Types of Structures
This structure is built by humans using materials like steel or concrete.
What is a man-made structure?
A push or pull acting on an object.
What is a force?
The point where all weight of an object is balanced.
What is the centre of gravity?
These help support floors and resist bending due to their shape.
What are I-beams?
Designing something to fit the human body comfortably.
What is ergonomics
This type of structure is formed by nature, like mountains or coral reefs.
What is a natural structure?
This type of force occurs when an object is twisted.
What is torsion?
Structures with this kind of base are more stable.
What is a wide base?
Folding material to make it stronger is called this.
What is corrugation?
Too much weight or natural disasters causing collapse on a building
What are extraordinary loads?
A dam made entirely of concrete is an example of this type of structure.
What is a solid structure?
This refers to where a force is applied on an object.
What is the point of application?
If the centre of gravity moves outside this, the structure may fall.
What is the base?
This material strengthens concrete structures like foundations.
What is rebar?
Describe how foundation failure causes a structure to fail
What is: When the ground underneath cannot support the structure.
This structure combines solid, frame, and shell elements, like a house or human body.
What is a combination structure?
The strength of a force is called this.
What is magnitude?
What causes a structure to tip?
What is: when the centre of gravity moves outside of its base of support, causing the structure to tip
Which one is more stable? A structure that is symmetric or an asymmetric structure?
What is: Symmetric
Describe form and function
What is Form: the characteristics/materials of an object, function: the purpose of a structure/what it helps people do
This type of structure is designed so that most of its strength comes from its curved outer surface, allowing it to distribute forces evenly without a solid interior.
What is a shell structure?
A man pushes on the upper side of a very large cup, applying force at a high point and at an angle. Identify the point of application and plane of application, and predict what will happen to the cup. Then explain how both should be adjusted if the goal is to make the cup slide to the right instead of tipping.
the point of application is high on the cup and the plane of application is angled, causing the cup to tip because the centre of gravity moves outside the base; to make it slide right, the force should be applied low near the base with a horizontal plane of application pointing right
This type of beam is fixed at only one end.
What is a cantilever?
A triangular piece used to strengthen joints in structures.
What is a gusset?
A structure collapses even though strong materials were used, because the joints and load distribution were not properly planned, creating weak points under stress.
A structure collapses even though strong materials were used, because the joints and load distribution were not properly planned, creating weak points under stress.