Wright State University
8th Annual Trebuchet Competition

Better Than A Bridge Building Competition

The Trebuchet Competition, by far, outweighs a bridge competition! And here are six good reasons why...

• It Doesn't Require a Whole Lot of Money. The Trebuchet Competition is designed to be inexpensive yet provide the educational value and excitement of more costly events. For instance, trebuchets can be made from scrap materials found in typical households. One of the most competitive trebuchet was made almost completely of cardboard!
• It Provides a Higher Level of Learning. A trebuchet serves as a better educational tool than a simple bridge because the degree of sophistication necessary to analyze a bridge under ideal conditions can be quite challenging to the high school student who is studying mechanical engineering. As a result, it is highly likely that bridge designs may be based on hunches rather than on understanding. In addition, bridges are static, meaning they don't move much, so there's probably not a lot of classroom teaching going on. On the other hand, trebuchets are dynamic. They are fun to build and exciting to operate. Through the trebuchet, students can relate to the concepts of kinetic energy, potential energy, conservation of energy, machine efficiency, projectile motion, and more!
• It Promotes Real-time Learning. In a bridge competition, bridges that are tested are broken. Trebuchets can be tested and modified to work better and are never broken in the process. A much more rapid iterative design experience is the result, and every student walks away with a working trophy.
• It Fosters Good Team Dynamics. Teams work together in the design stages, incorporating competition strategies into their trebuchet designs. Good game plans make victory that much more likely; however, great game plans make champions!
• It Generates All Kinds of Excitement. Nothing helps learning like excitement. Student quotes from past years include, "This was the best part of senior year!" and "Before this, I didn't know what I wanted to do. Now, I know... I want to be an engineer!" From audience members, "Man, this is so much fun to watch, you could charge admission!"
• It Encourages Interaction with WSU Students and Faculty. Wright State students and faculty serve as volunteers to make the Trebuchet Competition a success. In addition to serving as judges, referees, scorekeepers, and director's assistants, they also love to talk about engineering at Wright State University and welcome any questions high school students may have about engineering as a college major or career choice.

For more information, you may want to view the video introduction to the competition.

...for those who like to hurl