Weeks 1-3 - Studio Journal

constructing environments

Our group decided to use brick layered approach, like many conventional buildings. We eventually realised that although this method was durable and strong, it was also rigid and stiff, due to the density of the blocks, and consumed a lot of materials in the construction of it.

Our initial plan for the archway was a dramatic taper with support beams to support the extreme taper. Whilst doing so (right photo), we realised that in order to support the taper, support beam would need to be continuously placed whenever a block was tapered, thus leaving no room for the plastic animal to enter. Therefore we quickly changed methods for the construction of the archway.

We then decided to taper the archway without the support beams. We held down the tapered block wby putting blocks on top of them, essentially creating tension to hold them in place. However, we tapered the left side of the archway too much, resulting in the archway tilting to right and not being straight. Because of the tilting, we found that the two sides of the archway could not be joined due to its instability and made a support beam through the middle of the archway.

Using the method of stacking shown in the sketch to the right, we built a support beam to fix the tilting archway. However, due to the uneven tapering of the archway on both sides, it meant that the top was not perfectly straight. Therefore when the two sides of the archway was joined together using the support beam, there were many block that were slanted (shown in the picture above).

WEEK 1 - STUDIO JOURNAL


Due to the archway being very big, we found that the tower became superficially large, and combined with the big block density consumed many blocks. The sketch above showed the floor plan of the tower. It is evident that the tower was indeed too large for its purpose as the plastic animal could have still fit if the base of the tower was half its size.

Because of the brick approach that was used, the density of the blocks were extremely high and therefore we had trouble fitting the blocks neatly due to the semi-circle shape. This meant that we had to put some blocks vertical instead of horizontal, as shown in the sketch above. This lead to some blocks protuding and the structure being unaesthetic. Also, the high density of the blocks made it hard to follow the semi-circle shape.

Combination or an archway that is uneven on both sides generated from uneven tapering, high block density, high material consumption, uneven block orientation, skewed shape and the tower being superficially large all resulting in an uneven and unaesthetic tower which was not high at all. However due to the high density of blocks, the tower was very durable and strong, albeit rigid and stiff.


constructing environments constructing environments

The other group made a successful structure. It is important to note that the taller a structure gets, the more it is subjected to sway. This group countered the sway effect by having a high block density at the bottom for a strong base, and then varing the block patterns as the tower progresses upwards. The transition in block patterns can be seen in the close up photo below, where the block density is lowered. Also, as the tower began to taper in to close the structure, the centre of gravity is off put (right photo) and would eventually make the structure topple. Knowing this, the group made the blocks taper inwards very vgradually, allowing for the tension between the block to prevent it from falling.

This was a tower built by another group. Because of the high block density, the base was very structurally sound. Additionally, the sway effect was also countered by using a different block pattern. Because the structure does not taper inwards, the centre of gravity will always be on the block and will never be off put. This makes the structure quite strong and able to withstand a lot of weight, as seen in the photo above.

Refering to the sketch on the right, when there is a low block density, the block on top will bend due to the stress created by gravity. The more bending in the block decreases the strength of the tower.



Buttress:noun.A structure, usually brick or stone, built against a wall for support or reinforcement.- Oxford Dictionary

The top two images show the application of buttresses. The left image shows the buttress projecting from a wall while the right image portrays the buttress being beuilt against a wall. The buttresses in both images serves to reinforce and support the wall.

Buttresses are faily common in ancient buildings, which typically do not have adequate bracing. Because of this, the roof structures on these building generate sideways forces that the walls cannot withstand by itself, hence why buttresses are needed.

The sketch above shows the physics and the forces behind a typical wall buttress. The arch/roof structure generates downwards lateral forces, The buttress produces resistance force

that pushes the the structure inwards. The flying buttress acts very much like the wall buttress, however uses less construction materials.

References1. iStockPhoto c. 2011, Buttress supporting an ancient building, viewed 5 August 2013, < http://images.yourdictionary.com/buttress >2. Brashear, N. 2011, Flying Buttress, Blogspot, viewed 5 August 2013, < http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0HHiL1pFqlw/TjivZut4LFI/AAAAAAAAACA/bnXlXGohcAg/s320/FlyingButtressND.jpg >

CONSTRUCTION GLOSSARY


Our first plan was to use a triangular base with balsa wood columns tapering in towards a point. The columns were made first because if we made the structure layer-by-layer, we would not know the angle the tapering should be. Five balsa columns for each edge of the base were glued and arranged to overlay on each other to ensure there was enough glue to securely holed the columns together.

We quickly realised that without any support or bracing, the tall columns would bend and ultimately snap or topple the structure. Therefore we glued triangular supports to keep the columns in the direction of tapering in towards each other. The triangular supports were placed after every two balsa wood lengths. The supports acted to take some of the gravitational force of the structure to put less strain of the columns. The supports progressively became smaller as the tower got taller.

After the columns were tapered in and the triangular supports were put in place, we found that the structure was still bending from the downwards force, as seen in the photo above. More bracing had to be put in place.




In order to relieve the stress on the columns, we placed supports diagonally from column to column. This kept consistent to the triangular pattern of the structure. We found that some columns were bending more than others, so diagonal beams were used to transfer some of the stress from one column to another, as seen in the left sketch. After this was done, the columns did not bend, shown in the photo below.Less stress

More stress

To further increase the height of tower, we glued two sticks of balsa wood on the top. The two sticks were connected by a short stick of balsa to keep it in place, as shown in sketch above. After a while, the two columns on the top started bending and eventually snapped from too much stress placed on the column. The columns had reached the maximum amount of weight it could handle and buckled.

Another group chose to make the structure layer by layer. Because of this, the tapering was really extreme and the tower was short. They had no other option but to stack single sticks on top of each other at the peak of the tower. All groups used the triangular pattern for their tower. This is because triangles are the most rigid shape in geometry and it adds strength to materials by reducing lateral movement.



CONSTRUCTION GLOSSARYSpacingnoun.Spacing is the distance between individual members or shingles in building construction. It usually refers the distance between supports such as a beam or a joist. - Construction Dictionary and Glossary of Construction Terms

Spacing can refer to the distance between column, beam, floor, wall and roof members. All these members have specific spacing designed to meet the strucutral requirements of the building. Correct spacing can damatically reduce the amount of materials required without compromising the structural integrity of the building.

References:1. Heritage Building Systems 2013, Endwall Column Spacing, viewed 11 August 2013, <http://www.heritagebuildings.com/help4po/images/endwall_column_spacing.jpg>2. Builder Space 2001, Construction Dictionary and Glossary of Construction Terms , viewed 11 August 2013, <http://www.builderspace.com/glossary.html>


Compression Structure

Framing for roof structure

In order to create the round shape of the structure, large circular plates were used while wooden planks were placed vertically around the outside of the plate.

Different grades of gravel have been used to make for different types of concrete. General rule fo thumb is that the bigger aggregate of the gravel, the cheaper the concrete. The very coarse red rocks in the top right photo is used as footing on the ground when it is muddy.

Construction uses wooden frame beams and columns with a concrete slab as the foundation, as seen in the photo to the left. It retains the old pavilions and links the new structure to the existing building. It also links to the football oval.

New structure uses a mix of wooden framing, concrete slab for foundation as well as concrete blocks for support, seen in the photo to the right. Plastic sheets are placed around basement of the building for waterproofing and metallic ribbing on each floor serves as reinforcement for slab. The new building has a different structural foundation than the old pavilion. The old pavilion is supported by timber/concrete stumps, meaning the floor level is above ground.



The Dalton Library links/connects to an older sandstone building, United Faculty of Theology.

The building uses box gutters placed inside the ceiling of the building as a means to get rid of the rainflow from the roof. The roof is mainly flat, so a typical eaves gutter cannot work, must have a box gutter to transfer rainwater into the ceiling and out the side of the building, as seen in the photo to the right.

Steel H-columns are used on the inside of the building as the framing of the building. The steel columns take a lots of the dead and live loads that the building has and is subjected to a lot of compression.The outside of the building is covered by non-load bearing glass panels which serves as a means to let the sunshine in. The steel columns and glass panels are seen in the photo above.

Concrete columns hold up the roof on the outside of the building. The concrete columns are made on site, where the cement is transported in. This is cheaper than precast concrete. If the external underside of the roof, the sophet, was taken away, the inside of the roof can be seen as criss-crossed beams supporting the roof, held up by the steel and concrete columns of the building. In the photo above, it can be seen that only that particular side of the roof is cantilevered, where it is supported by the concrete columns.



The Queens College extension is a structure that extends on the existing Nicholas Laboratories. The roof is made from a dark steel sheet, as highlighted in the photo below. The roof is slightly slanted as uses eaves gutters to transfer rainwater away. The eaves gutters are attached to downpipes.

It can be seen in the photo above that the new structure uses a wooden frame to support itself, and has non-load bearing concrete walls. This method of construction is acceptable on a smaller scale such as this. However, is not sustainable in larger buildings and structures due to the fact that a wooden frame does have the material strength to securely support larger walls of concrete as well as the additional live loads that the structure will be subjected to.

The structure connects the ERC to the Doug McDonell building. The roof, as seen above, is supported by steel half eye beams. Spaces between the beams are covered by a timber sophet.

The beams start horizontal and bend to angle upwards and attached to the ERC building, seen in the photo to the left. Because of the bending in the beams, the beams are custom made in a factory and are very expensive. The concrete flooring have spaces/joints between them. This is to allow for the natural expansion of the concrete.

The small food booths and pods inside the structure are supported by steel framing with wooden non-load bearing walls. The wooden planks are placed to cover the inside framing.



The MSLE building links the two buildings on either side of it. It is support by steel sheet framing. It essentially uses roof material, steel sheeting, as the wall material for the structure, can be seen in the photo to the left. Because there is no internal framing, the structure uses the buildings on either side to support itself upright. However this presents a potential problem as both buildings are going to move differently. If the structure transmits movement from one building to the other building, the structure may crack and break.

From all the factors above, it can be seen that the structure was a small construction project with a small budget.

The top level from inside the structure is cantilevered using steel beams, as shown in the left photo. The steel beams are attached to the external wall of the building that this structure links to.

The structure uses downpipes to transfer the rainwater picked up on the roof to an external water collection place. The structure also have air vents to allow for the air from the inside to go out. The vents are angled downwards to prevent particles going inside.


Weeks 1-3 - Studio Journal

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