Bcon report final
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1) The students were tasked with constructing a skeletal structure model to demonstrate their understanding of how structures withstand forces. 2) Through testing different designs and materials, they improved their initial design which failed at 30kg by adding inwardly bent columns and A-bracing to better distribute forces. 3) Their final optimized design supported over 100kg before failure, demonstrating their learning about structural engineering principles.
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Bcon report final
- 1. School Of Architecture, Building & Science Building Construction 2 (ARC 2513) Project 1: Understanding Forces in Skeletal Structure Prepared by: D a n i e l Ya p C h u n g K i a t 0 3 0 9 1 0 0 L o o G i a p S h e n g 0 3 1 0 3 9 0 C h r i s t i o d y 0 3 0 4 1 9 1 Te o K e a n H u i 0 3 1 0 1 6 5 G a n C h i n B o n g 0 3 1 3 7 3 2
- 2. Content Page Page Introduction 1 Design Process 2-3 Design Solution 4-5 Force Analysis 6-7 Model Constructed and Detail 8 Model Testing & Failure 9 Efficiency 9 Design Improvement 10-11 Conclusion 12
- 3. Introduction Architecture, not only consisting design concept, form and spatial quality but also the structure as it helps in constructing the architecture. As a successful architecture, structural strength of the architecture should be concerned during the design process. There are various types of supporting structure but skeletal structure construction are nowadays widely used in most of the architecture in the world as building support. Therefore, it is important for us as an architectural student to study how these skeletal structure works and influences the stability of an architecture. In this project, we are required to understand the skeletal structure and the components and how they work. In order to show our understanding, we were required to create a convincing structural model to show our understanding of how a structure works under a load.
- 4. Design process Design 1 Triangular core to distributes load could be a very strong structure. The triangular core was pre- stressed to oppose the load force (mechanism of spring). The triangular core was joined with a square base to maximize the base area of the structure. The tip of the triangular core are faced up and down respectively at each level to distribute the load force evenly. The weakness of the structure is the absence of vertical structure. Design 2 The theory of pre-stress was still applied in this model. The square base provides larger base area and better stability. The square base also provides maximum number of pre-stressed column. Zigzag bracing were used to support beams meanwhile cross bracing used to maintain the form and prevent the structure to be twisted. This design has its potential and with proper bracing, it can be a very strong structure.
- 5. Design 3 Squared base with 8 columns at each level produce a very strong structure. The columns are bended inwards a little to make sure it breaks inward. Therefore, there are square bracing inside to prevent the bended column from breaking. A-bracing is use for vertical bracing to support the beams and to prevent the square bracing inside from breaking. Each popsicles stick are supporting each other. This design distributes the load force to different direction so force becomes weaker and weaker.
- 6. Design solution Learn how is a building’s fundamental work. Besides, we also learn about pre-stretch method. Explore how to tie to thing two string together to get maximum outcome. Learn how much loads that one popsicle stick can handle. Double square diagonal base The square diagonal base give good impact and give maximum strength to the base as supporter. The double layer of popsicle on the base support and giving stability to the vertical structure where are going to place it on the base. The mechanism is the double layer of the popsicle stick will clip the vertical structure so it giving more balance and stability. The 4 pre-stretch column The 4 pre-stretch column is giving a lot of benefit in a way to handle the load. The 4 column also became the connector between the ground level to the next level.The mechanism is using 8 popsicle stick as the vertical structures which tied together as two per column with leaving gap in between the structure to give a space for the popsicle stick to stretch and support each other when the load force down from the top.
- 7. The balance slot in triangle bracing The triangle bracing is the usual bracing that the being used by construction as structure supporter nowadays. The slot in triangle bracing being bring into the skeletal structure. The slot in triangle bracing giving a lot of benefit and advantages. The center part is to help the triangle bracing keep stable. The mechanism is slot in the bracing that create a triangle shape that make the popsicle stick force each other and force it to the 4 pre-stretch column. the bracing we put it on 4 sided of the structures and it helps a lot on handle the load that force down to the structure. Consistency of tying the string Consistency is the most important thing on tying thing. For example this skeletal structure use string as connector if the consistency and the way of tying the string is not right so the structure and connection will decrease the strength and the stability of the structure. So for this skeletal structure the string tying has been set like the number of tying. The mechanism of tying system is the string come from all the sided and way with the same number of repetition with same loose-ness that given to every repetition.
- 8. Force Analysis The characteristics of a Popsicle stick is experiment and tested. We realized that it actually can be bent, so it has a tensile property and we have decided to make use of it. In order to create a strong tower, we need to make use of all the possibilities of Popsicle stick. The idea is to create a model with tensile strength and using it to withstand the heavy load force and transfer it to other direction rather than just acting downwards. Pre-bent – To lead the force to the direction where it bends when force is exerted. This is to predict the direction where the Popsicle stick breaks and from there, reinforce it. A straight vertical column is unpredictable where the direction it breaks. Therefore it is difficult to control the direction of force. A horizontal beam is placed at both ends to hold them firmly and preventing them from shaking.( Shown in diagram beside) Load Force
- 9. Another shorter pre-bent Popsicle stick is placed in between two pre-bent columns to carry the force transferred from the columns. By doing so, the originally weakest point of the column now separate the entire column into two, making it harder to bend. Just by adding a beam in the middle between two pre-bent columns significantly enhances the strength. The way it works is that the load force coming from top will compress the pre- bend columns. After a pre-bend beam is added in between the middle of two pre-bend columns, the heavy force transferred is reduced due to the tensile property countering the force. The reason of using a pre-bend beam is to make is easily bendable in its already bent position. This way it reduces the overall load force, like a spring. To further enhance it, an inverted ‘V’ shape bracing is used in all sides of the structure. Not only it shares the load by making use of the horizontal beam to transfer the load, it also prevents the whole structure to tilt to 1 side. Besides, it holds the shorter pre-bent beam from bending too much and break. The idea is to be able to reduce the load force and to direct the force experienced to all directions instead of just acting downwards. Load Load ForceForce
- 10. Model Constructed and Detailed After finish testing mock up model which only giving unsatisfied result which became challenging thing to find out the problem and solve it with the 4 method. After found out the problem, the 4 method that became our specialty and best method to construct the skeletal structure. 84 popsicle stick is the number to construct the skeletal structure. after counting the popsicle stick start to weighing the structure which the weight reach exactly 100 grams and the height of the tower also reach the requirement height or the minimum height that has been stated which is 30 cm. First Experimental Model
- 11. Model Testing & Failure The first testing is going smoothly. The structure handle 104 kilogram without cracking any of the popsicle stick or structure. Stop at 104 kilogram because out of loads at that time. After that, the lecturer require a test for submission. Unlucky the lecture only bring 40 kilogram load to the studio. After testing on studio the structure still can handle without cracking anything. So all of the group member doing the final test at gym which supply more loads. Then for the final test, the structure end up with satisfied result which can handle load more than 100 kilogram which exactly 108.75 kilogram. About the structure it’s not breaking the popsicle stick it’s only fall down because of the structure tilting at the moment and make the bracing all pop out from the place where it should be. Efficiency Efficiency = Height X Load_______________ Mass = _______________30.0 X 108.75 100 = 32.625
- 12. Design improvement Our initial design was to use pre-stressed column to execute opposite force from the load. We used 8 columns for every level and stressed the sticks (to create the mechanism of spring). Then we have zigzag bracing as our vertical bracing and cross bracing for horizontal bracing. The methods of both bracing are slotted-in. It gives us unsatisfied result. We used 66 sticks and it breaks at 30KG. We replay the mock up video to observe and analysis how and why the model were crushed. We then knew that our structure was not crushed directly vertical because the upper structure actually slide off aside causing the middle structure to gets imbalanced and it crushed downwards. We checked on the crushed structure and noticed that there weren't any broken stick. The major problems are not the structure is weak itself, it was the positioning and equilibrium that twisted the structure. The structure did not maximize its load endurance. The factor behind the structure failure were the inappropriate bracing applied and inconsistency of workmanship caused the structure to be tilted aside.
- 13. We got aware of the importance of workmanship therefore, we made up several systems and methods in model making to ensure every one using the same way. We then realised that the pre-stressed column are not as strong as pure vertical column so we changed our plan. We decided to stressed the stick a little inwards to force the stick to break inwards rather than using it as pre-stressed. This method ensured that if the column breaks, it would definitely break inwards. We then strengthen the inner side by adding bracing into the weakest point of the bended column which is the middle of the stick. Moreover, we improved our zigzag bracing to A-bracing. The A-bracing functioned as two; supporting the bracing of the bended column and to maintain the beam in its position. This method distributes the force from the load to many and different directions, minimizing the force each time it changes direction. We have improved from the theory of opposing its force to distributing load force to different directions.
- 14. Conclusion In the conclusion, a lots of experiences and understandings have been gain through this structural model making. Throughout this project, we have learnt how a skeletal structure works under loading. In order to maximize the load handled by a structure, several experiments have been carried out. We have tried different ways of bracing, different way of tithing method and also different types of structure. After been through these experiments, we have learnt that bracings are needed to strengthen the structure as they play an important role in maintain the original shape of the structure. Besides that, our creativity have also been aroused to create different kinds of structure and test them to their limit. This project have indirectly help us to realize that how an organic structure can possibly construct in different skeletal structure.