POPSICLE STICK TOWER CHALLENGE
Identify the Need:
- In this project, we were assigned to build a tower using the following materials:
Research:
What are the three main types of towers and how do they differ?
- The three main types of towers are lattice towers, guyed towers and free standing towers. Lattice towers are supported by 3-4 legs that are interlocking with each other throughout the structure. It is a good option for a wind turbine tower. Example of lattice tower: Eiffel tower. Guyed towers are supported by wires that are attached to a center hole in the middle. They are usually ugly looking and consume a lot of space. Example of guyed tower: built for radio antennas. Free standing towers are towers with single mast and do not require any additional support. They need a deep foundation. Example of free-standing tower: wind turbines.
What are some constraints you must consider while building a tower?
- Some constraints to consider while building a tower are: weather conditions, types of materials, foundation type and stability.
What is the major cause of damage to a tower?
- The major cause of damage to a tower can be the forces that act upon it. The two types of forces are; static force which are caused by its own weight. The other type of weight is dynamic force which is caused by people, natural factors like wind or vehicles.
How can one create structural support for a tower?
- Structural support can be created for a tower by making a larger base because a larger base is more stable and does not topple over easily when compared to a smaller base.
What are some famous towers and challenges faced while building them?
- Some famous towers are Eiffel tower and the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The challenges faced while making the Leaning Tower of Pisa was that the foundation was not sturdy enough that led to it being tilted to one side. The design of the Eiffel tower struggled with the factor of wind.
How can you build your tower to withstand a heavy weight?
- I can build my tower which has a larger base and which has a lower center of gravity because these factors will help my structure to bear heavy weight and does not topple over easily.
Solutions:
- In this project, we were assigned to build a tower using the following materials:
- 60 Popsicle sticks
- Wood Glue
- Tape
Research:
What are the three main types of towers and how do they differ?
- The three main types of towers are lattice towers, guyed towers and free standing towers. Lattice towers are supported by 3-4 legs that are interlocking with each other throughout the structure. It is a good option for a wind turbine tower. Example of lattice tower: Eiffel tower. Guyed towers are supported by wires that are attached to a center hole in the middle. They are usually ugly looking and consume a lot of space. Example of guyed tower: built for radio antennas. Free standing towers are towers with single mast and do not require any additional support. They need a deep foundation. Example of free-standing tower: wind turbines.
What are some constraints you must consider while building a tower?
- Some constraints to consider while building a tower are: weather conditions, types of materials, foundation type and stability.
What is the major cause of damage to a tower?
- The major cause of damage to a tower can be the forces that act upon it. The two types of forces are; static force which are caused by its own weight. The other type of weight is dynamic force which is caused by people, natural factors like wind or vehicles.
How can one create structural support for a tower?
- Structural support can be created for a tower by making a larger base because a larger base is more stable and does not topple over easily when compared to a smaller base.
What are some famous towers and challenges faced while building them?
- Some famous towers are Eiffel tower and the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The challenges faced while making the Leaning Tower of Pisa was that the foundation was not sturdy enough that led to it being tilted to one side. The design of the Eiffel tower struggled with the factor of wind.
How can you build your tower to withstand a heavy weight?
- I can build my tower which has a larger base and which has a lower center of gravity because these factors will help my structure to bear heavy weight and does not topple over easily.
Solutions:
Chosen Solution:
Re-design:
Our tower performed very well and was able to fulfill the requirement of bearing the weight of 10 books. Our tower was strong enough and did not topple when the books were being placed on top of it. In order to redesign this tower, I think that the base should have been wider and stronger than it is now. I think that the box that is joining the upper row and the bottom row was quite weak. Therefore, our tower couldn't bear the weight of more than 10 books. Reflection: This project helped me a lot to learn about towers. I also learned about some significant techniques that need to be followed in order to build a tower. I enjoyed using Popsicle stick to build the tower. This project helped me to understand that the durability of a tower needs to be very high because it has to tolerate the weight of both its own and other vehicles and people on it. This information will help me in the future if I ever go in the architecture career. |
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