Week 2- Constructing Environments

Week 2 Lecture and e-learning The relation between nature and creating structures and structural systems This week it was discussed on how structures are designed and created based on several natural things.

- An example is how the structure of the plants helps in the construction of buildings.

-Like plants or trees which have a strong root to support its vertical structure, buildings must have a strong foundation at the bottom of the ground in order to have a stable structure when the building is built vertically

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It was also mentioned that compression and tension are used in mass construction

Examples of it that was given were, a tipi and Igloo - A tipi uses a frame that holds together using tensile strength. With a strong and stable frame, a canvas is able to cover the frame without the frame collapsing by the compressive force created by the cavas

- Igloo also uses a tensile and compressive structure to holds its shape when built - The compressive structure is from the ice bricks is compressed by the bricks that are arranged together around it. Furthermore, the tensile strength is from the joining together from the ice bricks which prevents the bricks from moving apart during a windy day.

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Referring back to natural structures. Majority of the natural structures also uses the compression and tensile structure This can be seen in the human body where the bones act as a compressive structure and the tendons acts as the tensile structure.

Tutorial During the readings and tutorial, a few structures were discussed. One of them is how to create a more strong structure added on compressive or tensile systems. It was then used in our group activity in which groups were given strips of basalt wood to create a tall structure. When creating our group structure we tried to incorporate the compressive and tensile system into it. To do this, -

Triangular frames were created to create the base and the elevating structure. Then strips of wood were joined on it to create its elevating structure.

Long strips of wood is use to elevate the structure

Triangular base

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To resist the compression from the load above and to strengthen the tension, we tried to brace our structure by joining other strips of wood in between the frame of the structure. To further strengthen the base of our structure, folded papers were joined into the frame creating a sheer panel to increase the tensile strength of the base preventing our structure form collapsing.

Folded paper acting as a sheer panel to strengthen the base

Bracing method to strengthen our structure