CONSTRUCTING  ENVIRONMENTS  LOGBOOK  ASSIGNMENT  

By  Mario  Stanic.    

                                                 

Week  one-­‐  3rd  –  7th  of  March    eLearning  and  Reading  modules-­‐  Knowledge  maps:    All  information  presented  on  this  page  is  from,  ENVS10003  :  Constructing  Environments,  Basic  Structural  Forces  (I) (https://app.lms.unimelb.edu.au/bbcswebdav/courses/ENVS10003_2014_SM1/WEEK%2001/Basic%20Structural%20Forces%201.pdf)                                    

 

BASIC  STRUCTURAL  FORCES  (1) (ENVS10003  CONSTRUCTING  Environments)

 

A FORCE is any influence that

produces a change in the shape or

movement of a body.  

TENSION FORCES When an external load pulls on a structural member, the particles composing the material move apart and undergo tension.

Tension forces stretch and elongate the material.  

COMPRESSION FORCES A compression force produces the opposite effect of a tension force. When an external load pushes on a structural member, the particles of the material compact together. Compression forces result in the shortening of the material.    

W01 m1 Introduction to Materials, YouTube video, MIND-MAP:

Strength- materials display different strength properties for example steel is much stronger than timber. Steel is strong in both compression and tension, whereas the brick is only in compression.

 

Stiffness- is a characteristic of materials for example some are flexible such as carpets and rubbers or nylon ropes, these are not stiff whereas bricks are stiff.

 

Economy and Sustainability- this talks about considerations which need to be taken such as, how expensive is the material, is it readily available, what impact does the manufacturer of the material make on the environment and how efficiently does the material get used within the construction system.

 

Material behaviors- isotropic materials display similar characteristics no matter which direction the force is applied in. Other materials that are anisotropic behave differently depending on the force applied.

 

Shape- some are mono dimensional (linear) or planar such as sheet metals, and some are volumetric such as bricks or concrete.

 

VIDEO  

W01 c1 Construction Overview, YouTube video, MIND-MAP:

       

   

Key idea or question explored is, “How to design ideas get translated into the built form”?

 

VIDEO  

As students we will learn and think about what kind of materials are used in building structures and why. How expensive the materials used can be, and how efficient they are in achieving sustainability.

 

We will also consider what trade kinds are used in the construction system and why.

 

As students we will understand how before a building is completed it goes through huge amounts of complexity and then in its final form the building becomes much more simple in its architecture.

 

W01 Melbourne's Bluestone YouTube video, MIND-MAP:                                    

                                 

This  separates  Melbourne  form  cities  such  as  Sydney  and  Perth.  For  example  in  Sydney  there  is  a  lot  of  sandstone  buildings  and  quarries.  And  Perth  has  a  lot  of  limestone  and  clay  brick.  

 

Melbourne  is  surrounded  from  its  north  to  its  northwest,  and  west  by  volcanoes.  And  a  lot  of  lava  flow  flowed  to  where  Melbourne  is  which  is  why  there  is  much  basalt  around  Melbourne.    

 

The  basalt  gives  Melbourne  its  dark  colouring.      

The  city  has  been  modified  to  deal  with  the  issues  of  the  2oth  century  and  basalt  showed  indicators  of  the  past.  Wheel  runs  damaged  the  blue  stoned  of  Melbourne  lane  ways,  there  is  water  and  impact  damage  form  trucks.    

 

Flinders  street  displays  modern  bluestone,  which  shows  clearly  the  lava  flow.      

 

St  Paul’s  Cathedral  has  a  lot  of  sandstone,  which  comes  far  away  form  Melbourne,  but  the  foundations  of  the  cathedral  are  bluestone.    

 

Victoria  has  evidence  of  its  volcanic  past  everywhere;  the  whole  of  underground  Melbourne  is  covered  in  Bluestone.      

Ching,  ‘Building  Construction  Illustrated’  (2008)    CHING:  02  The  Building  (2.08-­‐2.11)      Question  to  consider,  “How  do  “loads”  influence  a  structures  appearance,  and  how  do  we  represent  these  “invisible  loads”?    Various  types  of  loads  influence  a  structure’s  appearance  by  designing  the  way  a  structure  will  look  in  terms  of  supporting  weight  loads.  For  example  Ching  (2008)  wrote  “the  structure,  components,  and  cladding  of  a  building  must  be  designed  to  resist  wind-­‐induced  sliding,  uplift,  or  overturning.”    This  simply  means  that  the  structure’s  appearance  will  have  to  reflect  the  way  Wind  loads  will  be  resisted.  Another  example  would  be  the  way  a  pyramid  carries  its  load  from  top  to  bottom.  This  means  that  the  top  of  the  structure  will  have  for  example,  one  brick  at  the  top  then  two,  then  three,  then  four  and  onwards  depending  on  how  tall  the  structure  is,  this  would  create  the  appearance  of  a  triangular  shape.      The  invisible  load  is  represented  by  arrows  that  have  direction  and  that  have  scale.                

W01 s1 Load Path Diagrams, YouTube video, MIND-MAP/ SKETCH:      

       

Lecture/Theatre  One-­‐  Knowledge  map:                                                          

GIVEN  TASK  TO  CREATE  A  STABLE  STRUCUTRE  WITH  PAPER  AND  TAPE  TO  SPPORT  A  BRICK.  

We  learned  that  the  structures  that  held  up  the  bricks  were  triangles  and  or  had  man  folds  in  them  to  hold  up  the  brick  by  distributing  the  load.  

Tutorial  One/  Studio  Session  Activity  report:    This  tutorial  was  an  introduction  to  the  subject  and  gave  a  brief  overview  of  what  we  would  be  learning  this  semester.    We  learnt  about  our  fellow  classmates  and  then  moved  onto  building  and  construction  related  work.      The  activity  was  about  ‘compression’.  In  groups  we  need  to  construct  a  structure  (tower)  as  high  as  possible  using  the  least  amount  of  material.  The  learning  objective  was  to  see  how  loads  are  transferred  in  compression  structures.      The  construction  system  our  group  tried  to  use  was  simply  to  keep  building  up  and  slowly  close  off  the  top  by  bringing  each  piece  of  MDF  closer  to  the  center.  

 Here  we  are  laying  the  foundation  of  our  tower.  

 As  it  gets  higher  the  load  of  the  material  is  transferred  top  down  through  each  piece.  

 Here  we  begin  to  try  and  close  of  the  opening  at  the  roof  of  the  tower.  However  we  experienced  much  difficulty,  as  the  pieces  of  MDF  would  not  stay  in  place.        

Here  our  structure  collapsed.                  

 In  the  end  our  structure  was  able  to  successfully  stand  with  a  hole  punched  through  it.  This  demonstrates  how  the  applied  load  of  the  structure  is  transferred  top  down  and  does  not  force  the  tower  to  collapse  on  its  own.      

   Other  groups  were  able  to  apply  much  more  load  onto  their  structures  and  were  able  to  build  a  strong  foundation  that  did  not  collapse.  They  were  also  able  to  supported  heavy  dead  loads.  This  is  primarily  because  the  structure  had  a  good  load  path,  which  distributed  the  weight  throughout  the  structure  to  the  ground.      

   

       

 Subject  Glossary/Key  Terms  Week  One:    Static  loads:  1These  are  assumed  to  be  applied  slowly  to  a  structure  until  it  reaches  its  peak  value  without  fluctuating  rapidly  in  magnitude  or  position.  Under  a  static  load  a  structure  responds  slowly  and  its  deformation  reaches  a  peak  when  the  static  force  is  maximum  (Ching  2008,  p.  2.08).    Live  loads:  2These  comprise  any  moving  or  movable  loads  on  a  structure  resulting  from  occupancy,  collected  snow  and  water,  or  moving  equipment.  Alive  load  typically  acts  vertically  downward  but  may  act  horizontally  as  well  to  reflect  the  dynamic  nature  of  a  moving  load  (Ching  2008,  p.  2.08).    Dynamic  loads:  3Dynamic  loads  are  applied  suddenly  to  a  structure,  often  with  rapid  changes  in  magnitude  and  point  of  application.  Under  a  dynamic  load,  a  structure  develops  inertial  forces  in  relation  to  its  mass  and  its  maximum  deformation  does  not  necessarily  correspond  to  the  maximum  magnitude  of  the  applied  force.  The  two  major  types  of  dynamic  loads  are  wind  loads  and  earthquake  loads  (Ching  2008,  p.  2.08).    Forces:  These  can  be  defined  by  direction  and  size.      Load  path:  This  is  how  an  applied  load  is  transferred  down  to  the  ground.    Reaction  Force:  4This  is  the  reaction  at  the  ground  where  the  loads  of  an  applied  load  have  a  reaction,  which  means  that  the  whole  structure  is  supported,  that  reaction  (reaction  force)  will  be  equal  and  opposite  of  the  applied  loads  in  order  for  a  structure  to  be  stable.                                                                                                                      1  Francis DK Ching, 2008, Building Construction Illustrated, John Wiley &Sons Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.  2  Francis DK Ching, 2008, Building Construction Illustrated, John Wiley &Sons Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.  3  Francis DK Ching, 2008, Building Construction Illustrated, John Wiley &Sons Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.  4  W01  s1  Load  Path  Diagrams,  2014 (video file), Available from: <  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y__V15j3IX4&feature=youtu.be > [17th March 2014].  

Week  Two-­‐10th  –  14th  of  March    eLearning  and  Reading  modules-­‐  Knowledge  map:    W02  s1  Structural  Systems, YouTube video, MIND-MAP: W02 s1 Structural Systems, 2014 (video file), Available from: < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l--JtPpI8uw&feature=youtu.be> [19th March 2014].

                                             

Solid  Structural  systems,  examples  would  be  working  with  stone  and  bricks,  compression  is  the  main  structural  action  in  these  systems  where  arches  are  very  efficient.  

 

The  opera  house  is  a  planar  system.      

Membrane  used  les  commonly  examples  of  these  would  be  in  sport  stadiums  where  people  wan  tot  

cover  large  areas  cheaply.  

Hybrid  systems  are  fairly  new  and  they  use  a  particularly  new  membrane  known  as  ETFE.  These  are  a  very  efficient  way  of  covering  a  large  expanse  economically  and  quickly  example  can  be  seen  at  

the  Beijing  Olympic  Games.  

W02 c1 Construction Systems, YouTube video, MIND-MAP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zTarEeGXOo&feature=youtu.be  

                                                     

Performance  requirements-­‐  examples  are  structural  compatibility,  fire  resistance,  noise  reduction,  easily  maintained,  resistance  to  water  and  weathering,  control  of  heat  and  air  flow,  and  accommodation  of  building  movement  (Ching  2008,  p.  2.04).  

 

Aesthetic  qualities  –  desired  relationship  of  building  to  its  site,  adjacent  properties,  and  neighborhood.  This  includes  colour,  pattern  and  texture.  

 

Economic  efficiencies-­‐  initial  cost  comprising  material,  transportation,  equipment,  and  labor  costs.  As  well  as  this  “Life  cycle”  costs  such  as  maintenance  and  operating  costs,  energy  consumption,  and  interest  on  invested  money  costs  are  very  important  things  to  consider  (Ching  2008,  p.  2.04).  

 

Environmental  impacts-­‐  these  are  factors  such  as  conservation  of  energy  and  resources  through  siting  and  building  design,  and  use  of  resource-­‐efficient  and  non-­‐toxic  materials  (Ching  2008,  p.  2.04).  

 

ESD (Environmentally Sustainable Design) and Selecting Materials, YouTube video, MIND-MAP:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luxirHHxjIY&feature=youtu.be    

 

Embodied  Energy-­‐  is  the  total  energy  (oil,  water,  power)  used  during  all  stages  of  a  materials  life.  (Definition  from  Materials  For  Sustainable  Sites,  by  Meg  Calkins  [2009],  p.  30)    

 

Life  Cycle-­‐  this  begins  with  the  extraction  of  raw  materials  from  the  Earth  and  ends  with  the  disposal  of  waste  products  back  to  the  Earth  or  recycled  into  other  products.  (From  Materials  For  Sustainable  Sites,  by  Meg  Calkins  [2009],  pages  24-­‐27)      

 

Considerations  should  always  be  taken  for  structures  to  be  sustainable  by  having  elements  of  recyclability.  

 

Carbon  Footprint-­‐  this  is  a  measure  of  the  amount  of  greenhouse  gases  emitted.  

 

Common  ESD  strategies-­‐  Thermal  mass,  local  materials,  night  air  purging,  solar  energy,  wind  energy,  insulation  and  water  

harvesting.  

W02 s2 Structural Joints, YouTube video, MIND-MAP:  

   

Roller joint- loads transferred only in one direction but as soon as we push a load in any other direction

the roller moves. Vertical load comes through.  

Pin joint- modes of action can be from two directions.  

Fixed joints- bending can occur, if a load occurs at one member it can cause a bending at a joint.  

Framework for Analysing Form, YouTube video, MIND-MAP:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJ97Whk1kGU&feature=youtu.be  

         

The  architect  argues  how  design  and  construction  and  be  usefully  categorized.  

It  seems  that  the  form  and  appearance  of  the  structure  reflect  strongly  on  factors  such  as  the  need  for  the  

structure,  and  the  materials  used  to  build  it.  

Ching,  ‘Building  Construction  Illustrated’  (2008)    CHING:  02  The  Building  (2.02-­‐2.04)        Structural  system-­‐  The  structural  system  of  a  building  is  designed  and  constructed  to  support  and  transmit  applied  gravity  and  lateral  loads  safely  to  the  ground  without  exceeding  the  allowable  stresses  in  its  members  (Ching  2008,  p.  2.03).    Enclosure  system-­‐  The  enclosure  system  is  the  shell  or  envelope  of  a  building,  consisting  of  the  roof,  exterior  walls,  windows,  and  doors  (Ching  2008,  p.  2.03).    Mechanical  systems-­‐  These  are  the  mechanical  systems  of  a  building  that  provide  essential  services  to  a  building.  An  example  of  these  systems  would  be  the  water  supply  system,  the  sewage  disposal  system,  the  heating  and  air  conditioning  systems,  fire-­‐fighting  systems  and  the  electrical  systems.  (Ching  2008,  p.  2.03).    

Lecture/Theatre  Two-­‐  Knowledge  map:            

GIVEN  TASK  TO  CREATE  A  STABLE  STRUCUTRE  WITH  STRAWS,  PINS  AND  SMALL  PLASTIC  TUBE  TO  SPPORT  A  ROCKS  INSIDE  THE  TUBE.  

We  learnt  about  the  importance  of  loads  in  frame  work  structures  and  how  structural  joints  are  essential  in  

building.  

Tutorial  Two/  Studio  Session  Activity  report:    In  this  tutorial  we  took  a  qui  z  and  talked  about  load  paths  and  reaction  forces.  Then  we  talked  about  what  sustainable  buildings  are  and  how  one  would  make  one.  Structural  joints  such  as  pin,  and  fixed  roller  were  then  further  discussed.    The  activity  was  called  ‘Frame’.  In  groups  we  needed  to  construct  a  tower  tall  enough  to  touch  the  ceiling  only  using  strips  of  balsa  wood.      Our  group  decided  to  have  square  base  and  build  up.    

 Here  we  are  using  super  glue  to  hold  our  structure  together.    

 Here  we  have  created  our  first  columns,  we  used  sticky  tape  to  hold  the  joints  together.    

 This  is  where  started  to  build  the  second  level  of  our  tower.  We  were  using  extra  pieces  of  balsa  wood  as  a  brace  around  the  structure.  Unfortunately  we  did  not  have  enough  time  to  finish  our  structure,  however  it  was  vey  stable.    

Other  groups  were  able  to  touch  the  roof  and  did  a  great  job  in  understanding  how  loads  are  transferred  in  frame  structures  and  appreciated  the  importance  of  structural  joints.        

 

Subject  Glossary/Key  Terms  Week  Two:    Tension:  This  is  when  force  is  applied  and  the  material  is  stretched.  An  example  of  tension  would  be  a  rope  bridge  and  the  way  it  is  pulled  tight  with  the  applied  live  load  of  people  walking  across  it.    Performance  requirements:    These  are  a  series  of  test  to  work  out  what  materials  are  needed  for  specific  job..  eg  in  costal  environment  you  don’t  want  to  use  steel  as  it  might  rust.    Bracing:  There  are  two  types  diagonal  (making  a  triangle  the  material  needs  to  go  into  both  either  compression  or  tension)  and  sheer  bracing  using  sheet  material  (e.g.  layer  of  plywood  with  hundreds  of  fixings,  this  in  turn  creates  a  membrane  to  stop  it  from  going  out  of  shape)      Embodied  Energy:    This  is  the  total  energy  (oil,  water,  power)  used  during  all  stages  of  a  materials  life.  (Definition  from  Materials  For  Sustainable  Sites,  by  Meg  Cakings  [2009],  p.  30)        Life  Cycle:  This  begins  with  the  extraction  of  raw  materials  from  the  Earth  and  ends  with  the  disposal  of  waste  products  back  to  the  Earth  or  recycled  into  other  products.  (From  Materials  For  Sustainable  Sites,  by  Meg  Calkins  [2009],  pages  24-­‐27)    Night  air  purging:  This  is  where  the  building  cools  down  at  nighttime  by  releasing  the  hot  air  stored  inside  it  form  the  day.                  

Reference  List:   Francis DK Ching, 2008, Building Construction Illustrated, John Wiley &Sons Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. Constructing Environments, Basic Structural Forces (I) (https://app.lms.unimelb.edu.au/bbcswebdav/courses/ENVS10003_2014_SM1/WEEK%2001/Basic%20Structural%20Forces%201.pdf) 17th of March 8:03 pm. W01 s1 Load Path Diagrams, 2014 (video file), Available from: < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y__V15j3IX4&feature=youtu.be > [17th March 2014]. W02 s1 Structural Systems, 2014 (video file), Available from: < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l--JtPpI8uw&feature=youtu.be> [18th March 2014]. W02 s2 Structural Joints, 2014 (video file), Available from: < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxRdY0jSoJo&feature=youtu.be> [18th March 2014]. W02 c1 Construction Systems, 2014 (video file), Available from: < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zTarEeGXOo&feature=youtu.be> [19th March 2014].  ESD and Selecting Materials, 2014 (video file), Available from: < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luxirHHxjIY&feature=youtu.be> [19th March 2014]. Framework For Analysing Form, 2014 (video file), Available from: < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJ97Whk1kGU&feature=youtu.be  > [19th March 2014].