High School STRUCTURAL DESIGN AND ENGINEERING
DESIGN CONSTRAINTS
The box girder support beam that you will design and build for this event should serve as a
modular component in a light rail transportation system. The bottom of the beam must rest on
a vertical support column.
When referring to the Box Girder Beam End View drawing posted on the TSA website in the
Updates and Clarification section, please note that the measurement of 3.75" indicates the
bottom of the beam and the part of the structure that will rest on the testing device supports.
TSA will use the structure testing instrument available through PITSCO to test structures in the
event.
Testing block: 3/4" thick x 3.75" wide x 12" long
A piece of wood 1/8" x 3 7/16" x 12", centered side to side, will be attached to the bottom of
the test block.
During testing of the structure, 1" at each end of the structure will rest on the two testing
device vertical supports.
Specific Design Constraints
1. Substructures are not allowed.
2. Lamination is the combining of two or more pieces of materials with the grain of the
materials running in the same direction.
3. Laminations of stock are allowed but only to create a new configuration of materials,
such as a T or right angle shape. Examples: laminating a 1/16" strip and 1" x 8" strip to
create a right angle; laminating a 1/8" strip and ½" strip to create a T configuration.
4. Laminating 1/8" x 1/8" and 1/8" x 1/8" materials together to create 1/8" x ¼" material is
not allowed. The same rule applies for the other thicknesses of materials listed.
5. The 1/32" balsa wood sheet materials are to be used for the outside covering of the box
beam.
6. Pieces of this 1/32" material also can be used to create internal construction
components, combined with the other materials, as long as the lamination guidelines
are adhered to and followed.
7. Pieces of the 1/32" material cannot be laminated together.
8. The cardstock can be used for creating a watershed of the beam underneath the rail
bed.
9. The cardstock also may be used as gusset material to connect and reinforce butt and
end joints of materials.
10. Cardstock cannot be laminated between two components.
Only the materials listed on the page entitled Specifications and Materials for 2015 Problem
can be used for this event. (See TSA website, Updates and Clarification, Structural Design and
Engineering.)