Assignment # Name: Parker Hanley Period: 7 Date: 2-13-2013

www.inhabitant.com/image

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 24 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___. 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. Class Data Table for Period # _____ Group # Height of model (centimeters) Width of base (centimeters) # of cross braces Anchored to the paper (yes or no) Low center of gravity (majority of the mass is lower Rigid (clay) or Flexible (marshmallow) (choose one) Time lasted on the shake table (seconds) Results:

than halfway down (yes or no)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

7.9 17.5 12.5 16.2 17.5 24 13 14 6.5 19.5 9.5 14.5 6.4 15.2

5.1 6.5 6.0 2.8 6.5 6 6.0 6.5 2.5 6.5 6.5 7.7 4.4 6.0

0 4 5 0 8 3 1 0 0 8 4 4 0 0

No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes No Yes

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes

Rigid Flexible Flexible Rigid Flexible Flexible Flexible Flexible Rigid Rigid Rigid Flexible Rigid Rigid

6 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 9 2 6 15

Observations: After 15 seconds of shaking, our 24-centimeter structure withstood the 7.1 shake test. 0 toothpicks fell of and it also leaned 0 centimeters. Conclusion: According to the textbook on page 204-205 dampers, base isolators, flexible pipes, cross braces, tension ties, and sheer walls are good strategies because it creates seismic safe buildings. In this lab we figured out which design strategies keep structures safe in an earthquake. I hypothesized that If my structure of 24 centimeters tall can withstand an earthquake, then the design strategy of cross bracing, anchoring, low center of gravity, and flexible frame will be the most important factor in keeping it safe and minimizing damage. Over the course of 15 seconds my structure lost 0 toothpicks and it leaned 0 centimeters. Seventy one percent of the structures withstood tension t the whole 15 seconds. Fifty percent of the structures were flexible that lasted the whole 15 seconds. In conclusion my hypothesis was correct. Anchoring was the most important factor in keeping the structures safe and minimizing damage during an earthquake. Our design compared with other designs in the class because we built it very tall and the marshmallows hardened so that made the structure stronger.