PSN-L Email List Message

Subject: Re: Shake table
From: ChrisAtUpw@.......
Date: Mon, 7 Apr 2008 18:23:23 EDT


In a message dated 2008/04/07, felicaribe5@........... writes:

> What you are building is nice; have you tried having inverted pendulums 
> supported by a 2x4 piece of wood all of the pendulums in different lengths with 
> lets say foam balls of equal or different masses, then you shake the table 
> with your hands at diffrent frequencies and observe the totally different 
> responses of each (ball/mass/pendulum)?

Hi Felipe,

       This works fine as a simple demonstration, but it doesn't capture the 
attention of students the way that having them build four model 'buildings' 
and then see them collapse in sequence can. 
       Most students will not think of a real tall building as something 
which can and does oscillate and fall to pieces during an Earthquake. 

       Regards,

       Chris Chapman   
In a me=
ssage dated 2008/04/07, felicaribe5@........... writes:

What you are building is nice;=20= have you tried having inverted pendulums supported by a 2x4 piece of wood al= l of the pendulums in different lengths with lets say foam balls of equal or= different masses, then you shake the table with your hands at diffrent freq= uencies and observe the totally different responses of each (ball/mass/pendu= lum)?


Hi Felipe,

       This works fine as a simple demonstrati= on, but it doesn't capture the attention of students the way that having the= m build four model 'buildings' and then see them collapse in sequence can. <= BR>        Most students will not think of a real=20= tall building as something which can and does oscillate and fall to pieces d= uring an Earthquake.

       Regards,

       Chris Chapman

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