Garrett's Bridges

500+ lbs articles

New Bridge design – 553lb (695 efficiency)

This is a very nicely built popsicle stick bridge. If you want to build a strong popsicle stick bridge, than I would suggest that try something like this. Because all the popsicle sticks are glue together, this bridge will have amazing lateral support. I used this idea on a lesser scale on my Prairie Popsicle Stick Bridge.

Nic’s Popsicle Stick Bridge

Nic’s design held a weight of 224kg and had a final efficiency of 1020. It did not shear or snap at any member, but bowed in the second third of member C-E. This member did have angled bracing to stop bowing and this brace did not snap it was only the glue joins in this brace that failed. The truss ballooned out at the point when 2.2kN of force was applied. It was at this point that the test was stopped

Popsicle Bridge Holds 500 lbs.

Hi, I just wanted to share the excitement…by using ideas from your website (recommended by my son’s Cub Scout leader) my son Jackson and I were able to build a Popsicle bridge with approximately 125 sticks. It set a new record by holding 500 lbs. for about 15 seconds before breaking! Thanks for the great ideas…not bad for the first try

Seattle Annual Popsicle Stick Bridge Competition

The American Society of Civil Engineers has been putting on an annual popsicle stick bridge competition for high schools in western Washington for the last 13 years. Last year, I entered with a 350 gram, 30 inch long bridge that carried 567 pounds under their hydraulic press. They score the bridges on efficiency (I won at that!) and aesthetics.