Strong Structures
Socially Responsible Design and
Engineering Year 1
• Engineers are constantly being challenged to
solve the world's new and complicated
problems.
– Initially seem impossible to solve.
– New discoveries and advances…
In the 20th Century engineers developed previously
unimaginable things :
electricity , mass transportation, space travel,
computers, and robotics to name a few...
Looking Back at History
• Engineers often:
– Look back in history to learn from the past
engineering successes and failures.
– Improve on what already exist.
– Develop brand new ideas that have never been
created before.
• Example of New Engineering Ideas!
– Taipei 101
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Built in 2003
Was the tallest building in the world.
Now the 3rd tallest...
Location: Taipei, Taiwan
Named for its 101 floors
Stands 1,667 feet above sea level
Construction cost: 1.8 billion
Lets Talk About Buildings
• Pyramids in Egypt
– Very strong- have lasted hundreds of years…
– They have a very distinctive shape that aids in
their strength. (Triangle)
– Structures must be able to remain standing
despite a large amounts of force put on them by
weight and other factors such as earthquakes or
wind.
– Using different geometric shapes, structures are
supported in different ways.
Another Historic Building
• Parthenon (Greece)
– Used two different geometric shapes
• Triangles
• Columns
Began construction over two thousand years ago.
(447 B.C.)
Built at the Height of the Athenian empire
Is still standing today!!!
Was a temple built to represent the power and strength
of Athens Greece. HOORAH!
Now you try it out…
• You must build a structure to hold up as many
class books as possible using only the
materials provided. The Books must be
supported at a height of 5-6 inches.
– Copy paper
– Masking tape
– Straws
– Paper clips
Specifications:
• Your supports/Structure Must measure 5-6
inches above the table for it to count as an
accurate test.
• You will get five minutes to think/decide how to
begin building it. What will you do to solve the
problem?
• 30 minutes to build the structure/supports.
Your Materials:
10 paper Straws
10 sheets of copy paper
10” Masking Tape strip
10 small paper clips