Nicholas Johan (698579)
Constructing Environments
Logbook
Newton, C. (2014). W01s1 Load Path Diagrams [Youtube video]. Australia. Retrieved from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y__V15j3IX4&feature=youtu.be
WEEK 1, 9/3/14
STUDIO
As a group, we were given an activity which deals with compression, as we
were tasked with building a stable tower as high as possible using pieces of
medium density fibre board. We also needed an opening that allows a toy
dinosaur to enter without collapsing the tower in the process.
This activity deals with compression force as we only stacked blocks of
medium density fibre on top of one another which meant that the blocks
push and exert force to one another, which led to the particles of the blocks
to compact together and hold each other in place.
We decided that we wanted a circular
base from which we wanted to build
up higher in a way that it eventually
closes, like a pyramid structure.
First, we established the circular base.
The space in the middle was bigger
than we needed to allow the toy
dinosaur to fully enter the tower. While
it gave potential for a taller and more
stable tower, it definitely made it more
time consuming to build up and
increase the height of the tower.
As we reached sufficient height to
allow the toy dinosaur to enter the
tower, we build an arch to close the
opening.
By using this structure, we were able
to gradually make the space for the
opening narrower as it increased in
height, and eventually for it to close.
Arrows
representing
forces
acting on
the blocks
*All photographs taken by myself, taken 7/3/14
Week 1, 9/3/14
STUDIO
As the tower became taller we noticed that one side of
the tower might collapse and cave in the middle, so we
added blocks on the outer side of the tower to ensure to
ensure that the weight is balanced.
Even though we didn’t have enough time to close the top
of the tower, we still accomplished in making a tower that
is tall and stable, as well as having an opening that allows
the toy dinosaur to enter without collapsing the whole
tower, as the design task required us to do.
Some of the other groups were tasked with a similar task in that they were required to
create a tower as well, but in this case, the opening must be created at the end by taking
blocks out from the structure. While everyone thought that this was going to be harder
than the task we did, in the end we found that as blocks of the tower were taken out and
pushed through, the tower did not collapse. This was due to the structure of the tower that
the blocks were not stacked directly on top of each other, but instead two blocks would
be stacked on the left and right side of the block which meant that using compression
force, the blocks were able to hold each other in place.
GLOSSARY
WEEK 1:
Beam: Long sturdy piece of squared timber or metal used in house building1
Compression Force: When an external load pushes on a structural member, the particles of the
material compact together; Compression results in the shortening of the
material2
Force: Any influence that produces a change in the shape or movement of a body. It is
considered to be a vector quantity possessing both magnitude and direction. 3
Load Path: Considers how loads and forces are transferred through structures4
Masonry: Stonework5
Reaction Force: “A force that always exists in pair with action force, and is equal in magnitude
and opposite in direction to it.” 6
Tension Force: Tension force is when an external load pulls on a structural member, the
particles composing the material move apart and undergo tension; it stretches
and elongates materials. 7
1 Australian Oxford Pocket Dictionary (6th Edition). (2007). Oxford, UK:
Oxford University Press. P. 82 2 Newton, C. (2014). Basic Structural Forces. Slide 4 Retrieved from
https://app.lms.unimelb.edu.au/bbcswebdav/courses/ENVS10003_2014_SM1/W
EEK%2001/Basic%20Structural%20Forces%201.pdf 3 Newton, C. (2014). Basic Structural Forces. Slide 2. Retrieved from
https://app.lms.unimelb.edu.au/bbcswebdav/courses/ENVS10003_2014_SM1/W
EEK%2001/Basic%20Structural%20Forces%201.pdf 4 Newton, C. (2014). Weekly Guide, W01Flipped Classroom. Retrieved from
https://issuu.com/envs10003/docs/week_01_guide/2?e=8943534/6989973 5 Australian Oxford Pocket Dictionary (6th Edition). (2007). Oxford, UK:
Oxford University Press. P. 648. 6 Physics homework help. (2013, January 21). Reactrion Force. Retrieved from
http://physicshomeworkhelp.blog.com/2013/01/21/reaction-force/ 7 Newton, C. (2014). Basic Structural Forces. Slide 3 Retrieved from
https://app.lms.unimelb.edu.au/bbcswebdav/courses/ENVS10003_2014_SM1/W
EEK%2001/Basic%20Structural%20Forces%201.pdf
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