Building & Construction System(E-learning & Reading Modules) -A system can be defined as an assembly of interrelated or interdependent parts forming a more complex and unified whole and serving a common purpose. -A building can be understood to be the physical embodiment of a number of systems and subsystems that must necessarily be related,coordinated and integrated with each other as well as with the three dimensional form and spatial organization of the building as a whole. Examples of systems in a building: Structural System: -Superstructure is the vertical extension of a building above the foundation. -Substructure is the underlying structure forming the foundation of the building. -Columns,beams and loadbearing walls support floor and roof structures.
Enclosure System: -The roof and exterior walls shelter interior spaces from inclement weather and control moisture,heat and air flow through the layering of construction assemblies. -Exterior walls and roofs also dampen noise and provide security and privacy for occupants of a building. -Doors provide physical access. -Windows provide access to light and air and views. -Interior walls and partitions subdivide the interior of building into spatial units.
Mechanical System(services): -Water and supply system provides potable water for human consumption and sanitation. -The sewage disposal system removes fluid waste and organic matter from a building. -Heating,ventilating and air conditioning systems condition the interior spaces of a building for the environmental comfort of the occupants. -Electrical system controls,meters and protects the electric power supply to a building,and distributes it in a safe manner for power,lighting,security and communication systems. -Vertical transportation systems carry people and goods from one level to another in medium and high rise buildings. -Fire fighting systems detect and extinguish fires. -Structure may also require waste disposal and recycling systems.
Studio 2 Activity:Frame Our task for this studio sessions is to build a bridge to span across a 1500mm gap using only a piece of balsa and glue provided.My group started off by cutting the piece of balsa into six 60cm long,thin strips of balsa wood.Each group is given the chance to choose between a superglue,cellophane tape,pins or blu tack as the equipment to connect the balsa strips.
Since our group chose the tape as our equipment,we then decided to use the cellophane tape to increase the strength and stability of the balsa strips by taping around each balsa pieces.However,the flexibility of the balsa strips remain the same as the tape does not affect the flexibility of the wood.
3 strips of balsa wood(each with a length of 60 cm) were then taped together to form a long structure that was able to bridge the 1500mm gap.Two of these structures were produced which act as the foundation of the bridge.Each of this structure has a length of about 160 cm.
Our orginal design for the bridge was supposed to be an ‘X’ shaped bridge with both the 160cm long structures overlapping one another.However,due to the extra weight gained from the tape around each balsa strip,this tructure was not able to support itself without any interference from us.
After discovering that the bridge wasn’t able to support itself,we decided to change the structure and concept into a more stable structuure.Extra pieces of balsa wood were borrowed from other group and were used to attach the two 160cm long balsa strips in a vertical postion together.
It was then the time to test out every group’s bridges by placing blocks of wood on a piece of balsa supported by the group bridges.The strength and stability of the bridge were determined by the total number of blocks it can withstand before the bridge actually collapses.
Load path diagram on my group’s bridge
As my group’s bridge can only accommodate 6 wooden blocks before it collapses,it was the turn to test the group’s bridge that was structurally connected using a superglue.This bridge structure can accommodate more blocks before it actually collapses however this bridge broke into half when load it can withstand was at its maximum.
critical point-bridge was unable to withstand the weight of the load and the joint breaks as it is too rigid when maximum force was applied.
The next bridge was the bridge structure that was structurally connected by pins.The design of this bridge is similar to the one that was connected by superglue however,this bridge has greater flexibility than that.On the other hand,this bridge can only withstand fewer blocks as compared to the other group’s bridge as it collapses after taking the weight of 5 blocks.
The last bridge structure to be tested was the bridge that was connected using blu tack.This group had applied the ‘truss’ design as the main structural form for their bridge which was the most stable and was able to support the most blocks among the others as the load of the blocks was equally distributed through the triangular units of the truss structure.This prouduces the most stable load path diagram through the joints and in the structure itself.
The main reason for the failure of our bridge was the twisting of the bridge when the amount of load(blocks) that were placed on it increases.Eventhough the strength of the bridge was reinforced by tape,the flexibility remains the same which allows the twisting of the bridge to occur.Another test was carried out on our bridge after all 4 tests were completed and that was 2 of our members were asked to hold and support each end of the bridge and to calculate the amount of blocks the bridge can actually support before the piece of balsa falls to the ground.Our bridge was able to support a total of 63 blocks of wood without actually breaking however the twisting of the structures cause the balsa piece to slip off from the support of the bridge.