Can I use your equipment for a bridge-building contest?

Yes. The Go Direct^® Structures & Materials Tester (GDX-VSMT) was specifically designed to be used in bridge-building competitions. It has a 1000-N force sensor/load cell and also measures displacement of the structure.

We also have software developed specifically to run competitions. You can download the Go Direct® Bridge Competition Software at https://www.vernier.com/downloads/godirect-bridge-competition-software/.

You can also take a “do-it-yourself” approach using our Force Plate (FP-BTA) or Go Direct^® Force Plate (GDX-FP), which measure forces up to 3500 N (787 lbs). To use a Force Plate to test the bridges in a normal orientation with the force applied downward, build a U-shaped platform that will rest on the Force Plate so that the “legs” of the platform support the ends of the bridges. You can zero the sensor with the bridge in place on the platform so that you measure the amount of force you load on the top of the bridge.

Regardless of the sensor you use, you can do all of the following with our data-collection software:

Plot graphs of force vs. time as the force is applied.
Determine the maximum breaking force.
Save and print out results for contestants to show to friends and family.
With Vernier Graphical Analysis^® Pro (GAP-1YR), if you record a movie of the bridge testing, you can replay the movie synced with the graph of force vs. time.

Published: July 18, 2019. Updated: July 23, 2025.