I am starting a science project on testing the strength of domes. How should i make, and test this experiment? (i have previous knowledge of building bridges and testing designs)
P.s.the whole project is due around February of 2014, but the procedure is due 10/17/13!!!
pps plz help!!
Dome Test Strength
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Joshing Josh
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Wed Oct 16, 2013 8:29 pm
- Occupation: Student
- Project Question: I am starting a science project on testing the strength of domes. How should i make, and test this experiment? (i have previous knowledge of building bridges and testing designs)
- Project Due Date: around February of 2014, but the procedure is due 10/17/13!!!
- Project Status: I am conducting my research
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theborg
- Moderator
- Posts: 360
- Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2011 12:26 pm
- Occupation: Space Test Analyst
- Project Question: "To explain all nature is too difficult a task for any one man. 'Tis much better to do a little with certainty and leave the rest for others that come after you, than to explain all things by conjecture without making sure of anything." - Sir Isaac Newton
- Project Due Date: N/A
- Project Status: Not applicable
Re: Dome Test Strength
Joshing Josh,
Welcome back to science buddies. Sounds like a great science/engineering project. I would test this very similar to bridge projects, and since you have already done that before, you shouldn't have any trouble. But to get you started, i would build your various designs and then place a platform of some kind on top and start adding weight until the dome failed. The amount of weight at the point of failure is your data point. To baseline, I'd take a single piece of your building material (say a metal bar) and put weight across the middle while held up only by the ends to get a sense of how much weight it can hold when not part of a dome, then compare how much stronger the structure is when integrated into a dome.
Just some ideas. Good luck.
Welcome back to science buddies. Sounds like a great science/engineering project. I would test this very similar to bridge projects, and since you have already done that before, you shouldn't have any trouble. But to get you started, i would build your various designs and then place a platform of some kind on top and start adding weight until the dome failed. The amount of weight at the point of failure is your data point. To baseline, I'd take a single piece of your building material (say a metal bar) and put weight across the middle while held up only by the ends to get a sense of how much weight it can hold when not part of a dome, then compare how much stronger the structure is when integrated into a dome.
Just some ideas. Good luck.
Hope this helps.
theborg
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theborg
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Science Buddies science fair guide:
http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_guide_index.shtml
Science Buddies project ideas:
http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_ideas.shtml
-
Joshing Josh
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Wed Oct 16, 2013 8:29 pm
- Occupation: Student
- Project Question: I am starting a science project on testing the strength of domes. How should i make, and test this experiment? (i have previous knowledge of building bridges and testing designs)
- Project Due Date: around February of 2014, but the procedure is due 10/17/13!!!
- Project Status: I am conducting my research
Re: Dome Test Strength
first of all, thanks for the quick reply ! 
so instead of taking a rope and bucket, i would put the weight on top of the dome which would distribute the weight. secondly, to clarify, since i am testing dome structure, i would just make the dome frame, and not attach anything extra right?
thnxs,
Josh
so instead of taking a rope and bucket, i would put the weight on top of the dome which would distribute the weight. secondly, to clarify, since i am testing dome structure, i would just make the dome frame, and not attach anything extra right? thnxs,
Josh
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theborg
- Moderator
- Posts: 360
- Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2011 12:26 pm
- Occupation: Space Test Analyst
- Project Question: "To explain all nature is too difficult a task for any one man. 'Tis much better to do a little with certainty and leave the rest for others that come after you, than to explain all things by conjecture without making sure of anything." - Sir Isaac Newton
- Project Due Date: N/A
- Project Status: Not applicable
Re: Dome Test Strength
How you distribute the weight is not as important, as long as the force acts through the top center of the dome, perpendicular to the floor. I'm not sure what you mean by "extra" but if all you are testing is the dome then that is all you want to distribute the weight. I'm a bit unclear as to what aspect of the dome you are testing. A science experiment should have one independent variable that you will change and observe how dependent variables change in response. Are you testing different building materials or buildingt techniques or what?
Hope this helps.
theborg
----------
Science Buddies science fair guide:
http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_guide_index.shtml
Science Buddies project ideas:
http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_ideas.shtml
theborg
----------
Science Buddies science fair guide:
http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_guide_index.shtml
Science Buddies project ideas:
http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_ideas.shtml
-
Joshing Josh
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Wed Oct 16, 2013 8:29 pm
- Occupation: Student
- Project Question: I am starting a science project on testing the strength of domes. How should i make, and test this experiment? (i have previous knowledge of building bridges and testing designs)
- Project Due Date: around February of 2014, but the procedure is due 10/17/13!!!
- Project Status: I am conducting my research
Re: Dome Test Strength
my independent variable is the material of wood i am using
my dependent variable is the design ex. diametric dome(simpler) schwedler dome...or to much more simpler, triangles, sqaures, hexagons, pentagons, etc.
also, i would like to ask what type of wood is bendable/flexible to use to make the bends of a dome?
my dependent variable is the design ex. diametric dome(simpler) schwedler dome...or to much more simpler, triangles, sqaures, hexagons, pentagons, etc.
also, i would like to ask what type of wood is bendable/flexible to use to make the bends of a dome?