SSEF Design Competitions

The Steel Structures Education Foundation understands that students need to experience the challenge of "design" in order to elevate their understanding and application of their knowledge of steel, to a higher level.

SSEF Architecture Competition

The SSEF Architectural Student Design Competition was initiated in 2002. The challenge was for students to design a "bus shelter", whose primary material was structural steel. The subject was changed to that of a "+15 Link" for the 2003 competition, as a means to challenge student understanding of issues of span. In 2004 the students were asked to design a "gas station", with emphasis on addressing aspects of long cantilevers in their resultant designs. 2005 and 2006 looked at the current state of "pedestrian bridge" designs - with some fine examples having been built of late, that could be used as inspiration. The 2007 competition encouraged students to look at issues of height in their designs. In 2008 students designed a cantilever structure, a structural form commonly seen in nature and in 2009 competition challenged students to address the structural resolution of tension in architecture. The 2010 competition challenged students to include curvature in their designs.

The idea of the competition is meant to encourage architectural students to consult with experts, engineers and fabricators to arrive at a true understanding of the structural design and detailing requirements of an actual steel structure - taking the study of steel beyond the technical and into the realm of supposed application.

Eligibility for this competition is limted to students registered in professional Architectural programs in Canada.

ASCE/AISC Bridge Competition

The SSEF and CISC are co-sponsors of the ASCE/AISC Student Steel Bridge Competition (SSBC). This competition requires civil engineering students to design, fabricate and construct a steel bridge and encourages students to apply their theoretical knowledge in a hands-on project that addresses the full breadth of steel design requirements, including: aesthetics, speed of erection, lightness, stiffness, economy and efficiency.

Competitions are held at both the Regional and National levels.

Regional Competitions:

Regional Competitions are held during the ASCE Student Regional Conferences. Stipends are provided by the AISC for those schools that have established ASCE chapters. This includes (US) $175 for every team that participates in the regional competition and an additional (US) $500 to the regional host school. Also through the AISC, the James F. Lincoln Arc Welding Foundation gives an additional $500 to every school that comes in first place in their region. Stipends are not provided by the AISC to those teams participating as guests.

SSEF tries to match Canadian teams with a local CISC Steel Fabricator and CISC Regional Committees provide varying levels of financial support for home teams attending regional competitions.

Eligibility: A college or university with an established ASCE Student Chapter or ASCE International Student Group may participate in the conference (regional competition) to which it was assigned by ASCE. The Student Chapter or International Student Group must be in good standing with ASCE in order to be ranked in the conference competition. A school without an established ASCE Student Chapter or International Student Group may participate as a guest in the bridge competition if it is invited by an ASCE conference. Conferences are not required to invite guests and guests will not be ranked in competition. Consult also the SSBC Competition Rules for more details regarding eligibility for competing at the Regional level.

Establishing an ASCE International Student Group: The qualification requirements and establishment process for ASCE International Student Groups are posted online at the ASCE website.

National Competition:

At the national level, AISC and the competition co-sponsors assist with travel funds for those teams invited to compete. Each qualifying team from each regional competition receives (US) $500. SSEF contributes $1250 to each Canadian team that qualifies for the National Competition.

Eligibility: Participation at the National Competition is by invitation only. Invitations are extended only to top performing teams from each regional competition. Consult the SSBC Competition Rules for full details regarding eligibility for competing at the National level.

The 2011 National Student Steel Bridge Competition (NSSBC) will be held at Texas A&M University. Links:
AISC/ASCE official NSSBC website
2011 SSBC Competition Rules - check back in August
2011 NSSBC Competition Guide website

Palais des Congres du Montreal

OTHER COMPETITION OPPORTUNITIES:

ACSA/AISC Annual Student Design Competition:
The American Institute of Steel Construction in concert with the Amercian Collegiate Schools of Architecture, offers an annual competition that looks at the design of a complex building that uses steel as its primary element. For more information, click here.

Metal Construction Association:
The Metal Construction Association offers an annual student design competition that also includes emphasis on the innovative use of steel as a cladding element. For more information, click here.