IDL – STEM

This week, we learned about how buildings are made in areas prone to earthquakes. We learned that buildings are constructed on top of flexible pads that isolate the foundations from the ground. When an earthquake hits, only the base moves, allowing the structure to remain steady. This effectively helps to absorb seismic waves and prevent them from traveling through the building.

We decided to try making our own structures, using spaghetti and marshmallows/playdoh. The spaghetti acts as the flexible steel and the marshmallows represent the building’s flexible and absorbent joints. We then placed our structures on top of whiteboards and gave them a good old shake!! Have a look at the video below to see one of the successful creations in action.