Assignment # 23 Name: _Langston Sholl______________________________ Period: ___7____________________________ Date: _2-12-13______________________________

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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 15 centimeters tall can withstand an earthquake, then the design strategy of anchoring (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__1_. 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 # _____ 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

7.9 17.5 12.5 16.2 17.5 24.0 13.0 14.0

5.1 6.5 6.0 2.8 6.5 6.5 6.0 6.5

0 4 5 0 8 3 1 0

no Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Rigid Flexible Flexible Rigid Flexible Flexible Flexible Flexible

6 15 15 15 15 15 15 15

9 10 11 12 13 14

6.5 19.5 9.5 14.5 6.4 15.2

2.5 6.8` 6.5 7.7 4.4 6.0

0 8 4 4 0 0

No No No No No Yes

Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes

Rigid Rigid Rigid Flexible Rigid Rigid

15 15 9 2 6 15

Observations: During the shaking our structure (the Porcupine) survived 6 seconds. The structure shifted 85% and lost 2 toothpicks during the shaking. 55% of the structure was destroyed.

Conclusion According to the textbook on page 204-205 base isolators, dampers, tension ties, sheer walls, flexible pipes, and cross bracing are good design strategies because they help reduce earthquake damage and create a way to seismic safe building. In this lab we tested design strategies that could help reduce injuries and death during an earthquake. I hypothesized that my structure of 15 centimeters tall could withstand an earthquake, then the design strategy of anchoring would be the most important factor in keeping it safe and minimizing damage. Over the course of 6 seconds my structure of 7.9 cm that used the strategy of anchoring, lasted 6 seconds and 2 toothpicks fell off. The structure tilted 90 and over 50% of the structure was destroyed. Out of the 14 structures, 10 of them survived the full 15 seconds of shaking. Six out of the seven (86%) that used the strategy of a flexible frame lasted the full fifteen seconds. Eight out of the eight structures used the strategy of anchoring, 100% of them survived the full fifteen seconds of shaking. In conclusion my hypothesis was correct. Anchoring was the most important factor in keeping the structures safe and minimizing damage during an earthquake.