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Building and Construction Science Fair Project

Vibration Absorption in Building Materials

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Vibration Absorption in Building Materials | Science Fair Projects | STEM Projects
Which building material absorbs the most vibration from an impact? During an earthquake, vibrations travel through walls and floors. Some materials pass that energy along more than others. You place a tray of water on top of each material. Then you swing a metal ball on a string into the side. Test wood first. Then brick. Then concrete. The height of the wave in the water shows how much vibration passed through. Timber produces the tallest waves. Concrete produces the smallest. The difference between them is dramatic.

Hypothesis

The hypothesis is that timber is suitable for use as a building material in earthquake-prone areas.

Method & Materials

You will set up an experiment to measure the amount of vibration absorbed by different building materials. You will suspend a metal ball from the ceiling and knock it against the materials to measure the height of the waves in a tray of water.
You will need a transparent plastic or glass tray, tap water, a spherical metal ball with a hook, a meter-long string, a concrete slab, 6 bricks, a piece of timber, a ruler, and a small table.

Results

The experiment showed that the impact of the metal ball on the timber wood produced the highest wave in the water compared to the brick and concrete. This means that timber is more structurally stable during an earthquake and is less likely to collapse during tremors.

Why do this project?

This science project is interesting because it tests the strength of different building materials in an earthquake-prone area. It also shows how the right building materials can help minimize the destruction caused by an earthquake.

Also Consider

Try repeating the experiment using different materials like steel and reinforced concrete. You can also repeat the experiment by increasing the weight of the metal ball or adding base isolators under the water tray.

Full project details

Additional information and source material for this project are available below.

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