Climate Graphs

This should have been up ages ago...

Okay so I know this was suppose to be up ages ago...

But here it is now:

Aim: To determine which type of structural design and building would better withstand the effects of an earthquake.

Hypothesis: The structure design that has a base isolator will withstand the most pressure until extremely high levels of strain from the earthquake.

Independent variable: The structural designs of the different buildings being tested

Dependent variable: The time taken for the different model buildings to collapse

Constants: The motion the earthquake simulator creates, The material used to build the buildings and The placement of each building on the earthquake simulator

I'm back!

Hi again!

I conducted some research measuring earthquakes, buildings and building designs and earthquake proof methods...

and here's what i gathered:

To determine the strength and location of an earthquake, scientists use a seismograph. A seismograph is a machine that has little sensors called seismometers. These detect the shakings of the ground that are sometimes very far away. They can detect movements as little as a billionth of a meter. Scientists called seismologists measure the ground movement in three directions: up-down, north-south, and east-west. The record of a wave is called a seismogram.

The intensity of an earthquake is usually measured on a 12-point scale called the Modified Mercalli Scale. The magnitude of an earthquake is measured on the Richter’s scale. This is a measure of the strength of its source, or focus. On this scale, every increase of one number means that the earthquake has 32 times more energy released by the quake.

To design structures that can withstand earthquakes, engineers must understand the stresses caused by shaking. Building designs are very important and designers need to understand how to "fool proof" the city in case of an earthquake. It is vital to protect buildings and work towards a building design that is almost earthquake 'proof'. Two extremely important principles exist when constructing a building; flexibility of the buildings and the ductility of them.

The building must not be too rigid or it will collapse during an earthquake. It must also be durable enough to cope with earthquake pressures. That is why concrete, which is brittle, is embedded with steel bars.

Architects and engineers have also developed several building types. They include base isolation, cross bracing, shear core and shear wall buildings. A base isolator is put at the base of a building between the foundation and the actual building. The base isolator is made from layers of steel and synthetic rubber. The base isolator absorbs some of the vibrations. Cross bracing has braces in each side and on each level, which forms a cross. This reinforces the walls of a building. Shear core buildings have a square core in the middle that runs from top to bottom. Shear walls are made out of concrete with steel beams through them. This helps to resist the rocking that an earthquake has.

Flexible framework also helps the building to sway. Flexible framework is better than stiff framework because it will just bend in the shaking of an earthquake. If the building has stiff framework then it would break and the building would collapse.

okay, so i have completed my full research, now i start building! Yay!