Assignment # Name: James Humphreys Period: 1 Date: 2/12/13

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Will My Building Withstand an Earthquake? Architect Frank Lloyd Wright was an innovator in designing buildings that could withstand earthquakes. For example, Wright designed the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, which withstood that citys severe 1923 earthquake with only minor damage. Many modern cities located in earthquake prone areas have enacted building codes designed to reduce damage to structures, thereby reducing the incidents of injury or death. Architects often go beyond these safety codes to ensure public safety. For example, the Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco is stronger than required by the citys building code. It also has features built into its base that are designed to dramatically reduce how much the building will sway during an earthquake.

Problem: What design strategies keep structures safe in an earthquake? Hypothesis: If my structure of 13 centimeters tall can withstand an earthquake, then the design strategy of anchoring will be the most important factor in keeping it safe and minimizing damage. Materials: 40 Toothpicks 5 mini marshmallows or 25 grams of clay Sheet of paper (to build structure on and put names and group number on) Procedure: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Make your hypothesis if you havent already done so. On the back or bottom of this sheet, sketch a plan how you and your partner are going to build your structure. How are you going to use the materials? Draw an example of your structure. Have the teacher check and sign off on your drawing. Before you start building get a group number 10. Once the teacher has given you your group number, you may start building your model. After you have finished making your model, fill out the data table for your group below. Place your model on the counter with a piece of paper underneath it and be sure your names and group number are on it. Collect data from all the other groups so that your data table is filled out. Results: Class Data Table for Period # _____ Group Height of Width of # of Anchored to Low # model base cross the paper (yes center of (centimeters) (centimeters) braces or no) gravity (majorit y of the mass is lower than halfway down (yes or no) Rigid (clay) or Flexible (marshmallow) (choose one) Time lasted on the shake table (seconds)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

9.7 19.5 9.5 11.0 10.8 13.1 11.0 7.0 10.0 13.4 cm

11.9 12 8.5 x 7 4.5 x 4.7 5.0 9.0 11.0 x 6 .5 5.0 8.5 6.2 X 5.5

1 0 1 6 3 0 0 0 0 0

No Yes No Yes Yes No No Yes No Yes

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes

Rigid Rigid Rigid Flexible Flexible Rigid Rigid Rigid Rigid Rigid

12 1 3 15 15 3 6 15 8 15

11 12 13

12.5 10.8

8.0 7.1

1 3

No No

Yes Yes

Rigid Rigid

Seconds 15 3

Observations Our model was secured to the paper very well, so it didnt fall off the table, even though it was right next to the edge. The earthquake shook the model, but no pieces fell off. It was the second tallest structure, and it lasted all 15 seconds of shaking. It was not a very good structure, but fortunately it survived the destructive elements of the shake table. It ended up winning it all. CONCLUSION According to the textbook on pages 204-205, buildings that are designed with anchoring, cross bracing, low-centers of gravity, wide bases, rigid frames, flexible frames, shear walls, tension ties, and dampers can help reduce injuries and death during an earthquake. These are very important, because for example, dampers work like the pistons on the trunk of your car; they slow down shaking and movement. In this lab we built structures with limited materials in the hope that it would withstand a simulated earthquake. We mapped designs, and then built them in a very restricted time period. We then clipped it to a shaking, earthquake-simulating table, and ran in for 15 seconds. If your design lasted 15 seconds without any toothpicks coming off, you have succeeded. The tallest structure that survives the table is the winner. I hypothesized that, If my structure of 13 centimeters tall could withstand an earthquake, then the design strategy of anchoring would be the most important factor in keeping it safe and minimizing damage. Over the course of 15 seconds my structure shook very little and 0 pieces fell off. The structure was 13.4 cm tall, the second tallest built. It did not seem to suffer much damage, and in the end emerged to be the tallest surviving structure. Five out of twelve designs survived the shake table for 15 seconds. 80% of the surviving structures were anchored to the paper. 60% of the surviving structures used a rigid frame. 40% used a flexible frame. In conclusion my hypothesis was correct. Anchoring was/were the most important factor in keeping the structures safe and minimizing damage during an earthquake.