This document provides an overview for a lesson plan on applying the laws of motion to earthquake-proof building design. The lesson involves having students: 1) Design and test model buildings on a shake table to withstand horizontal forces and measure stress; 2) Re-design and re-test their models based on findings from the initial test; and 3) Present summaries of their findings and recommendations. The document discusses standards alignment, integration into science curriculum, materials needed, and a 5E learning cycle approach including engage, explore, explain, evaluate steps. Recommended resources on retrofitting techniques, inertia, and earthquake engineering are also provided.

1. QUAKE-PROOF
APPLYING LAWS OF MOTION TO EARTHQUAKE-
PROOF BUILDING DESIGN
DeEtta Andersen
Science Teacher and student for life
Center Point Urbana High School

2. OVERVIEW
• Build and design structures that withstand horizontal
movements on a shake table
• Determine a way to measure the stress on the building
• Re-design and re-test
• Present summary of findings and recommendations

5. THE STANDARDS
PICK WHAT FITS YOUR NEEDS
• HS PS2-3 Apply scientific and engineering ideas to design, evaluate, ad
refine a device that minimizes the force on a macroscopic object during a
collision.
• HS-ETS1-3 Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on
prioritized criteria, and trade-offs that account for a range of constraints,
including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, as well as possible social,
cultural, and environmental impacts.

6. INTEGRATION INTO YOUR
CURRICULUM
•Introduction activity: Inertia, engineering
practices, how to measure forces and
motion
•Application activity: Laws of motion,
Predict acceleration given F and m,
momentum.
•I will use the 5E learning cycle for this

7. ENGAGE
• Why do some parts of buildings fall and others stay
standing?

9. ENGAGE, PART 2
• Where is this a concern?
• Could this happen to you?!
• USGS earthquake map

10. EXPLORE
• Design a 4 story building that
withstands the horizontal forces it
receives in a seismic event
• All structures must have a floor (no
spires)
• Minimum height: 24 cm
• Minimum mass: 45 grams
• All floors must have added weight.
Can use tape to secure the weight, but
not the joints of the building.
• Constrain number of toothpicks (25-
50) and marshmallows. Styrofoam

11. MATERIALS
• Toothpicks
• Marshmallows and/or Styrofoam peanuts
• Weights, washers, etc.
• Ruler, protractor
• Shake tables (tray/lid, rubber bands, weights,
marbles, staples)
• Spring scales
• Tape (secure buildings on shake tables; simulating
footings)
• Scales

12. HOW TO MEASURE BUILDING DAMAGE
• Students can determine this
• Tilt from vertical
• Amount of bend
• Both quantitative and qualitative data
opportunities
• They may want to document with
photos

13. EXPLAIN
• Based on your data, what building
design factors influence stability?
• How does inertia relate to building
stability? What parts of your building
showed the most and least inertia? How
do you explain this finding?
• Explain the difference between the two
shake tables based on what you know
about inertia.
• What do professional architects use to
reduce the effects of forces on
buildings?

14. EVALUATE
• How are these forces similar
and different to actual seismic
waves?
• What constraints do engineers
have to work with in retro-
fitting older buildings?
• What constraints do they work
with in designing new
buildings?
• What are the costs and benefits
of each type of building

15. I LOVE THE SCIENCE
APPLICATIONS OF
RETROFITTING BUILDINGS!
Rubber dampers, elevated,
decreased surface area

16. INERTIA VIDEO
SIMPLE HARMONIC MOTION

17. MOMENTUM AND IMPULSE
KEEPING WINDOWS FROM BREAKING

18. SOMEBODY STOP ME!!!

19. RESOURCES
• They love this shake test of a 30 story model building in China
• Rounded architecture video
• Great video on retrofit and constraints of engineering
• California highway retrofits
• Effects on man-made structures
• Lots of resources in one site
• Exploratorium Engineering for Earthquakes
• Don't dislike Wikipedia...best introductory source for this yet!
• Lesson plans for other options to test
• This reading is excellent and student-friendly. It covers multiple topics.
http://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/20130726-1556-20490-0102/fema454_chapter4.pdf
• There are so many other resources!