case to participating teams
0000h
Tue, 1 Mar Deadline for Submission of Bridge Designer (.bdc) files and team
2359h photos
Sat, 5 Mar
Announcement of top 15 qualifying teams
1200h
All times and dates are in Singapore time (SGT).
Teams are to submit the Bridge Designer file (i.e., the .bdc file) for their submissions. Your submitted
file is to be named ‘Preliminary_Model_<Assigned Team Number>’ (e.g. Preliminary_Model_4.bdc).
Teams can only submit one .bdc file during the submission period.
For teams who wish to submit their team photos, your submitted file is to be named
‘Preliminary_Photo_<Assigned Team Number>’ (e.g. Preliminary_Photo_4). Accepted photo formats
are jpeg, png, and jfif only.
All Bridge Designer files and team photos must be submitted by Tue, 1 Mar, 2359h to CEE-
BDC@e.ntu.edu.sg. Late submissions will not be entertained, and bonus scores will not be added/
teams will be disqualified.

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7. Rules and Regulations
The rules and regulations listed below are non-exhaustive and may be revised accordingly. Actions
that jeopardize the integrity of the competition will be thoroughly reviewed and teams involved may be
awarded demerit points or be disqualified, if deemed necessary by the committee.
1 Contest Rules
1.1 Teams are responsible for thorough reading and understanding of all contest documents. Failure
to adhere to stated rules in the contest documents by intention or ignorance may result in the
award of demerit points or disqualification, wherever deemed necessary.
1.2 All work submitted must be original. Cheating or plagiarism of any form will not be tolerated and
may result in disqualification. Working with other teams is not allowed and may result in those
teams being disqualified, if found guilty.
1.3 Each team is only allowed one submission. Multiple submissions by the same team will result in
a demerit point of 40% of their total score for their design.
1.4 Teams are to adhere strictly to the deadlines for submission. Late submissions will not be
accepted or considered.
1.5 Bridge designs will be evaluated based on the criteria described in Section 4.
2 Technical Rules
2.1 Submitted bridge designs must satisfy the technical specifications in Section 3 for the designs
to be considered.
2.2 All bridge designs are to be constructed in the Bridge Designer 2016 software. No tampering of
the software is allowed.

Prepared by NTU BDC Committee 2022

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8. Additional Resources
You may refer to the following links to be informed of the latest updates and access resources to
assist your designing process.
Website (under ‘Resources’, you can find a series of talks which provide a basic understanding in
structural and bridge design): https://ntubdc.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/NTUBDC/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ntu_bdc/?hl=en
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ntu-bdc
Telegram: https://t.me/+vrVebcZuiI1lOGJl

9. Contact Information
Should you have any queries, please contact us at: CEE-BDC@e.ntu.edu.sg.

Prepared by NTU BDC Committee 2022

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