Index ~~ Background ~~ Purpose ~~ Hypothesis ~~ Materials ~~ Earthquake Machine ~~ Modifications: Overlapping - Height - Buttresses - Base Isolators - Cross Braces - Roofs ~~  Resistant Buildings ~~ Problems ~~ Further Experimentation ~~ Bibliography

BUILDING HEIGHT AND STABILITY

PROCEDURE

 The effect of  building height on stability was tested by making cubic, overlapped buildings of three, six and nine layers of blocks. The handles of the earthquake machine were pulled back to the line then let go. When the machine had stopped shaking, the handles were pulled again and again until the building collapsed. Each pull of the machine was timed to last two seconds. Three trials were done. At the end of each trial, the building was rebuilt. The data for each trial was recorded.

CONCLUSION

The more layers of blocks the building had, the more stable they were. The nine layer building was 113% more stable than the three layer building. This may be because the nine layer building weighed more and the more weight something has, the more energy it takes to move it. The weight of the top blocks would also make it harder for the blocks on the bottom of the building to move.

Click here

to go BACK to

INDEX

Click here

to go BACK to

OVERLAPPING

Click here

to go to the

TOP of the PAGE

Click here to go to NEXT:

BUTTRESSES