Contact:
Chriss Swaney
412-268-5776

For immediate release:
December 2, 2003

Carnegie Mellon Engineering Students Will Ford a Giant Swimming Pool By Using Handmade Flotation Bridges Designed in a Senior Class Project

PITTSBURGH—Civil engineering students will test their design prowess by building several flotation bridges to span a 3,500-gallon inflatable swimming pool at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3, at Carnegie Mellon University.

The 22 students, under the direction of Larry Cartwright, a professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Carnegie Mellon, will not only race the clock to erect the best bridge, but to make it safe enough for people to walk across.

"This is a project designed to test the creativity, flexibility and engineering talents of our students," said Cartwright, who will personally test all bridge structures dressed in a waterproof costume. "I do not want to get wet, so I'm looking for sturdy construction," he said.

Some of the teams plan to build structures that emulate military-type pontoon bridges. Other students are lashing together large barrels and wooden planks to cross the inflatable pool.

WHEN: 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3

WHERE: Carnegie Mellon University, Loading Dock, Scaife Hall, off Schenley Park