An engineer's ultimate goal is to create an efficient design. After four years of training towards a degree, this is an important ability of a degreed engineer. While this stays consistent, both the design and efficiency goals of a project will change (i.e. monitary, safety, weight, strength).

The bridge design presented here was developed during my senior year of high school in 2009 for the Alaska Science Olympiad science competition in Anchorage. When I first built the bridge I had limited knowledge of statics or materials science and just guessed about what size of materials to use. The geometry was arranged to take maximum advantage of the spacial limits.

This is my report on the process of optimizing the design of this bridge through the use of statics and mechanics of materials, knowledge which I have gained since original design. Optimization, in this case, is maximizing the efficiency of this bridge.