The MAPS-19, ITS team members, presented their bridge virtually at the 2020 Dynamic Load Bridge Competition (DLBC)

ITS Campus, ITS News –Another proud innovation was produced by students of the Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS). This time, the collaboration team consisted of three students from the Department of Civil Engineering and the Department of Civil Infrastructure Engineering ITS who succeeded in designing a connecting bridge design to be implemented in the new capital city in East Kalimantan.

The three students are members of the MAPS-19 team. This team worked according to the division of tasks, including Yohanes Hadi Saputra doing structural calculations and 3D design, Christian Bagaskara in charge of compiling reports and editing videos. In contrast, Arlo Al Rezza designed 2D designs. In that way, they managed to finish their work within a month.

The team leader, Yohanes Hadi Saputra, explained that the innovation in his bridge design started from moving the new capital to East Kalimantan. This causes the need for infrastructure development, a bridge as a link between places. However, the existing bridge still looks makeshift and straightforward. “That’s why a modern and futuristic bridge design is needed to support the new capital city,” explained Yohanes.

MAPS-19 team leader, Yohanes Hadi Saputra, showing the Mulawarman Bridge design made by his team

John continued, this bridge design is different from bridges in general. He explained that his bridge design added a long girder used to concentrate the force towards the knot point (node). “The effect is that the deflection on the bridge becomes small,” he explained.

Besides, Yohanes revealed that the bridge designed by his team also applies a bridge structure using orthotropic type plates. This type of scale in Indonesia’s world is rarely used because the orthotropic type plate is made of steel material with different stiffness of other kinds.

So, Yohanes continued, the ribs on the plate can distribute the load to the longitudinal girder maximally. “Its function is to simplify the construction process and lighten the bridge structure in its actual state later,” he explained.

MAPS-19 team member Christian Bagaskara showing his team’s Mulawarman Bridge design

Furthermore, according to Yohanes, the bridge designed by the MAPS-19 team has succeeded in having better bridge structure efficiency. They succeeded in creating the bridge by considering its suitability with the right type of bridge loading, which is smaller than the distance between the vehicle’s axles. “So that we feel the strength of the bridge that we designed is stronger than the existing bridges,” he claims.

Not only that, on the bridge made by his team, Yohanes said that his team also included a lighting device powered by renewable energy. The renewable energy-powered lighting on this bridge is planned to use lights that utilize energy from solar panels. “Hopefully, our bridge can also meet energy needs independently later,” he added.

The 2017 student gave the name of the bridge he designed as the Mulawarman Bridge. This name is inspired by King Mulawarman from the history of the Kutai Kingdom in East Kalimantan, who gave generosity by donating 20,000 cows to Brahmins for many people’s livelihood. “So, from this philosophy, we hope that this bridge can be useful for many people in the future,” he said.

MAPS-19 team member, Arlo Al Rezza, showing his team’s Mulawarman Bridge design

The hard work of the guidance team of Dr. Candra Irawan ST MT has now paid off. The bridge design designed by the MAPS-19 team has successfully won first place in the Dynamic Load Bridge Competition (DLBC) held by ITS some time ago. They managed to plan a bridge prototype using wood for bridge loading using walking loads.

In the end, the student who was born in Sidoarjo hopes that his team’s bridge design can contribute to the world of construction in Indonesia, especially for the plan to relocate to the Indonesian capital. Yohanes also mentioned that his goal of innovation was not to become a competition champion but more to think critically and work together in applying his creation in the real world of construction. “So I hope our design can be realized later,” he concluded. (bob/ris/ITS Public Relations)