S14 Design & analyse basic structures
This area of the audit has been marked at '1' meaning very little knowledge if not any at all.
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What I have learnt and what I now understand
Today in our taught session we were introduced to structures and I have certainly learnt a great deal of new knowledge and understand how the area fits in with Design and Technology.
First of all I now understand that there is no single definition for a structure, at first I thought that this was quite odd however I now know that it is such a vast area so perhaps it is hard summarise it?.
Pior to this taught session, when I thought of structures the first thing that came to mind were Bridges or Buildings however I am now also aware that there are also Natural structures that surround us for example the Human Skeleton, this is a really good example of a natural structure. So in some respects perhaps one definition of a structure could be...
'Something that has been evolved in nature or has been designed by man to resist loads or forces'
I now understand and have learnt that there are three classifications of structures however, most structures are combinations of different structures or a complex structure. For example - The chair's in our room at uni.
These chairs demonstrate examples of SHELL and FRAME structures.
I think by looking at examples or products of structures which surround me has helped me to understand the area slightly more and also appreciate how important they are within Design and Technology.
I think by looking at examples or products of structures which surround me has helped me to understand the area slightly more and also appreciate how important they are within Design and Technology.
The three types of structures...
Mass Structure
These are Solid structures that resist a applied force by virtue of their own weight. I have learnt that goods example of these types of structures would be, Pyramids, or bricks, and natural mass structures would include mountains.
Now I understand that mass structures rely on their own strength and rigidity to support loads and resist forces, they operate by transmitting and distributing the load across it entirety. They are very strong and if small parts or broken or taken away then it does not have a huge impact on the structure itself.
Now I understand that mass structures rely on their own strength and rigidity to support loads and resist forces, they operate by transmitting and distributing the load across it entirety. They are very strong and if small parts or broken or taken away then it does not have a huge impact on the structure itself.
Frame Structure
I have learnt that a Frame structure is made of various members or pieces which link together in order to form a shape. The rigid frames have fixed joints that enable the frames to resist lateral force and are supported by a skeleton. I now know that generally speaking these types of structures are most common in construction because they can be easily be manipulated and reinforced to become more rigid and stable and also they are relatively inexpensive and simple to manufacture.In addition, I am now more aware that a man-made frame structure can be seen in designs like the Eiffel tower and also the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and natural examples of these would be Skeletons.
Shell Structure
I now understand that shell structures has a think carefully shaped outer layer of material which forms a 'shell', the shape of the shell spreads the force of any loads throughout the whole structure, this means that any part of the structure will support a small part of a large load. I have learnt that they are strong and rigid structures and also flexible.
Good examples of these types of structures both Man-made and Natural would be the Millennium Dome, a car and also a turtle shell.
Forces
We have also learnt that there are also various forces that put strain on structures. I understand now that a force is a push or pull that tends to cause an object or structure to change its movement or shape. I now understand that there are four main forces;
We have also learnt that there are also various forces that put strain on structures. I understand now that a force is a push or pull that tends to cause an object or structure to change its movement or shape. I now understand that there are four main forces;
Compression means when a force pushes or compresses a structure, Dean referred to this type of force as a Squashing force which I feel helped me to understand it even more. I know that a good example of this type of force would be on chairs or columns on a building.
Tension is a stretching or extending tool. A piece of material is pulled and and stretched as the internal forces of the material tries to resist the external impacts. Just like the image to the right someone playing tug of wore would be a good example where tension as a force is apparent.
Torsion is a twisting or turning force. You turn/twist something at a certain point which in turn creates the force.
We have learnt that good examples of this force would be a nail, taking the lid off of a bottle, using a doorknob top open a door.
We have learnt that good examples of this force would be a nail, taking the lid off of a bottle, using a doorknob top open a door.
Finally, we have learnt that a Shear Force is an internal force in any material which is usually caused by an external force acting tangent to the material, or a force which has a component acting tangent to the actual material. I learnt that the principle here is that this type of force acts along two parallels. I discovered that a very good example of this force at work would be using scissors or a guillotine.
So now I understand the different types of forces but furthermore, I am aware you can also have a combination of many forces within a structure, just like how some structures are designed with various classifications of structures within themselves.
Bending
This is a example of a beam supported at two ends with a load in the middle. I learnt that this drawing illustrates a structure that includes two types of forces: Compression and Tension.
I also understand that the top surface wrinkles because of the force being applied, the bottom of the beam is under tension which means there is a compression force.
This is a example of a beam supported at two ends with a load in the middle. I learnt that this drawing illustrates a structure that includes two types of forces: Compression and Tension.
I also understand that the top surface wrinkles because of the force being applied, the bottom of the beam is under tension which means there is a compression force.
I also understand now that some beams are not under any forces at all. This would be called a Natural axis. I learnt that when you bend a beam most of the force is taken from the top and the bottom.
Applying Forces
From the taught session today I also was able understand and learn that different kinds of structures are designed to withstand different loads and forces. I have discovered that...
A Uniformly distributed load which is also known as a UDL is where a load has been spread out. A concentrated load is where a force is fixed at a certain point. A static load is a stationary stable load, it never moves, whereas a Dynamic load is something which is moving so sometimes the load may change.
From the taught session today I also was able understand and learn that different kinds of structures are designed to withstand different loads and forces. I have discovered that...
A Uniformly distributed load which is also known as a UDL is where a load has been spread out. A concentrated load is where a force is fixed at a certain point. A static load is a stationary stable load, it never moves, whereas a Dynamic load is something which is moving so sometimes the load may change.
Reinforcing Structures
After we were introduced to the basic principles of Structures we then we asked to complete a practical task which involved tech-card, pin points and string to improve structures so that they became a stable load.
By using the materials in this task it has really helped me to see the effects reinforcing a structure can have and also the importance of having a stable load. I think what is useful as well is experimenting around with the different types of forces whilst seeing the material or structure react. You can clearly see structures in everyday objects or buildings yet you are not able to necessarily see forces at work and therefore this was a task which supported my understanding and learning within this area of the audit especially with the principles of forces.
Further more I now understand and have been able to identify how important structures are in terms of design and manufacture. I have realised that a good structure will SUPPORT the LOAD for which it's designed and it also MUST be fit for purpose.
An example of a bad structure would be the Tacoma Bridge - Dean showed us a youtube video of this bridge collapsing and again it has helped me even more to become aware of the fact that structures are so important.
By using the materials in this task it has really helped me to see the effects reinforcing a structure can have and also the importance of having a stable load. I think what is useful as well is experimenting around with the different types of forces whilst seeing the material or structure react. You can clearly see structures in everyday objects or buildings yet you are not able to necessarily see forces at work and therefore this was a task which supported my understanding and learning within this area of the audit especially with the principles of forces.
Further more I now understand and have been able to identify how important structures are in terms of design and manufacture. I have realised that a good structure will SUPPORT the LOAD for which it's designed and it also MUST be fit for purpose.
An example of a bad structure would be the Tacoma Bridge - Dean showed us a youtube video of this bridge collapsing and again it has helped me even more to become aware of the fact that structures are so important.
Combining external forces
Below is a image showing an example of a drawing I created which showing the combination of external forces.
Below is a image showing an example of a drawing I created which showing the combination of external forces.
I have also learnt out to work out the forces of shapes. At first I found this quite hard trying to find the missing force and the equilibrium but after a while I felt as if I got the hang of it. Also, I felt as if it become more complex in terms of the working out and equations you created once you had more complex shapes. With anything I feel as if it is merely a case of practice makes perfect.
Using Vectors
I have learnt that any value that has both magnitude and direction can be drawn as a vector.
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I have learnt that any value that has both magnitude and direction can be drawn as a vector.
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Analysis of the gained knowledge and the next step
When I first approached this area of the audit I had no idea as to what this may entail within a Design and Technology context. For that reason I marked this area as a '1' meaning very little knowledge if not any at all. Now that I have had time to explore this area further it has made me realise how important structures are but also that we are constantly surrounded by them within our everyday routines and life's whether they are natural or man-made. In my opinion this area of the audit in comparisons to others is quite a vast topic which covers a great deal of new knowledge, because of this it has been something that I have had to take one step at a time and during my learning and engagement I know that have certainly been successful whilst also being unsuccessful as well.
Firstly, I felt that the powerpoint presentation and taught session with Dean was a great and informative introduction to the subject, some of the animations really helped me to understand the different types of forces that can be applied on structures and how they worked. Also just by looking at various examples of man-made structures helped me to identify the differences between the three ie. Mass, Frame and Shell. When we stopped for a break I began to think about other types of structures that were not necessarily famous or even man-made examples, it was at this point I realised that I was not only conducting further effective research into the content but also I was thinking of other examples and recognising which classification they belonged to. This was certainly, a successful part of my engagement and learning during this time. As a result I always feel that it is crucial to be able to look at assets, or items that you can relate to as by doing so it can ultimately supporting your understanding of the content even more.
The practical task that we were set was also a successful part of my engagement and exploration in this area, it actually made me realise how important structures are and how easy they can be effected by a force if not designed and manufactured effectively. It then lead me to think about the various structures you tend to see in products. In addition, I noticed that I felt was more engaged once playing around with the materials as not only was it fun but it also helped me to understand more about the principles of the term. I know I learn more by playing and seeing how things work, and as a general rule of thumb I would say that most people learn in this way as well. I found that Drawing diagrams of the different forces also allowed me to understand how all of them work and I do feel that I am more of a visual learner so I thought it was important to document these images within the audit to demonstrate understanding.
Like all of the taught sessions we tend to cover quite a great deal which is good but at the same time sometimes I find it hard to keep up especially when it comes down to things like MATHS!
We were asked to complete a couple of exercises today which entailed us trying to measure forces using vectors, working out the resultant force and equilibrium. I am going to be brutally honest at the time I felt as if I did understand the basics of how it worked and the equations involved, but looking back at my notes whilst revisiting the equations in order to recap I found it all really confusing. As a result I am almost back to square one again because I am not able to make sense of what I have written and how I worked out all of the equations, consequently I think that this has been a really unsuccessful part of my development and learning within this area. I think that this proves to me that your class notes are so important when you reflect back at them later on, I need to be able to get into the habit of making clear notes which are informative but also clear to someone who does not have any knowledge in the area whatsoever.
Furthermore, this section of the audit is called 'Design and Anaylsis basic structures' and I do not feel that I have dug deeper enough yet to show that I have a good understanding of structures in terms of designing and analysing so perhaps this is a unsuccessful part of my early stages of engagement. This leads me nicely on to my next step within the area in terms of developing further.
Undoubtedly, I will be trying to do some research into the Maths side of this, and create some notes which will act as a good source for me to learn from if need be. I want to be able to get my head around it and the only way to do this is to re-learn and look for other sources that may help. I also would like to generate a few examples of structures whether that is within my own work or if it is merely practising by using different types of materials to model structures. Hopefully, in the next few stages of this audit I will have showed evidence of this and in tern this will support my further understanding and learning of structures.
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Firstly, I felt that the powerpoint presentation and taught session with Dean was a great and informative introduction to the subject, some of the animations really helped me to understand the different types of forces that can be applied on structures and how they worked. Also just by looking at various examples of man-made structures helped me to identify the differences between the three ie. Mass, Frame and Shell. When we stopped for a break I began to think about other types of structures that were not necessarily famous or even man-made examples, it was at this point I realised that I was not only conducting further effective research into the content but also I was thinking of other examples and recognising which classification they belonged to. This was certainly, a successful part of my engagement and learning during this time. As a result I always feel that it is crucial to be able to look at assets, or items that you can relate to as by doing so it can ultimately supporting your understanding of the content even more.
The practical task that we were set was also a successful part of my engagement and exploration in this area, it actually made me realise how important structures are and how easy they can be effected by a force if not designed and manufactured effectively. It then lead me to think about the various structures you tend to see in products. In addition, I noticed that I felt was more engaged once playing around with the materials as not only was it fun but it also helped me to understand more about the principles of the term. I know I learn more by playing and seeing how things work, and as a general rule of thumb I would say that most people learn in this way as well. I found that Drawing diagrams of the different forces also allowed me to understand how all of them work and I do feel that I am more of a visual learner so I thought it was important to document these images within the audit to demonstrate understanding.
Like all of the taught sessions we tend to cover quite a great deal which is good but at the same time sometimes I find it hard to keep up especially when it comes down to things like MATHS!
We were asked to complete a couple of exercises today which entailed us trying to measure forces using vectors, working out the resultant force and equilibrium. I am going to be brutally honest at the time I felt as if I did understand the basics of how it worked and the equations involved, but looking back at my notes whilst revisiting the equations in order to recap I found it all really confusing. As a result I am almost back to square one again because I am not able to make sense of what I have written and how I worked out all of the equations, consequently I think that this has been a really unsuccessful part of my development and learning within this area. I think that this proves to me that your class notes are so important when you reflect back at them later on, I need to be able to get into the habit of making clear notes which are informative but also clear to someone who does not have any knowledge in the area whatsoever.
Furthermore, this section of the audit is called 'Design and Anaylsis basic structures' and I do not feel that I have dug deeper enough yet to show that I have a good understanding of structures in terms of designing and analysing so perhaps this is a unsuccessful part of my early stages of engagement. This leads me nicely on to my next step within the area in terms of developing further.
Undoubtedly, I will be trying to do some research into the Maths side of this, and create some notes which will act as a good source for me to learn from if need be. I want to be able to get my head around it and the only way to do this is to re-learn and look for other sources that may help. I also would like to generate a few examples of structures whether that is within my own work or if it is merely practising by using different types of materials to model structures. Hopefully, in the next few stages of this audit I will have showed evidence of this and in tern this will support my further understanding and learning of structures.
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Further Development
Today I had a little experiment with some art straws to create some basic structures. First of all I began to make a simple structure , which was shaped like a rectangle. I soon discovered that a rectangular shape is simply not strong enough structure alone, I learnt as I progressed and that by adding more straws gave more support to to frame. I also discovered that adding triangular shapes also made the structure a great deal stronger.
I also decided to create some kind of bridge structure. Although in terms of aesthetic it may not be the nicest bridge to look at but it was really strong. Also as I was building it, I kept applying forces to test the strengths and noticed that the more frames I added the stronger it became. I know art straws are not known for their strength it seems relatively strong and could stand some sort of pressure once I applied it.
I now understand and have learnt that this could be a could form of modelling for engineers to test their structures and designs for buildings or bridges. I certainly found the experiences useful and appreciate the amount of time and thought it takes to construct many structures that we see today.
Today I had a little experiment with some art straws to create some basic structures. First of all I began to make a simple structure , which was shaped like a rectangle. I soon discovered that a rectangular shape is simply not strong enough structure alone, I learnt as I progressed and that by adding more straws gave more support to to frame. I also discovered that adding triangular shapes also made the structure a great deal stronger.
I also decided to create some kind of bridge structure. Although in terms of aesthetic it may not be the nicest bridge to look at but it was really strong. Also as I was building it, I kept applying forces to test the strengths and noticed that the more frames I added the stronger it became. I know art straws are not known for their strength it seems relatively strong and could stand some sort of pressure once I applied it.
I now understand and have learnt that this could be a could form of modelling for engineers to test their structures and designs for buildings or bridges. I certainly found the experiences useful and appreciate the amount of time and thought it takes to construct many structures that we see today.
Today I also started to work out and revise the maths behind parallelogram of forces. I wanted to get my head around it and also create some sort of sheet that enabled me to refer back to if I had forgotten it. Therefore, just revising and talking to my other course mates it really helped me to develop my understanding. As a result you can see my working out with two examples below. I was trying to work out the resultant force of Force A and B.
I have found as a learner when engaging in Maths, writing things out simply helps me to understand the principles more. However, I am aware of how you should display your answers if you are in a exam which is obviously an important thing to make note of.
I have found as a learner when engaging in Maths, writing things out simply helps me to understand the principles more. However, I am aware of how you should display your answers if you are in a exam which is obviously an important thing to make note of.
These two examples below is further evidence of me making an attempt to dig deeper into the Maths in regards to Structures. I know that this is also links to mechanisms because it includes levers.
I have tried to display my working out including how I have got to where I did in writing so that it is clear for me to use at a later date. I got Biff to create a question for me today as well and she tested my answer to see if I had learnt and I got it correct which I was really pleased about! Shows progress!
She also reminded me how important it was to include what the examiners will want to see when marking a question like this in a test or exam paper. Therefore, I have also highlighted this so that it reminds me. I do find that the sums and the writing makes more sense than the examine style format and therefore this is why I have included both methods of working out.
I have tried to display my working out including how I have got to where I did in writing so that it is clear for me to use at a later date. I got Biff to create a question for me today as well and she tested my answer to see if I had learnt and I got it correct which I was really pleased about! Shows progress!
She also reminded me how important it was to include what the examiners will want to see when marking a question like this in a test or exam paper. Therefore, I have also highlighted this so that it reminds me. I do find that the sums and the writing makes more sense than the examine style format and therefore this is why I have included both methods of working out.