1. Helping Haiti: Earthquake Resistant Structures
Holly Cain
Magnolia High School
Abstract
Project Description
Assessment of Project
The January 2010 earthquake in Haiti was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 earthquake centered 16 miles west of the Haitian capital city of Port-au-Prince. The initial earthquake caused the death of more than 200,000 people and left more than 1,000,000 survivors homeless. Being the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, and one of the poorest nations on Earth, Haiti was ill-prepared to deal with the results of such a tragic event. The event clearly illustrated the impact of poorly designed buildings and their effect on the inhabitants during an earthquake. Your team has been given a contract to design a skyscraper in an area that is known for frequent earthquakes. You know that your team will need to do some modeling of the structure and test it against the sideways forces of an earthquake.
Working with your Engineering Research Team, design the tallest earthquake-resistant structure that can hold up against the forces
of an earthquake simulation table for 6 seconds.
Limitations:
To complete this engineering design challenge successfully, teams must strictly adhere to the following design parameters:
1. Teams will select materials identified in Figure 1 below and keep track of the cost of their selected materials.
2. Your structure’s base must fit onto the platform of the simulation table (3.5 x 3.5 inches).
3. Your structure must have a minimum of three floors (base can count as one).
4. Each floor of your structure must be able to hold the load of a golf ball, simulating a person on each floor.
5. The completed structure must be constructed in such a way as to withstand transportation to the testing area without breaking.
6. Once the completed model is placed into position on the simulation table, it may only be touched to position the load.
Figure 1 - Available Materials
Note: Rulers, scissors, and golf balls will be available free of charge to all teams.
Material
Cost
Tape – masking
$0.10 per inch
Tape – clear
$0.20 per inch
Paper plates
$1.00 each
Drinking Straw – Straight
$0.50 each
Drinking Straw – Bendy
$0.60 each
String
$1.00 per foot
WV NxGen Standards purpose
HS-ESS3-1: construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity. 
HS-ETS1-3: Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and tradeoffs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts. 
Engineering Design Products
Evaluate/Reflect
The Engineering Design Process was new to the students so they were learning the process as well as learning about earthquakes and structures. They enjoyed having a chance to be creative and design their own structures. They also enjoyed the idea that they did not have to get it all right the first time. Overall their first exposure to the Engineering Design Process was a success. I am sure with repeated exposure they will get better and better. My biggest issues were with the materials. My first problem was that I did not at first give a limit to how much of each item they could use. I ended up setting a limit but it was much higher than I had originally planned. Also, some students do not understand the concept of using all of an object. All of this meant that I was running out of materials very quickly and was scrambling to replace them. Another issue was the constant interruptions. Some periods did not even meet on certain days due to school-wide interruptions, such as drug testing, picture day, etc. I created a paper to help them organize their group work, especially with the cost and testing, but I did not give this to them until later in the project. Next time I would like to give the paper to them from the very beginning. I would also include more areas where they need to explain their reasoning. Next time I would like each group to do a presentation of their project to the entire class. I would have them show each step of the Engineering Design Process and explain what they did at each step.
Project Timeline
Day 1: Introduced Engineering Design Process, went over project parameters, discussed problem, conducted research on problem
Day 2: Assigned groups, brainstormed in groups, looked through materials (no actual building), started formal planning
Day 3: Finished planning (detailed drawing and list of expected materials with cost) and starting building structures
Day 4: Continued planning for groups not finished, continued building structures
Day 5: Continued building and started testing structures that were finished (last day allowed to build)
Day 6: Finished testing structures and started on redesigns
Day 7: Redesigning and retesting for structures that were finished with redesign
Day 8: Finished testing redesigns and started work on communication components
Day 9: Finished communication assignment and did general wrap-up of project
*Project took longer than anticipated due to numerous school-wide interruptions during these days (drug testing, school pictures, assemblies, etc.). Project could easily be completed in less days than presented.
Acknowledgements
Thank you to Dr. Deb Hemler & the ESS Passport Cohort 2.
Special thanks to Ms. Nicole Moriarty for her collaboration!
Thank you to Wetzel County Teachers
Mr. Steve Ross and Mrs. Carolyn Hizer for their support.
And a very special thanks to all my students at MHS!