In the past, tall structures have always been thought of as rewarding but extremely hard to build and maintain projects. It makes sense: a taller structure that has the same shape as a shorter, more compact structure will obviously be less stable. Despite this, building tall structures is not as difficult as some people think, as long as a few rules are met. During our experiment, my group's structure failed to meet a few of the criteria and therefore it tumbled to a sad fate. If we changed a few things, the outcome could have been very different.
2. What makes a tall structure stable?
There are a few characteristics that make certain tall structures stable.
1. The structure must have a strong base that makes up much of the weight.
2. The top of the structure must be lighter and not as wide as the bottom of the structure.
3. The structure should have a low centre of gravity.
4. The structure must be made of high quality material.
5. The screws and other devices used must be locked securely in place.
6. It is preferred if triangles are used because they are the strongest shapes.
7. There must be some symmetry; if not, the building must be heavier on one side than the other.
3. What is the centre of gravity?
The centre of gravity is the average location of the total mass of a structure. Another term that is often used is the barycenter.
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