Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Abstract
This experiment was conducted to evaluate what building material is suitable for use in earthquake
prone areas. The testing was done using timber, bricks and concrete.
Hypothesis
Scientific Terms
Earthquake, lateral forces
Background
Common materials used for the construction of houses and buildings are stone, timber, brick and
concrete. The choice of materials used in construction may depend on the local weather conditions,
material availability, whether the building is located in an earthquake prone zone, and energy
Many densely populated cities around the world are now located in earthquake prone areas. The
outcome of an earthquake can be very devastating, especially when it occurs in a densely populated
city. An earthquake can cause loss of lives, injuries to people, the collapse of buildings, damaged
The use of un-reinforced bricks and concrete as building material in an earthquake prone area is very
unwise. Brick and concrete walls are not very strong and will collapse due to the lateral forces during
an earthquake. Both bricks and concrete are rigid and brittle, making them crack and break during
earthquakes. Wood and steel are more structurally stable during an earthquake. They are both ductile
and less likely to collapse during tremors.
Materials
- 1 concrete slab
- 6 bricks
- 1 ruler
- 1 small table
Procedure
1. For this experiment, the independent variable is the type of building material used – timber, brick
or concrete. The dependent variable is the amount of vibration absorbed by the building material. This
is determined by measuring the height of the waves which form inside the tray of water. The
constants (control variables) are the size of the tray, the depth of the water, the weight of the ball and
2. The experiment is set up as shown in figure 1 above. The string is used to tie the metal ball and
suspend it from the ceiling or from a coat hanger. The suspended metal ball should be able to swing
freely as shown.
3. The timber is placed on the small table. The length of the string is adjusted so that when the metal
ball swings towards the table, it will knock against the side of the timber as shown in figure 1.
4. The transparent tray is filled with water up to 2 cm deep. The tray is then placed on top of the
timber. Once the water is calm and settled, swing the metal ball and allow it to knock against the side
of the timber. Observe and record the height of the wave in the water during impact. Repeat the test
5. Procedures 3 and 4 are repeated using the bricks and the concrete slab. All the measured results
are recorded in the table given below.
Observation
It was observed that the impact of the metal ball on the timber wood produced the highest wave in
the water compared to the brick and concrete.
Test Attempt Height of water wave in tray upon impact (mm)
The chart below represents the results of our science project experiment:
Conclusion
The hypothesis that timber is suitable for use as building materials in earthquake prone areas, is
proven to be true. The wood allowed the vibration from the impact to "pass through" and reach the
water tray causing waves in the water. This means that less energy from the impact has been actually
absorbed by the wood. Conversely, less vibrations were "passed through" by the brick and concrete -
this means that they absorbed more energy from the impact and are hence more vulnerable to
Most of the devastations to buildings and homes that happen during an earthquake can be reduced by
using the proper building material, technique and foundations. Using the correct material can minimize
the damage and prevent building collapse during earthquakes. Having proper ground foundation with
base isolators can also help buildings to survive an earthquake.
Also consider
Try to repeat the experiment using different materials like steel and reinforced concrete.
The experiment can also be repeated by increasing the weight of the metal ball or adding base
isolators under the water tray.
References
http://raebear.net/writings/earthquake.html
The best building material for homes: timber, bricks, concrete or stone -
http://hubpages.com/hub/The-Best-Building-Materials-for-Home-Timber--Bricks--Concrete--or-Stone