‘Out and About’
Timber Workshop and Case Study Site Visits
Constructing Environments Maxwell Bracher 636699
Timber Workshop
Group 2 - Max Bracher, Kate Moffat, and Pui Yee Chew
Materials: 1200 x 3.2 x 90mm Ply x 2 An elastic material, will deform to a significant degree before breaking. Plywood is made from a range of softwoods and hardwoods. Stable under temperature and moisture variation.
1200 x 42 x 18mm Pine x 2 Pine is a softwood. Strong in compression, especially parallel to the grain. Plainsawn - noticeable grain, tendency to twist and cup.
Constructing Environments Maxwell Bracher 636699
Tools: Carpenter’s Square x 1 Claw Hammer x 3 Hand saw x 1 Measuring tape x 1 Bench hook
Constructing Environments Maxwell Bracher 636699
Reading left to right:
Group 2 A hollow box form, with pine lengths placed on their shortest edge giving the beam its strength. Plywood forming the top and bottom edges of the beam. Secured with bullethead nails.
Group 1 Pine lengths placed on their sides, cross-braced with short pine lengths. One piece of plywood forms the top edge.
Group 3 One length of pine forms a central ‘spine’. Six pine ribs are secured with screws, together securing a piece of plywood to either side of the beam.
Constructing Environments Maxwell Bracher 636699
Reading anticlockwise from top:
Group 2 The beam, with pine lengths placed on edge, held its shape under moderate pressure. Despite hearing cracking, the beam remained strong. The first crack to emerge was directly underneath the pressure point, indicating weakness under tensile forces. The bullethead nails ‘popped’ easily.
Group 1 With little to support the bottom edge of the beam, it was a knot that caused the weakness for the beam to break. The crossbeams seemed to do little to strengthen the construction.
Group 3 With pressure applied directly to the narrow edges of the plywood, this beam demonstrated elasticity before the pine beam cracked and the plywood ‘tore’. The screws held for the entire duration of the test.
Constructing Environments Maxwell Bracher 636699
Span: “the extent from end to end or across” (Oxford Australian Student’s Dictionary, 2010, p. 862)
Cross section: “a diagram showing the internal structure of something as though it has been cut through.” (Oxford Australian Student’s Dictionary, 2010, p. 213)
Strength: “the quality of being strong: the intensity of this.” (Oxford Australian Student’s Dictionary, 2010, p. 891)
Strong: “having power of resistance to being broken, damaaged, or captured.” (Oxford Australian Student’s Dictionary, 2010, p. 893)
Compression: “(the act of) squeez(ing) together, to force into less space.” (Oxford Australian Student’s Dictionary, 2010, p. 182)
Tension: “the effect produced by forces pulling against each other.” (Oxford Australian Student’s Dictionary, 2010, p. 929-930)
Flexion: “bending, a bent state, especially of a joint or limb.” (Oxford Australian Student’s Dictionay, 2010, p. 339)
Shear: “a type of fracture or distortion produced by pressure, in which each successive layer slides over the next.” (Oxford Australian Student’s Dictionary, 2010, p. 826)
Deflection: “A variation in position or shape of a structure or structural element due to effects of loads or volume change, usually measured as a linear deviation from an established plane rather than an angular variation.” (Contractor School Online, 2013)
Buckling: “Collapse, in the form of a sudden sideways deflection, of a slender element subjected to compression; (Contractor School Online, 2013)
Constructing Environments Maxwell Bracher 636699
Easter Precinct Student Centre Link Narrow space, entry from raised plaza - difficulty in accessing site for contractors. Site previously sealed. Direct connection to existing exteriors means lack of structural components already existant. Connects the Eastern Resource Centre to Doug McDonell Building. Aesthetically similar to Frank Tate Outdoor Learning Space and New Oval Pavilion. Frame construction of fabricated steel and glass. Windows secured by steel minions. Varnished concrete floor. Frameless safety glass sliding doors.
Constructing Environments Maxwell Bracher 636699
MSLE Building Link Extremely narrow space, difficult for contactors to access. Built adjacent to a lush garden, little disturbance desired. Attached to an ageing structure in need of repair. Linking exisiting Melbourne School of Land and Environment Buildings. Overlooking Systems Garden and further onto heritage Zoology Building. Clad in 0.6mm steel, ribs provide strength. Frameless glass doors. Connected to exisiting building of double-brick construction.
Constructing Environments Maxwell Bracher 636699
Queen’s College Extension Extension to heritage building, must be senisitive to exisiting structure. As little diturbance to college campus as possible. Very small lot abutting an access road, little space to park vehicles. Extension to Queen’s College communal building. Visible from adjacent colleges, from Melbourne University Sports Precinct and Oval Pavilions. Precast reinforced concrete compressive structure. Concrete panels sealed with waterproof membrane. Use of glass blocks between exisiting structure and extension. Flat, corrugated iron roof.
Constructing Environments Maxwell Bracher 636699
Ormond Theology Centre Reception Facing busy College Crescent, access limitations to the site. Surrounded by College accommodation, noise and vibration must be kept at minimum. An extension to an existing heritage structure, need to be aware of structural condition of the building. In the grounds of Ormond College with close connection to St. Hilda’s College and near to Queen’s College. Also Houses a cafe and library. Compressive structure of glass brick and steel. Tensile facade of galvanised trench mesh. Aluminium window frames. Powder coated perforated mesh and pre-weathered copper upper storey.
Constructing Environments Maxwell Bracher 636699
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Constructing Environments Maxwell Bracher 636699
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REFERENCES
Construction Glossary 2013, [Homepage of National Contractors License Bureau], [Online]. Available: http://www. contractorschoolonline.com/Construction-Glossary.aspx [2013, 22/8]. Construction Types and Alternatives 2013, [Homepage of Building Centre], [Online]. Available: http://www.buildingcentre.com.au/ building-options/construction-types-and-alternatives [2013, 22/8]. Plywood 2013, [Homepage of Wood Solutions], [Online]. Available: http://www.woodsolutions.com.au/Wood-Product-Categories/ Plywood/ [2013, 22/8]. Structural Plywood and Stress Grades 2013, [Homepage of Timber Research Unit, Department of Architecture, University of Tasmania], [Online]. Available: http://oak.arch.utas.edu.au/tech/ Articles/Structural_products/118/118.html [2013, 22/8]. Oxford Australian Student’s Colour Dictionary, 2010, 4th edn, Oxford University Press, South Melbourne.
Constructing Environments Maxwell Bracher 636699