Youth learned about various components found in bridges (compression members, tension members, diagonal bracing, truss chords) using a popsicle stick model built by one of the youth (and previously testing in an competition held by Professional Engineers Ontario to hold 143 lbs).

Youth then had an opportunity to construct DaVinci Bridges and learn how the structure gets its stability through friction and internal forces. This unique design is held together by its own weight without requiring any ties or connections, in fact when a downward force is applied to the structure the braced members are forced to interlock and tighten together through the structural concepts of shear and bending. Da Vinci called it “The Bridge of Safety”.