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NC Science Olympiad

Pasta Tower

Division: A  – Elementary

NC Essential Standards Alignment: Science as Inquiry

Event Rules: See 2024 Division A Rules Manual

Event Score Sheet: See 2024 Division A Rules Manual

Description:

The objective of this event is to design and build the lightest tower, constructed only of pasta and glue, with the greatest structural efficiency, capable of supporting a load of up to 10 kg. Each team may bring and enter only one pasta tower.

Materials:

Teams must bring one tower and safety glasses

Scoring:

  1. The best structural efficiency (highest number) wins, determined by the following equation:
    Structural Efficiency = Load Supported (grams) ÷ Mass of Tower (grams)

  2. Towers that hold more than 10 kg will be scored using 10 kg (10,000 g) as the maximum Load Supported
  3. Towers will be scored in 2 tiers: 
    1. Tier 1: Towers with no violations  
    2. Tier 2: Towers with construction violations 
    3. Towers that cannot be tested for any reason (e.g. cannot accommodate the loading block or team does not have proper eye protection) will be given participation points only. 

Ties will be broken in favor of the team with the lighter tower, then the tallest tower if a second tiebreaker is needed. 

Common Mistakes:

It is not the goal to build a tower that you can stand on – efficiency wins!  Many winning towers will break during testing, but because they are very light, their efficiency is better than the super-strong very heavy lasagna monstrosity towers.

Recommendations:

  1. Hot glue dries/hardens quicker.
  2. Triangles are a construction engineer’s best friend.
  3. Make a full-size pattern of your tower. Build tower on pattern. Be exact!
  4. “Spot” glue and don’t add excessive adhesive weight.
  5. Joints should be “overlaid” not “butted”.
  6. Cut off excess pasta and glue after assembly.
  7. Use tower design software. Search the web for other ideas and designs.
  8. Build and test A LOT. Each iteration will get better. Design, test, and refine.
  9. A blowdryer is a great way to get rid of ‘wispies’ of glue after it is dry.

Event Resources:

2019 Coaches Clinic Presentation (2020 Rules)
2018 Pasta Tower Coaches Clinic Presentation (2019 Rules)
Jet Propulsion Laboratory Pasta Tower
Tower Design
Straw Tower SO Event
Pasta Tower Division B and C Wiki

Media: