Structural Components When you look at buildings, you see many of the same features We call these STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS They can: add strength AND be aesthetically.

Structural ComponentsWhen you look at buildings, you see many of the

same features We call these STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS

They can: add strength AND be aesthetically pleasing

The Hockey Hall of Fame - Toronto• Structural components can be used alone or in

combination

Beams – Strengthening StructuresBeams – A flat structure that is supported at each end; if too much weight is put on a beam, it will bend or even break in the middle

How to Strengthen Beams: Change the material (wood, stone, concrete, steel etc)Change its form (the type of beam)Add Corrugation (folding the beam)Add rebar (steel reinforcing rods)

I Beams – Changing the FormI-Beam – its shape gives it strength.

- They have less weight than solid beams of the same length- Because they have less of their own weight to support, they

can support larger loads- Often used in building construction; structural support in

ceilings and floors- Sometimes called I-joists

Corrugation (Think Folding)When a sheet of metal or cardboard is shaped

into a series of pleats, or triangles it is called corrugated metal or corrugated cardboard

Stronger than a flat sheet of material

Real Life Examples

Rebar – Strengthen Beams

Rebar – Steel reinforcing rods- Beams experience tension on top and tension on the

bottom- Concrete can withstand a great deal of compression but is

weak when it comes to tension. Rebar helps resist tensile forces

Concrete that contains rebar is called “reinforced concrete”- Made with ridges to ensure it grips the concrete- Rust resistant; Embedded in the concrete- Concrete and steel are used together because they contract

and expand in regards to temperature in similar ways

The Cantilever

Niagara Falls New York Viewing Platform

The CantileverA beam that is only supported at one end

When weight is placed on the other end of the beam, the beam bends in an n-shape to resist the load

Cantilever Bridgescantilever bridges normally use pairs of cantilevers back to back with a short beam bridge in between the cantilevers.

Modern motorways have cantilever bridges stretching across them, they have a cantilever coming out from each side and a beam bridge in between them.

Supporting the Beam Tie, Strut, Gusset

Tie – a structural support that is part of the framework and designed to resist TENSION

Strut – similar to a tie, but is placed below a beam where it provides resistance to the forces of compression

(unlike columns, struts do not have to be vertical)

Gusset – a flat, plate like device, often triangular that often supports a beam by reinforcing the connection between the beam and the support base

Response Questions

1.) Briefly describe how a beam can be strengthened. What types of considerations would you need to think about?

(hint – consider form and function)

2.) How is a Cantilever different from a fully supported beam? List some everyday examples of where we would see cantilevers ( at least three).

3.) As you are out and about in Kingston, try to spot uses of ties, struts, gussets. Record the location of some of these examples/the type of structure that is supported