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LECTURE 4 (Part 1) - Introduction to Structures

The document discusses the types and functions of structures, including natural and man-made examples, and their ability to support loads, span distances, and provide protection. It highlights the importance of structural integrity, stability, and rigidity, as well as the role of materials and design in preventing structural failure. Additionally, it outlines rules for maintaining stability in structures, emphasizing the significance of the center of gravity.

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mwelasethando444
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7 views

LECTURE 4 (Part 1) - Introduction to Structures

The document discusses the types and functions of structures, including natural and man-made examples, and their ability to support loads, span distances, and provide protection. It highlights the importance of structural integrity, stability, and rigidity, as well as the role of materials and design in preventing structural failure. Additionally, it outlines rules for maintaining stability in structures, emphasizing the significance of the center of gravity.

Uploaded by

mwelasethando444
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Structures

Loads of forces

 Natural structures
 Man made structures
 Resistance to loads of forces

 Examples
 Human skeleton- supports
 static loads
 Dynamic loads
 Structure seldom breaks except under extreme forces
 Roof of a typical house – roof trusses to support the load
of concrete tiles. Man-made structures have become
more efficient in the amount of material that are used.
How simple structures
work
 Placing a length of timber between two upright structures –
creates a simple beam
Beams deflect under load – beams should be able to span a wide
gap and support its load without deflection.
Under load – top of beam is compressed
bottom of beam is stretched or in tension

 Use of reinforcing rods to prevent this stretching action - make


them stiffer
 Reinforcing rods -Set normally below the neutral axis
 Concrete –strong in compression and weak in tension.
 Important to know how these beams behave and the
properties of the materials used.
Types of structures

 Either natural or man made(constructed)


 Shell structures –support on the outside eg. Snail shells,
crab shells, boxes etc.
 Frame structures – support on the inside eg. Spider
webs, skeletons, trees, bridges, houses etc.

Structures refer to how the parts of the whole are fitted


together.
They are usually designed to:
Support a load
Span a distance
Enclose, contain or protect
Types of structures

 Structures are usually categorized as:


 Frame structures – eg. Frame of a swing, bicycle
frame, chairs, scaffolding etc.
 Shell structures – eg. Pots, cups, milk cartons, tins
etc.
 Solid structures – eg. Beams, lintels, dam walls,
bridges etc.
 Combination of any of the above.

 Structural components – tubes, platforms,


columns, beams, arches, buttresses, stays, guys,
struts, ties, blocks, sheets and bricks.
What do structures do?

 Contain – Bird in a cage.

 Protect – a child in a house.

 Support – pylon and electric cables.

 Span – bridge.
Structural failure

 When a structure collapses or fails to do it’s job.


 May be due to design or material.
 Why?
 Poor design, fatigue, failure of material or joint.

Supporting a load- must be able to support it’s own weight and


the load it has to bear – can be a person, object or forces acting
on it.
Spanning a gap – most common structure is a bridge. Not only
does it span a gap but also has to support it’s own weight and
whatever travels over them.
Enclosing or protecting – structures enclose in order to protect –
egg box, snail shell. Think of an enclosed structure – margarine
tub, bucket, grain silo etc.
Structural integrity

 Ability of a structure to serve it’s purpose is known as structural


integrity.

 Apart from material strength there are 2 main characteristics of


structural integrity.
 Stability- a structure is said to be stable if it does not fall (topple)over
easily when acted upon by a force. It can be enhanced by:
 Making the base broader (wider)
 Making the base heavier (lowering the centre of gravity)
 Using guys and or struts to hold the structure in place.
 Experiment using boxes – apply to building foundations
 Rigidity – a structure is said to be rigid if it does not change it’s shape
easily. Rigid shape – triangle – adding members to create triangles is
known as triangulation.
 Use of corner strips and gussets
Centre of gravity

 Object falls if the forces acting on an object is not balanced.


 To find the balance point at which the pull of gravity(weight) acting
to the right and to the left is equal, you have found the centre of
gravity.

 Finding the centre of gravity.


 Use the description in your notes to find the centre of gravity of the
shapes.
 The position of a structure’s centre of gravity has a lot to do with it’s
stability .
 When a stable structure is tilted’ it’s centre of gravity rises. This is
important because when the tilting force is removed, gravity pulls
the structure to it’s original position.
 When an unstable structure is tilted, it’s centre of gravity moves
downwards. If the COG moves outside the base area, gravity will
make the structure topple over.
Rules for keeping
structures stable
 A structure
 Should be as low as possible
 The base should be as wide as possible
 The top should e as narrow as possible
 The weight on the top should be less than at the
bottom

End

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