WEEK 1
Introduction to Construction!
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In the first studio, we are told to use little wooden blocks (MDF blocks) to build a tower, and the aim is to build the tower as tall and loadable as we can. !
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Hoi Yin Ho, 662109. Tutorial 9.
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We chose to make a cylindrical tower because we wanted to avoid the uneven distribution of blocks as we across the corner part. We also thought that with a cylindrical shape, the surface area of the tower will be smaller than a squared-off tower hence we can use less blocks and time to finish. (Figure c.)!
We did not make an opening of the tower by removing blocks after than tower is built, instead, we saved place for the opening from the start.!
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First step, we chose to make a circular base for our tower by arrange the blocks as shown. (Figure a. and figure b.)!
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We changed the direction of the blocks vertically as shown in the above photo to frame the door.! Figure c.
Figure a.
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Figure d.
As shown in Figure b. and Figure d., the arrangement of the blocks allows the loading forces to transmit to the ground directly and holds the building. The red arrows represent the load path and the green arrows represent the reaction force.!
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When we continued to build up the tower, the gaps between blocks are getting uneven and the arrangement shown in figure d. can not be maintained. As we want to keep the gaps between blocks even, we started to arrange the blocks vertically in the layers where we want to create greater gaps.! !
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We chose to make a circular shape with a comparatively wide diameter because we thought this could make the tower more stable.!
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! Hoi Yin Ho, 662109. Tutorial 9.
Figure b.
WEEK 1 ! !
Once the arch is closed, we build up a few more layers to resume the gaps in between blocks. Then we decided to cave in and hope that we can enclose the tower with a roof.!
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Hoi Yin Ho, 662109. Tutorial 9.
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Figure f.
Figure e.
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The closing of the arch was nerve cracking but successful. As pointed in figure e by, from the point where the arch started to close, we were being very careful and each layer only moved out a little bit to prevent over loading. The load is successfully transmitted onto the ground.! !
Figure g. The layer on top is moved in a little bit (shown as the blue arrow). Whole role of blocks are moved in a little bit layer by layer.!
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Figure h.
When we decided to curve in and speed up the building, things started to go wrong. As shown in figure h., as there were four of us building and its very hard to keep everyone on the same page, the circular shape started to deform. Blocks were even placed in different direction like the purple arrow pointed out/.!
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Hoi Yin Ho, 662109. Tutorial 9.
WEEK 1
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This is the final look of our building. As you can see, the tower is slanted as we all moved in layers in different extent and at different time. The arrangement of blocks throughout the tower are not organised and uniform.!
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In the last 10 minutes, we ran out of blocks and we got some from the other groups. We tried to change the arrangement of the blocks to aim for a better height. We tried to stood up blocks as shown in figure i. and j.!
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Figure i.
Figure j.
With this arrangement, the tower can gain height very quickly but it looked very unstable. The connecting point to between blocks are not big enough (pink circles in figure i.). Therefore, a slight movement will cause the whole structure to fall apart when blocks are disconnected. It is very hard to evenly build it neatly when we are in a hurry. There was also not enough blocks for us to build sufficient layers to create enough compression force of the structure to be stable. So, we gave up the height.!
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Hoi Yin Ho, 662109. Tutorial 9.
WEEK 1
! At the end, we still managed to build the tower than can loaded the most weight in our studio. Unfortunately, no pictures can be take before the tower fell down.!
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The teacher loaded a box of blocks and her whole body weight to test the loading. Our tower can probably load at least 60kg.!
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Hoi Yin Ho, 662109. Tutorial 9.
! When load is added onto the tower and rotate, the place where started to have layers with vertically placed blocks broken and there was the first hole (area 1), Then, a larger part of the tower is broken down, it was the place where the whole tower started to cave in. With collision, the blocks moved a lot and the structure is loosen. The blocks no longer support each other and fell off.!
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The force applied to the tower to make it collapse is similar to earthquake load. !
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Comparing with other groups’ tower (those on the right column), the tall buildings could not bare weight while the shorter ones are more capable. For all the buildings, when a crucial block around the middle section is
pulled out, the whole building collapses.!
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Hoi Yin Ho, 662109. Tutorial 9.
WEEK 1
Learning Loop!
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Structural Forces:!
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Hoi Yin Ho, 662109. Tutorial 9.
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Loads:!
a. Tension! -stretch and elongate materials! -across a surface area! -pulling particles apart! b. Compression! -opposite of tension, but can exist at the same time! -compressing particles together!
Static loads:! -applied slowly, structure response slowly! a.dead load(eg. self-weight of the structure)! b.live loads(eg. snow/rain)! c.occupancy loads(eg. human, furniture)! d.settlement load! e.ground pressure! f.thermal load! g.impact load!
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Key Factors of choosing Materials:! a.Strength! b.Stiffness! c.Shape! d.Material behaviours! e.Economy(cost effective or not?)! f. Sustainability! (Newton, 2014)
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Dynamic loads:! -applied suddenly,rapid change in magnitude and application point, structure responds with inertial force! a.wind! b.earthquake ! (Ching, 2008)
Hoi Yin Ho, 662109. Tutorial 9.
WEEK 1
Glossary!
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Load Path! -the direction of each consecutive load will pass through connected structural members.! (Build Right)!
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Masonry! -work constructed by a mason using units like stone, brick, concrete.! (Ching, 2008)!
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Compression! -increase in pressure/reduce volume! (World English Dictionary)!
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Reaction Force! -According to Newton’s third law, forces come in pairs, they are equal in size and opposite in direction.! (The Physical Classroom)!
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Point Load! -large and concentrated load are transmitted downward onto a relatively small ‘point’(area) on a beam.! (desk.com)!
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Beam! -rigid structural members that are loaded transversely to support other element.! (Chings, 2008)!
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Hoi Yin Ho, 662109. Tutorial 9.
Hoi Yin Ho, 662109. Tutorial 9.
WEEK 1
Hoi Yin Ho, 662109. Tutorial 9.
Reference!
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Build Right, (n.d.). BCGBC4010A-Structural Principles: Primary Loads. Retrieved from! <https://www.dlsweb.rmit.edu.au/toolbox/buildright/content/bcgbc4010a/01_loads_loading/ 01_primary_loads/page_008.htm>!
! Ching, F. D. K.. (2008). Building construction Illustrated, 5th ed., John Wiley & Sons, INC.! !
decks.com (n.d). Understanding Point Loads (Beam to Beam Framing). Retrieved from ! <http://www.decks.com/deckbuilding/Understanding_Point_Loads_(Beam_to_Beam_Framing)>!
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Newton, C. (2014). Introduction to Materials, available at! <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4CJ8o_lJbg&feature=youtu.be>, accessed on 31st July.!
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The Physical Classroom, (n.d). Newton’s Laws-Lesson 4-Newton’s Third Law of Motion: Identifying Action and Reaction Force Pairs. Retrieved from! <http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/newtlaws/Lesson-4/Identifying-Action-and-Reaction-Force-Pairs>!
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Hoi Yin Ho, 662109. Tutorial 9.