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originally posted by: VoidHawk
WOW! The stresses at the foot of those buildings must have been huge! Far greater than anything the towers were subjected too.
It must have been very worrying to be in one of those buildings while they were swaying.
originally posted by: AnteBellum
a reply to: brettcal82
Buildings are supposed to give a bit, they are designed to do that. It's when they don't flex that the problems occur.
Imagine standing in the middle of a board supported at both ends. If it flexes to compensate your weight it will support more stress. Now if that same board doesn't flex it is brittle and will 'snap' much easier then the one that does flex.
Buildings are designed just like diving boards(cantilevers) though it's hard for most to understand this.
originally posted by: AnteBellum
a reply to: brettcal82
Imagine standing in the middle of a board supported at both ends. If it flexes to compensate your weight it will support more stress. Now if that same board doesn't flex it is brittle and will 'snap' much easier then the one that does flex.
.
A tree would make a better analogy. Most everyone has seen a tree sway in the breeze.
originally posted by: AnteBellum
a reply to: brettcal82
Buildings are supposed to give a bit, they are designed to do that. It's when they don't flex that the problems occur.
Imagine standing in the middle of a board supported at both ends. If it flexes to compensate your weight it will support more stress. Now if that same board doesn't flex it is brittle and will 'snap' much easier then the one that does flex.
Buildings are designed just like diving boards(cantilevers) though it's hard for most to understand this.
So did I But that was quite a while ago
originally posted by: AnteBellum
a reply to: Bilk22
Funny I learned that little analogy in Construction Class, it still went over most peoples head.