Studio Report Week 1 - Activity: ‘Compression’ Aim: To build a tower as high as possible using the least amount of materials. The structure needs to be stable and be able to accommodate the toy provided. Intended outcomes: to understand the nature and behavior of modular mass construction and how loads are transferred in compression structures. Material: Wood blocks: all of the same size. Light weighted, strong in both tension and compression. toy animal: approximately 12cm high, 15cm in length and only 4cm in width. Process: Planning: 1. Plan: think about the scale of the building 2. Block – laying technique. Horizontal: less subject of lactic force, more stable. 3. Symmetrical if possible: loads transferred evenly to the ground 4. Shape of tower: Hollow cylinder, cuboid, trapezoid?
Building Process We chose to build in a hollow cylinder shape without considering much of the outcomes because we thought it would be more stable if it’s build in circle.
Laying technique: We chose the first one because it’s more stable.
Carefully building up
Load transferring
Arch and its load transferring
We tried to slowly close as it built up to reduce the amount of materials being used. Inconsistency in layering is shown in the picture due to the perimeter change.
Results from other groups
Stability test passed
Carefully taking out some blocks from the building. Observation: the bottom part of the model, including the arch become more stable as we slowly build up due to the raising loads on top of it.
Reflection: 1. Considering the outline of the animal, it would be more material efficient to adopt an oval shape instead of circle for our construction in order to make the house as close to the shape of the animal as possible. 2. We need to improve our time management and make decisions more quickly. The Tower could have been much taller.
Learning Loop Pre-learning
Different loads on buildings Static Loads -
Dead loads Settlement loads Ground pressure Water pressure
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Thermal stresses Live loads Occupancy loads Snow loads
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Rain loads Impact loads
Dynamic Loads
Wind loads Earthquake loads What is force? Different forces and how to calculate them. Tension and compression forces How design is transformed to build forms: time lapse Different nature of materials: strength, stiffness, shape, material behaviors and economy and sustainability. Melbourne Bluestone: How natural environment inform the cultural environment of the city of Melbourne Load path: consider how loads and forces are transferred through structures. In order for the structure to be stable, the forces must be stable on both sides. Introduction to the importance of passive design and why is it important to consider the context for a building to be considered successful. What to include in a site analysis Soils: course-grained and finegrained. Soil mechanics: the strength of soil and embankment Topography and how to build on them Plant materials and their application Passive solar design and shading Daylighting Precipitation and site drainage Wind and windows Sound and view Zoning ordinance and regulations
in bringing comfort to our living environment Solar radiation and orientation of houses in different regions
Site access and circulations Building on slopes and retaining walls Paving What to include in the site plan
Studio
Started by giving an introduction to the course and the materials that we need to obtain for the following weeks.
Weekly quizzes 01 Discussion of the weekly quizzes Activity: ‘Compression’: Build a tower as high as possible using the least amount of material and must be able to accommodate toy provided Planning → recording while construction → stability test → deconstruction -
Studio Report Week 2 - Activity: ‘FRAME’ Aim: construct a bridge that span across the table with a distance of 1.5meter using the limited materials provided. Intended outcomes: “to understand the nature and behavior of frame construction and how loads are transferred in frame structures and to appreciate the importance of structural joints” Materials: One sheet of craft wood: easy to cut, strong in compression and weak in tension. Easy to break when too long. Main material to the construction. Size: 600*150*8mm Stanley knife Pins: used to create joints. Maybe used as a truss. Glue: very strong, but rather useless when applied on a small scale. Sticky taps: can be used to strengthen the joints Match: can possibly be used as the truss Process: Planning & brainstorming: 1. Structure like this will undergo a very strong tension at the bottom. It is not allowed the use the support underneath.
2. Possible structures
Sections
3.
Joints
4. We have decided to adopt the triangular structure with truss supporting the structure. The reason why we chose this is because did a brief calculations of the wood sheet and found that we need at least 9 pieces of wood stick for the bridge, without taking into account of the materials for truss. In addition, triangle is a very strong shape.
Building Process
Cut the sheet into sticks of the same size as illustrated previously in 600*7*8mm. We tried to tie the sticks together using just the stick tap and glue but it was too fragile. So we created a fixed joint using the matches: put two matches on each side of the beam and tie the whole structure together using just the tap. The glue is not very usable when applied on a small scale.
When done connecting the joints. Use the pin joint system to connect two beams together. We replace the complete truss systems with a simpler one because we were running out of time.
Build the other side the triangle.
We left it like that because we were running out of time. Reflection: Other group’s work
The structure is rather weak, especially in the middle of the beam.
This is a rather fragile structure. The truss is not help to hold up the bridge, so the strength of its weight is completely relying on the joints.
Another possibility is we can build a simpler structure like this:
Overall we are quite satisfied with the result and design.
Learning Loop Pre-learning
Structural systems: solid, shell/surface, skeletal, membrane: efficient in tension and hybrid structure. Different systems within built environment: Enclosure systems, structural systems, service systems Considerations: performance requirements, aesthetic qualities, economic efficiencies and environmental impact. – structure labors Regulations Afford abilities The importance of environmental system design and selecting materials: building envelope as third skin Considerations: embodied energy, life cycle, stages, recyclability, carbon footprint Common ESD strategies: local materials, material efficiency, thermal mass, night air purging, solar energy, wind energy, cross ventilation, smart sun design, insulation and water harvesting. Structural joints: roller joints, pin joints in truss system, fixed joints (complex)
Ching: the building
Studio
Weekly quizzes Introduction to health and safety requirements on site Activities
Studio Report Week 2 - Activity: ‘CAMPUS LAB 1’ Aim: Guided tour around campus in studio groups Intended outcomes: “to introduce the concept of built scale and to identify the basic structural systems, construction systems and materials of Pavilion Case Study building and variety of other buildings on campus.” Lots 6 café Frame system Reinforced concrete system
Underground carpark & South Lawn Drainage pipe inside the columns to drain the trees and grass Concrete poured on site The structure act as hyperbolic arch: compressive force to hold more force than frame system
Lawn and trees on the top
Arts West Student Centre Steel structure Truss system
Stairs on west end of Union House All force carried by cable Base under so the structure won’t move Rigid joint Compressive strength Act as arch North Court Union House Storm water system Crossing each other: authenticity Certain length to achieve the tension
Beaurepaire Centre Pool Steel frame Portal frame Can’t use portal
Concrete frame system Envelope wrapped around the building Pre-fabicate concrete system, not pour on site Overhang-secondary steel
Oval Pavilion Frame system Stairs – mass construction system Absorb movement Moisture trap inside drawn out
Old Geology South Lecture Theatre Entry Structure Brick veneer system just façade Frame construction Steel take the load
New Melbourne School of Design under construction – from various sides
Frank Tate Pavilion Steel system Cantilever
Vertical force downwards
holding
the
beam
Learning Loop Pre-learning
Masonry construction – vertical Barcelona pavilion_Mies: panel/slab structure elements Strut and Tie Walls Footings and foundations. Columns/piers Substructures. Horizontal and curved spanning Foundations and settlement elements Shallow and deep foundations Beams/lintels Mass materials: Arches Spanning/enclosing elements Stone: slabs, ashlar blocks, rubble stone Vaults Earth: mud bricks Domes Size of standard brick Clay: bricks, honeycomb blocks Concrete: blocks, commons Brick provenance: extruded and wire-cut, machine molded (pressed) and handmade (convict-made) Using brick: stretcher course, header course, brick-on-edge course and soldier course Brick joints: raked, ironed, weather struck and flush Brick properties: Hardness – medium-high, can be scratched with a metallic object Fragility – medium – can be broken with trowel Ductility – very low ductility Flexibility/plasticity – very low flexibility and plasticity Porosity/permeability – medium-low. Becomes soaked only if placed in prolonged contact with water Density – medium. Approximately 2-2.5 more dense than water Conductivity – poor conductors of heat and electricity Durability/life span Reusability/recyclability Sustainability and carbon footprint Cost Clay bricks considerations. The advantages and disadvantages of the permeability of the bricks. What is concrete block and its properties Stones types: igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic Basic structural calculations
Studio
Quiz Tour around campus
Glossary Beam is a structural element that is capable of withstanding load primarily by resisting bending. Bond the pattern or arrangement of the units Brick is rectangular block of baked clay used as building material. Bricks are usually red or brown in color. Compression: A compression force produces the opposite effect of a tension force. When an external load pushes on a structural member, the particles of the material compact together. Compression forces result in the shortening of the material.
Course a horizontal row of masonry units Distributed load is a load distributed evenly over the entire length of a structural member or the surface of a floor or roof, expressed in weight per length or weight per area. Flutter: the rapid oscillations of a flexible cable or membrane structure caused by the aerodynamic effects of wind. Force is any influence that produces a change in the shape or movement of a body. (Ching 2.11) Joint is the way units are connected to each other Different types of joints Roller joints, pin joints in truss system, fixed joints (complex)
Load Path is the direction in which each consecutive load will pass through connected members. The sequence commences at the highest point of the structure working all the way down to the footing system, ultimately transferring the total load of the structure to the foundation. Reaction force is a force acts against action force, and is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to it. Masonry is the building of structures from individual units laid in and bound together by mortar; can also refer to the units themselves. The common materials of masonry construction are brick, stone, marble‌etc Mortar is a workable paste used to bind
building blocks such as stones, bricks and concrete masonry units together, fill and seal the irregular gaps between them. Mixture of cement or lime, sand and water used as a bonding agent Point Load is a point where a bearing or structural weight is intense and transferred to the foundation even though it is usually not applied at a sharp point, expressed in weight per length or weight per area. Scale: The ratio of a distance on the map to the corresponding distance on the ground. To represent larger elements in smaller or larger format and for practical reasons. Static Loads are assured to be applied slowly to a structure until it reaches its peak value without fluctuating rapidly in magnitude or position. Under static load, a structure responds slowly and its deformation reaches a peak when the static force is maximum. (Ching 2.08) Tension: When an external load pulls on a structural member, the particles composing the material move apart and undergo tension. Tension forces stretch and elongate the material. The amount of elongation depends on the stiffness of the material, cross sectional area, and the magnitude of the load.
Bibliography https://www.dlsweb.rmit.edu.au/toolbox/buildright/content/bcgbc4010a/01_loads_loading/ 01_primary_loads/page_008.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masonry Merriam-Webster dictionary http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beam_(structure) Ching http://www.dictionaryofconstruction.com/definition/distributed-load.html http://www.photo-dictionary.com/photofiles/list/9841/13352masonry_brick.jpg