This task aimed to create an earthquake-proof tower, using spaghetti and bluetack. We had limits on how much spaghetti we could use, and our tower had to be 60cm tall.

My group was myself, Roshini and Holly. We delegated different roles to each other.

• Holly – Equipment/project manager
• Sienna – Reporter
• Roshini – Speaker

We researched earthquake-proof buildings and decided which structure would be most suitable.

Cruciform structures (squares with a cross through the middle of them) were the structures that we believed would have an optimal result. The cross bracings provide the structure with stiffness by being integrated into the walls. Having a rigid or stiff structure is a common way of maintaining a stable building. The most important part of the cruciform technique is that it provides lateral rigidity. Bracings are a simple design and are easy to make and put together. Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, located in Dubai, was able to survive an earthquake in 2008, due to being built using this method.

We had a sturdy base/main structure, however, when we realised that our tower was under the measurement requirement, we had to add more. When we added more onto the top, it caused more structural problems and we spent a long time trying to balance our new structure and it was falling apart frequently. We eventually managed to finish our tower, but it was extremely unsuccessful and fell apart.

Our First Prototype

For our second prototype, we decided:

1. Not including the box at the top. We initially added this to add height, but it only caused more problems such as snapped spaghetti, uneven sides, and excessive use of blutack.

2. Make the sides longer. This added height and saved us time in the production process.

3. Using more triangles. Triangles are the strongest shape and hold our structure better.

This new prototype was very successful, holding up 250g worth of weight. It didn’t collapse and was very sturdy.

Our second prototype

Our group was extremely efficient. We were on track and communicated efficiently and assertively.

Holly was our project manager. She was very good at understanding the process of organizing the outcomes of the assessment in collaboration and could guide the team with a concrete, step-by-step approach to addressing the team’s needs. As a project manager, she showed strong leadership skills and problem-solving skills being able to dodge and reevaluate proceedings. She delegated roles based on our skills and had faith in our abilities to work together. Sienna was our reporter. Sienna is very organized and has a great sense of time management, taking note of how long it will take us to complete the task. She’s sensible and knew how to prioritise different stages of the project. She had reasonable time limits and is good at keeping us on track. Roshini was our speaker. She was an engaged and confident learner, who had faith in their abilities and was concise and authentic. She can speak clearly and voice her opinions very well. Her body language was very relaxed and she was very assertive in difficult situations.