Curtin students compete in ‘Floating Structure Challenge’

Miri – 28 April 2023 – 35 students of Curtin University Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia) recently took part in a ‘Floating Structure Challenge’ organised by the university’s Department of Civil and Construction Engineering.

The competition was organised as part of the students’ study of units related to structural analysis, which is an integral part of the civil and construction engineering course at Curtin Malaysia.

Structural analysis is an engineering discipline that involves the study of the forces and deformations of structures to determine their stability, strength and safety. The process of structural analysis involves mathematical calculations, computer simulations and physical testing to ensure that a structure can withstand the loads and stresses it will experience over its lifetime.

Head of the Department of Civil and Construction Engineering, Associate Professor Wong Kwong Soon, said that aside from classroom delivery, other learning activities like the floating structure competition can help students understand structural analysis better. Furthermore, the students find it a considerably more fun and engaging way of learning a complex subject.

Forming themselves into nine teams, the students pitted their knowledge and skills in structural analysis and model construction against each other. They were given just 45 minutes to construct their floating structures, and another 45 minutes to test them.

They were given materials such as empty mineral water bottles, paper cups and binding materials to construct their floating structures, and testing of loads was done with weights. The maximum sustained load without overturning as well as the self-weight of the structures was recorded for each structure.

Prizes were given to the teams whose floating structures sustained the most loads considering the self-weight of the floating structure. Coming up tops was team ‘ISD’ comprising Joyce Tiong Ka Kiong, Tan Jeng Shiang and Edmund Hii Xiang Yao, followed by first runner-up team ‘Johan’ comprising Vincent Wong Bing Sheng, Wong Sing Fong, Calvin Wong Shu Jing and Kenneth Tsang Tze Hou. The second runner-up was team ‘F.A.T. John’ comprising Tan Jia Qi, Alan Poon Tik Loon, Forrest Tiong Ing Poh and See Xu Ze.

‘Highest Load Awards’ were also presented to teams that achieved the highest loads without their floating structures overturning. The winners in this category were teams ‘Johan’ and ‘Harrrrr~’.

Student Tan Jia Qi remarked that the competition was interesting and should be continued. He said his team included a chemical engineering student, which also proved interesting, and they collaborated very well together.

Edmund Hii Xiang Yao, meanwhile, said team ‘ISD’ joined the competition for a bit of fun and was surprised to actually win it. They, too, hope that the competition will be made an annual feature as it can be very beneficial to students in their learning.

Curtin ranked among the world’s top 100 universities for civil engineering according to the 2022 Shanghai Ranking Global Ranking of Academic Subjects and is ranked in the top 100 for civil and structural engineering in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023. In the highly-regarded Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) 2022, Curtin ranked in the top one per cent of universities worldwide.

Curtin Malaysia offers Curtin’s four-year Bachelor of Engineering in Civil and Construction Engineering (Hons.), which is a comprehensive combination of civil engineering and construction engineering with extensive support and input from the industry. The professional and practically-orientated course is one of the most popular engineering courses at Curtin Malaysia and its graduates are highly sought after by industry. For more information on this and other courses at Curtin Malaysia, visit www.courses.curtin.edu.my.

For more information on Curtin Malaysia, visit www.curtin.edu.my or look for Curtin Malaysia on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn or TikTok.

Students testing their floating structures

One of the teams testing their floating structure

Associate Professor Wong (left) presenting prize to the champions, team ‘ISD’

All the participants and winning teams