WEEK 2 - FRAME CHALLENGE Aim: The challenge present to us involved our groups constructing the tallest tower Materials: possible using the balsa wood, super glue and masking tape - Balsa Wood 1000x450x4mm - Superglue
- Cutting Matt - Masking Tape
- Stanley Knife
Our initial idea was to construct a square based tower, which would utilise triangles in order to for the structure to stay stable from the base to the peak. However, we had realised that we would not have enough pieces to create the tallest tower possible, as this was the challenge presented. However, we felt that a triangular shpae would provide adequate strength and not put to waste any piece used. However, as our pieces were not long enough, we felt that the base needed extra suppot and weight in ensuring that it wouldn’t topple over
We struggled to adequately create the centralised connection, therefore we chose to utilise the masking tape, which had been floating around the room.
The vertical beams seem to work well in relying on the interlocking joints we used in the centre. * note that they were quite solid in structure and could sustain themselves as we discovered that they were actually glued to the ground.
The next layer was much harder to achieve. The glue was quite difficult to work with. However, after some stabalisation with masking tape.
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With our last remaining pieces we decided to taper the structure to a point. We utilised the tape to hold our structure together.
The last section of our tower we chose to create a point, which would allow no dead weight to be hanging outside the structure and forcing it to topple over.
Some of our major shortcomings with the structure were the centre joints. The centre joints utilised inverted triangles however the middle, section was quite weak during weight testing. This had only been evident during the weight testing which was not part of the initial aim.
It was an evident throughout the class that the reinforcement using triangular geometric shapes helped sustain a stronger structure.
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