Assignment # 23 Jackson Barry Science Period 7 February 12, 2013

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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 20 centimeters tall can withstand an earthquake, then the design strategy of a low center of gravity (cross bracing, using a wide base, anchoring, a low center of gravity, rigid frame, or flexible frame) 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 2. 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 # 7 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

7.8 17.5 12.5 16.2 17.5 24.0 13.0 14.0 6.5 19.5

5.1 6.5 6.0 2.8 6.5 6.5 6.0 6.5 2.5 6.8

0 4 5 0 8 3 1 0 0 8

No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Rigid Flexible Flexible Rigid Flexible Flexible Flexible Flexible Rigid Rigid

6 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15

11 12 13 14

9.5 14.5 6.4 15.2

6.5 7.7 4.4 6.0

4 4 0 0

No No No Yes

Yes Yes No Yes

Rigid Flexible Rigid Rigid

9 2 6 15

Observations: During the shaking, our 1 structure was stable enough to withstand the earthquake. The shaking lasted 15 seconds and 0 toothpicks fell off of our structure. Our structure was anchored down to the paper and did not move 1 centimeter during the severe shaking. Our building remained intact throughout the 15 second shaking and did not fall over 1. Conclusion: According to the textbook on page 204-205 base isolators, tension ties, shear walls, dampers, flexible pipes, and cross braces are good design strategies because it creates seismic-safe buildings. In this lab, we were using design strategies that keep structures safe in an earthquake. I hypothesized that if my structure of 20 centimeters tall could withstand an earthquake, then the design strategy of a low center of gravity would be the most important factor in keeping it safe and minimizing damage. Over the course of 15 seconds, my structure fell over 0 degrees and lost 0% of its toothpicks. Only 77% of the low center of gravity buildings made it through the 15 seconds of shaking. Of the 7 flexible buildings, 86% of them withstood the 15 seconds of shaking. One hundred percent of the buildings that were anchored down made it through the 15 seconds of shaking. In conclusion, my hypothesis was incorrect. Although low center of gravity was successful, anchoring was the most important factor in keeping the structures safe and minimizing damage during an earthquake.