WEEK 06 ACTIVITY: ‘STRUCTURAL CONCEPTS’

Description of activity

The activity this week is to model the structural elements that construct the

connection part of MSLE building. This activity is to help deeply understanding the

structure in the three dimensional way.

Process

We decided to make a

1:100 model. At first,

we used tracing paper

to trace down the plan

which is 1:100 of the

part we focused on so

that we can make a

model base on the

tracing.

Concrete Slab

Load-bearing wall

B2 - PFC

B1 - UB

Lintel

At this stage, the main primary structural elements, concrete slab and

load-bearing walls, are built using cardboard. The secondary structural elements

are UB (universal beam), PFC (parallel flange channel) and lintel.They are all

built by Balsa wood. In order to distinguish the them clearly, PFC parts are

coloured by blue pen and lintel parts are coloured by red pen.

The two photos above analyse the model from different angles. The picture on the left

shows that the universal beams actually go through the load-bearing wall and fixed

joints are established to make the cantilever more stable. The photo on the right focus

on the footing of the building. It is obvious that the footings are strip footings which

spread the load into the soil. Since the soil quality are good, the footings do not go

really further down in the ground which form the shallow foundation.

There are some secondary structures in the cantilever using materials like timbers to

reinforce the stable of the structure. However, the detailed drawing of this part do not

exist in the drawings we have so we do not know how they construct to connect each

other. Basically, they form a net to bear the load.

Strip Footing

B1 - UB

Concrete Slab

Load-bearing wall

B2 - PFC

Load-bearing wall

Concrete Slab

B2 - PFC

B1 - UB

Lintel

Purlins

Bracing beam

(roof level)

In this photo, roof

structures are added.

Bracing beams and

purlins are the main

structure elements that

compose the roof

level. Bracing beams

are used to reinforce

the spaning between

the two walls whereas

purlins are used to

reinforce the roof.

Purlins

Bracing beam

(roof level)

B1 - UB

Existing Roof

Lintel

It is clearer in the picture above

that purlins lie above the

bracing beams. They are both

made of Balsa in this model. In

order to differentiate them, the

bracing beams are coloured by

black pen.

The existing roof is covered on

the purlins as the finishes part.

The load-bearing wall on the

other side was not made but

similar concept to the

load-bearing wall on this side.

Reflection

Before actually making the model, all the information is gained from the

working drawings. Although the working drawings provide many general

and detailed ideas of the building, how things are connected and work are

more comprehensive when it comes to the making process. It promotes

we to think about how the cantilever actual attach to the load-bearing wall

and what kinds of joints are used in every connection.

LOAD PATH

Thess pictures show the load path in different angles.