Overview

For this assessment, we were tasked with researching earthquake proof structures, and strategies to build them. Then we constructed towers made of spaghetti. Using our research as a guide, we then built these towers to be a minimum of 60cm, strong enough to survive a simulated earthquake, and all under a budget of $60. The way the budget worked was each piece of spaghetti was worth $1, and every gram of blue tack was worth $1. Overall, we followed the task parameters and managed to build a structure that fit these parameters.

Design Process

Throughout our design process, we were very critical of our building, and this allowed us to design a much better structure, with each pieces purpose and necessity carefully thought out. Our first design was a complete and utter flop. We spent about 35 of our 60 dollars on the first 25cm and the top 35cm was extremely flawed. It was almost a relief when it broke in between classes. Our second design started out as a rebuild of the first, when we realised that strategy was flawed. Upon building our second build, we made sure that we were budget conscious and that we always made sure that each piece had a definite purpose. This enabled us to build a much more efficient and cheap design than before. If I had to change anything about the design process and overall design of the build, I would have made sure to put a bit more effort into the top of the build. The top wobbled when you shook it in the right direction, and couldn’t even hold 50g of weight on the top.

Collaboration

Overall I think our group managed to collaborate quite well. All three of us worked quite efficiently with the class time prescribed to us, and we all built the final build quite quickly and collaboratively. Additionally, Fin was very helpful in telling me exactly what I missed when I was away, and this allowed me to have a good idea of what I had to write, when I missed the Thursday and Friday. Overall, our collaboration and our thought out design process allowed us to build a $60, 60cm tall spaghetti tower that withstanded a simulated earthquake by shake plate.