Representation of the project: 

The project involves constructing a tower model that is resistant to earthquakes using spaghetti sticks and blue tac, while adhering to certain constraints. The cost of the materials must not exceed $60, with each stick and gram of blue tac costing $1. The tower must also not exceed a width of 30cm and must be at least 60cm tall. The goal of the project is to create designs that can be used in real-life scenarios around the world. This exercise will help to develop engineering skills and problem-solving abilities, which will be invaluable in future endeavors.

The Criteria:

We were challenged to design a building that would withstand a major earthquake. We needed to design, build and test a small-scale model that meets the following building success criteria:

• is quick and easy to assemble
• has a minimum height of 60 cm
• has a maximum base of 30 cm x 30 cm
• has a flat platform on the top level of at least 5 cm x 5 cm (this will be supplied to you)
• remains standing after an earthquake, as simulated by shaking a table for 10 seconds
• is constructed from the materials provided by your teacher
• costs less than $60 to build,
  • one stick of spaghetti costs $1 and is around 25 cm long, 1 gram of blue-tac costs $1
  • This budget will be provided twice: once for the initial prototype, and once again for the second prototype.

Overview of the engineering process:

Define: First we were required to grasp our understanding on the problem we needed to solve, along with its success criteria, which helped us stay on track throughout the design process.

Research: After understanding our problem, we began researching the problem through real life examples along with possible design ideas, which gave us a better perspective on how to approach the problem. Brainstorm: Next we began to generate and brainstorm ideas, which allowed us to come up with unique and creative solutions.

Design: Once we had an understanding, we began drawing our possible designs on OneNote until we came with a final decision, which helped us visualize our ideas better.

Create: Our first prototype was constructed with a general idea in mind, however we also adapted our design as we began to create our model with the spaghetti and blue tac, which evidently succeeded the test of the earthquake, showcasing our creativity and adaptability.

Improve: After our first test, we began to brainstorm some improvements for the design to meet the original criteria that was set at the beginning, which helped us refine the design further.

Test and evaluate: All of this then led to the final test and 35mins rebuild. Major feature changes were made to adapt to the situation of only having one person there to build the tower, which helped us learn from the process and make improvements for future designs.

Collaboration:

Throughout the duration of the project, Noku and I were a great team. We didn’t have specific roles assigned to us, but we worked collaboratively to build and design the tower with maximum efficiency. Our unique strengths of creativity and adaptability were both showcased during the process, which allowed us to complement each other’s skills perfectly. Our ability to work in sync and communicate effectively played a significant role in making the project a success. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work alongside such a talented and dedicated individual like Noku. Together, we were able to bring our ideas to life and create something great.

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