Earthquake Engineering Research Earthquake Engineering Research InstituteInstitute

University of Notre DameUniversity of Notre Dame

BuildingsDams

Tunnels

Bridges

Domes

San Andreas FaultCalifornia

Thrust Fault

Oblique Fault

Normal Fault

Strike Fault

BODY

WAV

ESSU

RFAC

E W

AVES

US Risk Map: Earthquakes

0 None 1 Little 2 Some

1987

19831947

1980 3 Large

1986

1947

1980

New Madrid Fault

How can we protect the lives of those in danger?

We must design buildings that can

survive earthquakes!

What are buildings made of?

Companies consisting of 3 or 4 partnersCompany nameNeed teamwork and planning Partner tasks

Building ownerArchitectEngineerBuilder

Use LEGO blocks to make masonry buildings

Base must be no bigger than 4 by 8 Lego dots

Must be at least 30 stories high

TestingDirection

PLAN VIEW

What goes into designing our building?

Owner pays for the building

wants to make money must have lots of

rooms, especially rooms with windows, and be very tall

What goes into designing our building?

Architect designs the building to meet the owner’s needs and to be beautiful

Santa Maria del Fiore,Florence

Hagia Sophia,IstanbulPantheon,

RomeSt. Paul’s Cathedral,London

San Pietro Citta’ del Vaticano,Rome

What makes a beautiful building?

What goes into designing our building?

Engineers help to design the building to make sure it does not collapse under the forces of nature

Hints: Ground Floors Should Be Sturdy

Hints: Avoid the weak links!

Hints: Don’t be top heavy!

Construction The builder is

responsible for constructing the building based on the final design.

Hint: Be sure the blocks are firmly pressed together…connections are important!

Example Buildings

What kind of buildings are made of masonry?

Are all the world’s buildings made of masonry?

History of the SkyscraperAncient structures were

masonry designs in which the strength comes from brick walls

Towers like the Washington Monument (1884) could reach 555 feet

Human Pyramid: Too heavy!

History of the Skyscraper

Important inventions at the end of the 1900’s Steel! Electricity ELEVATORS!

1st skyscraper used a steel skeleton (frame) instead of brick walls: Reliance Building (1891) in Chicago

History of the Skyscraper

Today’s skyscraper’s have “skeletons” made of steel which carries all the weight

This had allowed us to to build exciting structures and allowed us to reach new heights

Trans America BuildingSan Francisco (1972)853 ft

What does a steel frame building look like?

Beams

Columns

Frame

Skin, glass (cladding)

Empire State BuildingTransamerica Building

Sears TowerWorld Trade CenterFirst National Bank Building

Marina City John Hancock Building

Only two teamsRepresents steel frame

structuresCreate a beautiful,

landmark structureMaximize rent by having

more stories and larger useable space to make the owner happy

Base must be no bigger than 15x30 cm (1 red x 2 red)

Must be able to connect to a K’nex board

Must be at least 2 m highThe height of a useable

floor is at least 7.5 cm (blue)

Do masonry and steel frame buildings behave differently under earthquakes?

Steel Buildings Dance!

These building skeletons are flexible, they can bend!

Lego Building

Shake Table

Controller

Testing Day

3 minute company presentationsAwards will be presented!Final project report from each company

Good Luck!

National Science Foundation Scientists and Engineers in the Schools Program