Jell-O Earthquake Civil Engineering eVOL9 Summer 2015

Background and Engineers San Francisco, 1906

Your Challenge In this challenge, you will use marshmallows, toothpicks, and spaghetti noodles to build a structure that can withstand a simulated earthquake. In the process you will discover some of the cost effective ways a building can be built to withstand an earthquake.

Your Task Design a structure that can withstand the Jello Earthquake! Constraints: Your team MUST Follow!!! – Minimum of two stories – Base no larger than 8x8 cm – Teams made of 4 team members – The inside of structure has to be open – No underground supports

Brainstorm! Take 20 Minutes and (as a team) come up with a design for the structure you want to build Materials you will have: 5 large marshmallows 15 small marshmallows 30 toothpicks 5 spaghetti noodles Questions to think about? – Where should the structure be the strongest? – Where does the structure need flexibility? – How can we maximize the materials we have?

Time to Build! Your team has 20 minutes to build your structure in order to be ready for testing You will be given your materials at your table If you need more materials, you can purchase them from the materials store Don’t forget to calculate your total cost once you are done building!

Test! Now let’s test each structure Shake the structure for 5 seconds back and forth (secondary waves) Tap structure on table 3 times (compression or primary waves) Whose stood up?

Time for Reflection! Take 10 minutes with your team and talk about how you could have improved your design Be ready to report out to the larger group about your potential improvements (1 minute)

Report Time! Take 1 minute for each team to report to the group about your potential Improvements

Video Time!!! Now let’s watch how engineers design and test buildings for earthquakes! Qsyo Qsyo