Week 1 LOGBOOK Subject process • A brief introduction of subject • A 5-minute quiz 1)About materials 2)Basic structural forces 3)Load path • Mission: Mass Tower
Strength: To judge the material whether is strong or weak. eg: iron is strong, sponge is weak
Section 1 : About Material Main characteristics of materials: • Strength • Stiffness • Shape • Material behaviors • Economy • Sustainability
Stiffness： Stiff, flexible, stretchy or floppy. Compare with strength, stiffness is more detailed.
Shapeďźš Whether it is linear, 2dimensions or 3dimensions. Judge the material from outlook.
Section 2 : Structural Forces Force: Vector quantity has magnitude and direction. Basically
Material behaviors: isotropic or anisotropic Economy & sustainability: How much does the material cost ? How it can be sustainably used?
Section 3: Load Path Diagram The weight transfers the force follow the arrow`s direction.
Section 4: Mass Tower Mission: Build a tower by using small wood bricks, as tall as possible, leave a door for a toy dog.
The arch is too fragile, to prevent it been destroyed, we use several bricks and a rubber band make a beam to suffer the weight. In order to leave a door for the dog, we use the bricks to build an arch.
Because the tower should be as tall as possible, the base is very important, it should be stable. Therefore we set the bricks tightly together here. : The third part is established by using vertically standing bricks. This is an efficient way of extending height. This is the second part.
This is that beam. After settling down the base, we start to focus on the height. We use two bricks stick together as the second level`s sample. This little window is very interesting, we use four horizontal bricks and rubber band to make another beam to make this little window. This shows the stiffness of timber and it is isotropic.
Basic structural forces.
Mind map of Week 1`s studying
Team work mission: Mass tower
Week 2 LOGBOOK Subject process • Lecture`s content 1)Experiment of straws • A 5-minute quiz 1)About structural joints 2)Structural systems and forms 3)Construction systems 4)ESD and selecting materials • Mission: Use balsa wood to build a stable tower
This experiment aims to explore how to arrange the straws and the bowl to let it suffer most weight?
Section 1 : Lecture`s content
These are the materials used for the experiment, straws, a plastic bowl, a bag of stones, some pins and a weightometer.
Section 2: Structural joints
Restrict
Allow
Fixed joint
Vertical, horizontal, rotation
None
Pin joint
Vertical , horizontal
Rotation
Roller joint
Vertical
Horizontal, rotation
Fixed Joint
Pin Joint
Roller Joint
Section 3: Structural systems and forms Structural Systems •Solid •Surface •Skeletal •Membrane •Hybrid
Surface : 1) Planar structure
Sydney Opera House
Solid : 1) Frequently used in early buildings 2) Can be seen in arch 3) Compression is the main structural action.
A typical architecture of The Old Egypt.
Skeletal : 1) Frequently been used in modern buildings. 2) Very efficient way of transferring loads.
Membrane : 1) Less use in buildings. 2) Cover large surface efficiently and cheaply. 3) Always be used in sports day.
Typical skeletal structure
Sail
A collaboration of skeletal and membrane systems. The material here used for membrane frame is called ETFE. In this case, air is providing the structural integrity of the building.
Hybrid : 1) Most of the structures are hybrid nowadays. 2) Collaborations of several structures.
Section 4: Construction system Construction Systems •Enclosure system •Structural system •Service system
Construction system considerations •Performance requirement •Aesthetic qualities •Economic efficiencies •Environmental impacts
Section 5: Building tower by using balsa wood In order to build the tower as high as possible, we first cut the wood into several long pieces. Here, to prevent the weakness of the balsa wood we made a small notch each side of the piece, let them collaborate together to be more stable. We use three other pieces to make a triangle as the footing. Because we think triangle is the most stable shape. And use tape to stick every connection.
Just like this. And then we used the tape to stick this two parts together to prevent it breaks. This is the main structure our tower. We also use some pieces to rearrange the neighboring two beams, by using the notch method again
Structural systems
Mind map of Week 2`s studying Lecture`s straw experiment
Team work mission: Balsa wood tower
ESD and selecting materials