YOUR CHALLENGE Design a structure that can survive an earthquake—then put it to the test! MATERIALS Structure (per person) • 20–30 wooden or plastic coffee stirrers (5–6 in long, or about 14 cm) •¼ lb (100+ grams) modeling clay (about half the size of a fist); non-hardening Plasticine ® preferred • manila file folder or thin piece of cardboard (8½ x 11 in or A4), as the base of your structure • ruler Shake Table •2 pieces sturdy cardboard (about 8½ x 11 in or A4) • 2 thick rubber bands • 2 tennis balls • 2 large binder clips • ruler or paint stirrer to make a handle • masking tape ÞFE THE NîD Hundreds of millions of people live in places around the world where earthquakes are common. Most of the destruction earthquakes cause is the result of collapsing structures, like skyscrapers, hospitals, and bridges. That’s why earthquake engineering is so important. By designing buildings and other structures that can withstand the violent shaking of an earthquake, engineers save lives. BRASTORM & ÞSIGN Using coffee stirrers and clay, can you design a structure that’s stable and sturdy enough to survive an earthquake’s vibrations? It must be at least 8 inches tall. Sketch your ideas on a piece of paper. BUILD Build your structure directly on top of the file folder, fixing the base of it to the surface of the folder. Use the ruler to make sure it’s the minimum height. Build a shake table, which is a device engineers use to simulate the back-and-forth shaking of an earthquake. 1.Wrap the rubber bands around the width of both pieces of cardboard. Space them about 4 inches apart. SEISMIC SKE-UP! About 90% of all earthquakes take place along the Ring of Fire—a zone stretching around the rim of the Pacific Ocean. pbskids.org/Þsignsquad For more grt activities: R I N G O F F I R E PAcIfIc OceAn CENGE SHîT
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YOUR CHALLENGEDesign a structure that can survive an earthquake—then put it to the test! MATERIALS
DEFINE THE NEED Hundredsofmillionsofpeopleliveinplacesaroundtheworldwhereearthquakesarecommon.Mostofthedestructionearthquakescauseistheresultofcollapsingstructures,likeskyscrapers,hospitals,andbridges.That’swhyearthquakeengineeringissoimportant.Bydesigningbuildingsandotherstructuresthatcanwithstandtheviolentshakingofanearthquake,engineerssavelives.
BRAINSTORM & DESIGN Usingcoffeestirrersandclay,canyoudesignastructurethat’sstableandsturdyenoughtosurviveanearthquake’svibrations?Itmustbeat least 8 inches tall. Sketchyourideasonapieceofpaper.
BUILDBuild your structuredirectlyontopofthefilefolder,fixingthebaseofittothesurfaceofthefolder.Usetherulertomakesureit’stheminimumheight.
Build a shake table,whichisadeviceengineersusetosimulatetheback-and-forthshakingofanearthquake.
ENGINEERING AND INVENTION IN ACTION TokyoSkyTreeisthetallesttowerintheworld(634m;2,080ft).It’salsolocatedrightintheheartofanearthquakezone.Soitsengineersandarchitectsneededtobuildatowerwiththelatestanti-earthquaketechnology.Onewaytheydidthiswasbystandingthetoweronatriangular,pyramid-shapedbase.Anotherwasbyincludingmassivedampers—shockabsorbersthatcushionthebuildingduringanearthquake.InMarch2011,whilestillunderconstruction,thetowerwasputtothetestwhenatremendous9.0-magnitudeearthquakestruckTokyo.SkyTree’searthquake-resistantfeaturesworkedbeautifully—therewasnostructuraldamageandnoneoftheconstructionworkerscaughtinthebuildingduringthequakewereinjured.
Problem-Solving Tips
DESIGN SQUAD GLOBAL is produced by WGBH Boston
MAJOR FUNDING PROJECT FUNDING
Major Funding is provided by the National Science Foundation. Project funding is provided by The Lemelson Foundation.
The DESIGN SQUAD GLOBAL material is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DRL: 1422236. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
Major Funding is provided by the National Science Foundation. Project funding is provided by The Lemelson Foundation.
The DESIGN SQUAD GLOBAL material is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DRL: 1422236. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
YOUR CHALLENGEDesign a structure that can survive an earthquake—then put it to the test! FOR SMALL GROUPS
OR A LARGE EVENTThis activity works with small and large groups. It can be done in as little as 15 minutes, uses low-cost materials, and appeals to younger and older kids.
Inthisactivity,kids(1)thinkabouttheneedforearthquake-resistantstructures around the world, (2) determine what it takes to make a structurethat’sstrongandsturdyenoughtowithstandanearthquake,and (3) test the structure they’ve built on a shake table, a device engineersusetosimulatetheshakingofanearthquake.
1. PREPARE AHEAD OF TIME •Readtheseleadernotesandthechallengesheet.
Sometimesmoderateearthquakescauselotsofdestruction;othertimesamassiveearthquakecausesonlyminordamage—itdependsonwhetherthebuildingsintheearthquakezonearewelldesigned.That’swhyearthquakeengineeringissoimportant.Whilewecan’tcontrolearthquakes,wecan build better structures that can survive the violent seismic shaking. Engineersallovertheworldareinventingnewwaystodesignskyscrapers,hospitals,schools,andbridgesthatcanwithstandearthquakes—savinglivesandpreventingbillionsofdollarsindamage.Butearthquake-safebuildingsareexpensive—manypoorercountriesdon’thavethefinancialresourcestobuild them.
•Tellkids:You’re going to build structures that can survive an earthquake. How will you know if your building is sturdy and safe? You’ll test it, the same way engineers do, using a shake table. Demonstratehowtheshaketableworks.Tellthem:It makes the same back-and-forth motion as an earthquake. Engineers use large shake tables to test out models of the structures they want to build.
3. BRAINSTORM & deSIGNShowkidsthecoffeestirrersandclayandaskthemtothinkabouthowtheycould use these materials to build a structure. Tell them it has to be at least 8 inches tall.Ask:How will you make a sturdy frame that won’t collapse when you shake it? Sketch your ideas on a piece of paper.
Ifkidsrunintoproblems,ratherthanofferingthemsolutionsrightaway,encourage them to think about why their structures are unstable, and ways they can add more support.
WHAt if KIDS’ structureS . . . •tipover?Havethemfocusonbuildingasturdybasebeforeaddingheighttotheirstructure.Awide,firmlyanchoredbaseworksbest.Makesureeachpartofthebaseisconnected to one or more other parts.
•collapse? In general, the more triangles kids use to build, the stronger their structures will be. Triangles are stronger thanrectanglesandsquaresbecauseallthreesidesofthetrianglecarrysomeoftheload(weight).
•wobble? The taller the structure, the more likely it is to wobble. Have kids check that all parts are securely fastenedtogetherorsuggesttheyaddcross-bracesforevenmorestability.Addingdiagonalsupportsthatreachfromonecornerofasquaretotheotherturnsthesquareintotriangles, making it a stronger shape.
SEISMIC SHAKE-UP!
LEAdeR NOTES
CONTINUED
DESIGN SQUAD GLOBAL is produced by WGBH Boston
MAJOR FUNDING PROJECT FUNDING
Major Funding is provided by the National Science Foundation. Project funding is provided by The Lemelson Foundation.
The DESIGN SQUAD GLOBAL material is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DRL: 1422236. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
Major Funding is provided by the National Science Foundation. Project funding is provided by The Lemelson Foundation.
The DESIGN SQUAD GLOBAL material is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DRL: 1422236. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
6. EVALUATE & REDESIGN Ifkids’structureswobbled,swayed,tippedover,orcollapsed,it’stimetoredesign.Iftheirstructuresheldupwellontheshaketable,challenge them to build an even taller structure!
7. DISCUSS WHAT HAPPENEDHave kids talk about their designs and how they solved any problems that came up.
