L
To discover how people
prepare for earthquakes
To build your own earthquake
proof building
How can we survive
earthquakes?
Key terms: Shock absorbers, foundations,
diagonal bracing, retro-engineering
‘Why this building?’
Watch the clip
of the aftermath
of the
Christchurch
earthquake. Can
you answer the
survivor’s
question: ‘Why
this building?’
With each
engineers
about HOW
buildings
shaking.
earthquake,
learn more
to design
to withstand
Torre Major, Mexico City
This is the Torre Major
in Mexico City, Central
America.
It is said to be the
strongest building in
the world.
Yet it is built in one
of the world’s most
unstable areas.
Q: How is it so strong?
Watch the clip and fill
in your ‘Engineer’s
Factfile’.
Clip
from ‘10 Things you didn’t
know about Earthquakes’
Kobe, Japan
In Kobe Japan
engineers have
built some
amazingly
strong
buildings. Add
notes to your
pictures.
Complete your
factfiles!
Rubber Shock
Absorbers on the
Hanshin Expressway
absorb the shaking!
Retro-engineering
involves building a
strong exo-skeleton
around existing
buildings, such as
the red girders
around Kobe port
tower
Quake-proof designs
Extra beams and
reinforced steel
girders!
Buildings with
wide bases!!
Diagonal cross
bracing
Spaghetti and Marshmallow
Earthquake Proof Buildings
• Design, build, and test a model structure
made out of uncooked spaghetti sticks and
marshmallows!
• Your model will be tested on CRAP’s stateof-the-art earthquake simulator machine:
"The Shake Table."
• Your model should be able to withstand a
10 second earthquake without collapsing.
• You will be competing against other teams
by attempting to build the best structure.
• You and your team mates will give a brief
presentation prior to the final test.