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