Constructing Environments ENVS10003 A01- Logbook Semester 2 2014 Week 1- Introduction to Construction For this week’s studio activity, we were required to build a tower. We decided to build a tower with circular shape. The reason why we decided to choose circular shape is that earlier in the studio, we learnt that if the columns are in square and circular shape, it is going to remain more stable than other shapes. So, our design is to build a circular based structural tower with bricks which are very close to each other to ensure the stability of the tower. For the bottom layers, we built it like the photo shown. We decided to build more than one rows in order to make it more stable and not easy to fall down.
More than one rows in the bottom can ensure the tower is always in a stable state even it became higher and with more bricks. Our structure is quite alike the brick veneer structure. Our tower is kind of like a staircase and our intention is to reduce the possibility of falling. Since we used columns, if the columns are deeper, then the possibility of falling is less. One important thing that we notice is that when the tower gets higher, it will not as stable as now, so what we do is carefully distributed the load to ensure it is stable. Considering the load path, the load will spread to the bottom and the base of the tower due to the shape of the tower. When the forces and pressure
adapted by the top blocks, it will follow the load path and apply to the blocks in the bottom. The bottom layers with many bricks can help support the top bricks to ensure it stands all the time.
The graph above shows how the bricks interact with each other and support each other. Since we have to make a door or an opening space for the dinosaur inside the tower, another problem that we consider is that how to make an open space but not to affect the stability of the tower. In order to achieve this, we increase the distances between each bricks and change the structure into the photo shown below to create a door.
As the the photo shown above, since we left an open space, it is harder to build higher and keep it stable. So we decide to put the bricks into different directions in order to fill the gap that is leave for the opening spaces. Since the requirement is to build the highest tower in the class, so we try to put some blocks straight on the top blocks without any structures just to increase the height of the tower. But unluckily it did not work. It is not stable and keep fall off from the tower so we finally gave up on that.
We used the brick veneer structure to build up the base and the main body of the tower like the photo shown above. As a conclusion, the process of building this tower is depends on how forces applied to the blocks and how tension and compression adapted in the blocks. The photo is shown below shows the load path of this brick structure when forces apply on them.
Learning Loop Materials: 1. Strength (e.g. Steel: strong in both tension and compression). 2. Stiffness (e.g. Concrete: stiff). 3. Shape : Mono-dimensional (Linear) Bio-dimensional (Planar) Tri- dimensional (Volumetric) 4. Behaviors: Isotropic OR Anisotropic Basic Structural Forces: 1. Tension: Stretch and elongate the material. Depends on the stiffness of the materials, cross sectional area and the magnitude of the load. 2. Compression: Shortening of the materials. When compression applies to the materials, the particles of the material compact together). Load: 1. Dead Load (e.g. Settlement Load, Thermal stresses, Ground Pressure). 2. Static Load (e.g. Live Load, Impact Load, Occupancy Load ect). 3.Dynamic Load (e.g. Earthquake Load, Wind Load ect).
The Static Load is shown above.
The photo shown above is the Dynamic Load.
Glossary Load Path: a representation of load most direct route down towards the ground. In order to have a stable structural, the forces must equal in the load path. Masonry: stone, brick, concrete or the concrete block and other similar materials or units. They are normally bonded together with mortar to build a wall.
Compression: forces when external load pushes structure the buildings materials particular compact together. Reaction Force: is a force acting on the opposite direction. (Action force is a force acting on one direction).
References: Ching, F. (2008). Building Constructed Illustrated (4th Edition). Hoboken, New Jersey : John Wiley and Sons. Texture Stone Walls, Masonry, 2014. Retrieved from http://2.bp.blogspot.com/wcMuYV9VxbA/U0nKpelmIHI/AAAAAAAABNU/Ef8YDFJeKFc/s1600/ Seamless-MASONRY--STONE-WALLS-%2316.jpg