The year nine cohort has been challenged to build a structure that can withstand the force of an artificial earthquake. The building also had to meet other criteria. This included a minimum height of 60cm, a maximum base of 30cm x 30 cm, is constructed from materials that we are supplied with ( blue tack, scissors, ruler and spaghetti sticks), and it had to cost less than $60 to build, given that 10cm of spaghetti costs $1, and one gram of blue tack costs $1. In addition, it had to be quick and easy to assemble.

This is a picture of our final design. As you can see, we ensured that it was stable, so that it remained upright while it was under the force of the earthquake.

How did it perform?

Our building was able survive the force of a catastrophic level earthquake. The first time that we tested it, a few pieces came loose, but it remained standing. Each time we tested it, less damage was inflicted upon it. For it to be this structurally sound, we had to incorporate many complex and advanced design features such as:

Triangles:

The most resistant shape is a triangle, as it a rigid shape and doesn’t want to lose its shape, it distributes all the force that impacts from one point down the other two sides of the triangle causing a compression force which is acted equally upon by a tension force from the bottom side to maintain its shape. If we base our support around the triangles it means that the force of the earthquake will be distributed evenly amongst the whole building so no one point is going to suffer worse, and cause it to collapse, compared to the other parts of it, making it able to withstand the force of a major earthquake. 

Flexible base:

Having the building on a base which is flexible allows for the base to take the force, and move with the ground while keeping the building stable. Because the building is on top of the base it is kept steady as the force comes from the ground and can’t impact the building as the flexible base works to counteract the shaking.

Building design:

A good building design can negate some of the effects of an earthquake, using cross braces amongst the the buildings main foundations help to distribute the force, these braces would be made in to triangles because they are proven to be good at this, it would also keep the building rigid is important and the use of triangles in the building would help to do this to distribute the forces evenly. Keeping the majority of the buildings weight at the bottom helps to keep the building from swaying and causing the building to collapse, keeping the top of the building lighter also helps to keep the building from swaying and producing an overwhelming horizontal force, which is how most buildings collapse, so by doing this the building will be less effected by a major earthquake.

This is our final design sketch. You can clearly see the triangles, and we decided to add in some cross bracing for extra support.

Outcomes:

• Our design was successful. It managed to withstand the force of the earthquake every time we tested it. A few pieces came loose, but the building remained upright every test. As we added more support, it become more structurally sound, with less pieces coming loose every test, until it consistently managed to survive the earthquake.
• I learned that it is better to build the original design, then alter it after primary testing. This is important because if you test your original design, you are able to identify possible weak points, and then reinforce them.
• I also learnt that light and inexpensive materials are sufficient to withstand an earthquake.

The main result was that our design was capable of surviving a catastrophic level earthquake. We managed to incorporate most of the design features that we researched, as well as remaining under budget. In addition, it also met all of the success criteria to be considered a successful design process, and build process.

This is a video of our building in action. As you can clearly see, all of the complex design features that we researched and implemented are working together to help the building to remain stable under the stress of the earthquake. Our building was 60 cm tall, and the base was 10cm x 10cm. I believe it was necessary to keep the base smaller in order to remain under budget. The cost of all of our cross bracing and added support added up fairly quickly.

Changes to the engineering process:

During the engineering process my group implemented changes as we were
making the building. I believe we should not have done this. If we had built our original
design first, then altered it after we tested it, we would have been able to
identify possible weak points. The video above was the final test that my group conducted. All of the design features are working together to ensure the structure’s stability.

As a group, we decided upon roles for each member of the group.

The first group member was the reporter. This person was tasked with ensuring that the final presentation was ready by the deadline.

The second member of my group was the speaker and project manager. For their role as the speaker, they were responsible for seeking help from the teacher, classmates or any outside expert opinions when necessary. In addition, to fulfil their role as the project manager meant they had to ensure that everyone understood the challenge, as well as keeping everyone on task.

My role in the group was the equipment manager. I had to ensure that all of the materials required for the task were readily available, and making sure that everyone helps to clean up after each session.

As the equipment manager, it was my responsibility to ensure that the materials were always nearby and readily available. I don’t think I did very good at this role, as I was absent for a lot of the project. However, when I was present, I ensured that I performed this role to the best of my ability.

I believe the project manager/speaker did exceptionally well at their role because we rarely got distracted, and we all understood all the parts of the assessment and knew what was required. In addition, whenever we were unsure about anything, they always went to our teacher, or other groups to look for assistance.

The reporter also did an outstanding job at their task. We always had the required questions completed to a high standard well before the estimated timeline said we should have it done.