Our project team was founded in 2025 and is focused on the design of prestressed concrete members. Prestressed concrete is a type of structural concrete that uses high-strength steel strands or tendons to keep the concrete in compression for as long as possible, making it stronger and more resistant to cracking. Each year, we compete in the Pacific Southwest Symposium (PSWS), a regional competition hosted by one of 14 universities in the region. During the competition, our team is tasked with designing and fabricating a prestressed concrete beam using the materials given to us. For ease of construction and safety, bass guitar strings are provided in place of steel prestressing strands. The process involves creating a form to cast the concrete, tightening the guitar strings, pouring the concrete, and performing calculations to predict the maximum load the beam can sustain. After the concrete has cured, judges test the beams by applying increasing load until failure. Teams are judged on both the strength of their beams and the accuracy of their calculations. 

Members can gain valuable experience by applying the engineering design process from start to finish. You’ll also strengthen your engineering intuition by observing how concrete behaves during mixing, curing, and testing, as well as by learning the fabrication techniques used to create prestressed elements. Beyond the competition, our team provides opportunities to connect with industry professionals and network with students in similar roles. We also plan to collaborate with faculty and facilities on campus, which may include working with full-sized prestressed concrete beams in the lab to see how large-scale systems behave in real-world conditions.