Assignment # 7

Name: Andrew Cunningham

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 17 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.

Make your hypothesis if you havent already done so.

2.

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.

3.

Have the teacher check and sign off on your drawing. Before you start building get a
group number 5

4.

Once the teacher has given you your group number, you may start building your model.

5.

After you have finished making your model, fill out the data table for your group
below.

6.

Place your model on the counter with a piece of paper underneath it and are sure your
names and group number are on it.

7.

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 Low
#
model
base
cross to the
center of
(centimeters) (centimeters) braces paper
gravity
(yes or
(majority
no)
of the
mass is
lower
than

Rigid (clay) or
Flexible
(marshmallow)
(choose one)

Time
lasted on
the
shake
table
(seconds)

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
12.5
17.5
24.0
13.0
14.0
6.5
19.5
9.5
14.5
6.4
15.2

5.1
6.5
6.0
2.8
6.5
6.5
6.0
6.5
2.5
6.8
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
NO
NO
NO
YES

Yes
Yes
YEs
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes

Rigid
Flexible
Rigid
Flexible
Flexable
Flexable
Flexable
Flexable
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
Flexable
Rigid
Rigid

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

Observations:

My model lasted 15 seconds and 0 toothpicks fell of. My model moved 0%. Our
structure was 17.5 centimeters tall and6.5 centimeters wide, we had 8 cross braces
which helped our structure stay standing.
Conclusion:
6 out of the 7 flexible models survived the 15 seconds earthquake. Anchoring seems
to be the main thing that helps a sculpture stay upright during a 15 second
earthquake, if you anchored you made it. 8 out of the 8 that anchored made it.
How did your design compare with other designs in the class?
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Conclusion
According to the textbook on page 204-205 cross braces, dampers, flexible
pipes, shear walls, tension ties, and base isolators are good design strategies because
reduce earthquake damage and creates a seismic-safe building. In this lab we were
using design strategies that keep structures safe during an earthquake. I
hypothesized that my structure of 17 centimeters tall and 6.5 centimeters wide could
withstand an earthquake that was 15 seconds long, then the design strategy of
anchoring would be the most important factor in keeping it safe and minimizing
damage. Over the course of 15 seconds, my structure survived the whole 15
seconds. My structure tilted 0% and 0 toothpicks fell of it. Eighty six percent of the
structures using flexibility survived the whole fifteen seconds. Eighty percent of the
structures that used anchoring lasted the fifteen seconds. In conclusion my
hypothesis was correct. Anchoring was the most important factor in keeping the
structures safe and minimizing damage during an earthquake.