Team: 75
School: Sarracino Mid
Area of Science: Civil engineering
Interim: Angry Boards
The Study of Structural Integrity
School Name: Sarracino Middle School
Team Number: 75
Team Members: Andrew Moellenbrock, Adam Sedillo, Obadiah Torres
Sponsoring Teacher: Theresa Apodaca, Lauri Capps
Project Mentor(s): Amy Knowles, Alexander Benson
Area of Science: Engineering/Civil
The Problem
How can we model the structural integrity of buildings, and determine their strengths and weaknesses?
The Solution
We will use Netlogo to create a modifiable program that will test different building configurations and materials to find their weaknesses. We will throw objects at the buildings (skateboards) in order to test how the buildings react to projectiles.
Progress in computer knowledge
We learned to use Netlogo at the kickoff. With our mentor we made a ssh key. The ssh key allows us to be able to get on computers without passcodes. A ssh key is a computational program which allows people to say that the system is trusted and not need a passcode.
Web Research
According to Dr. Steve Roberts of the University of Oxford, “Structural engineering encompasses the building of large structures or pieces of equipment, and structural integrity largely refers to those objects' soundness of design and construction, including safety and workability.â€
We researched four building materials. Stucco, Plywood and OSB, Cinder block, and Brick. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses. According to Wade Shaddy, who specializes in home improvement and architectural millwork stated that, plywood is among the strongest of all building materials. The strength is a result of individual grain layers placed perpendicular to each other bonded with glue under high pressure in the manufacturing process. According to the DIY experts of The Family Handyman Magazine, Osb is a substitute for plywood. It is very strong and less expensive. It is more used in houses than plywood.
Stucco is used to build houses. Old stucco is more durable due to its chemical compound. New stucco doesn’t have the durability that the old stucco did.
According to an article written G.D. Palmer, cinder block can’t hold too much weight it’ll crumble or crack. Cinder block can’t be in a environment that can be hot one day and then really cold and freeze or else the cinder block can crack. The cinder block gets kicked or punched constantly it may crack or get damaged.
Both concrete block and brick masonry are strong, fire-resistant, insect-proof building materials.
Brick and block are both relatively strong materials, but their strength in a wall is affected by the type and quality of mortar holding them together. According to the Masonry Advisory Council all concrete blocks must have a minimum compressive strength of 1900 pounds per square inch. Many dense blocks are stronger than this. According to Mechanical Properties of Unreinforced Brick Masonry, the average concrete block can withstand 3500 psi, while the average clay brick can withstand 3000 psi. High-cement mortars can withstand up to 2500 psi, while mortars high in lime are weaker, and may be able to stand only about 350 psi.
Predictions
After our research we are predicting which material is going to hold up the longest. Cinder Block: We think that the walls will hold up at most 17 throws before it will fall and break to pieces. Plywood; We think that plywood would hold about 21 throws before it breaks. Brick: We think that brick would hold about 29 throws before it cracks Stucco: We think that stucco will hold around the same as cinder block (18) before it falls.
Cites
https://homeguides.sfgate.com/plywood-strengths-99591.html
https://www.familyhandyman.com/garden-structures/oriented-strand-board-vs-plywood/view-all/
https://www.hunker.com/13401175/concrete-block-vs-brick
https://www.ccaco.com/blog/a-quick-summary-of-the-evolution-of-stucco
https://careertrend.com/about-6510702-define-structural-integrity.html
Team Members:
Andrew Moellenbrock
Elizabeth Moellenbrock
Sponsoring Teacher: Theresa Apodaca