ShakeTableAshaketablecanbeusedtotesttheresistanceofstructurestoseismicshaking.Itcanalsobeusedtodemonstratethesensitivityofstructuresofdifferentheightstothefrequencyofthegroundmotion.Theshaketablepicturedbelow,whichwasdesignedandbuiltbyJohnLahrwithexpertadvicefromTomTompkins.Itisbasedonalightweightplatformthatisconstrainedtomoveinjustonedirection.Theplatformismadefroma10inchby10inchpieceoffoam-coreboard.Hollowmetaltubesareconnectedtotheleftandrightedgeswithhotglue.Metalrods(madefromweldingrods)areslidthroughthetubesandtheendsoftherodsareheldfirmlybywoodenblocks.Theblocksarehotgluedtoaplywoodbase.ClickforlargerimageAtthispointintheconstruction,theshaketableplatformisabletoslideaboutaninchbackandforthontherods.Itshouldmovefreely,withoutbindingontherods.Iuseavariablespeeddrilltoshakethetable.Analternativetoavariablespeeddrillisasinglespeeddrillconnectedtoanelectronicspeedcontrol,suchastheonesoldbyMLCSLtd.Theirspeedcontrolunitisshownontheirwebsite:/Pages/speedcon.html,ortheymaybecontactedat1-800-533-9298.WARNING:IwanttothankGregNowak()forthemessagethathesenton2/22/2001fromconcerningleavingtheshaketablerunningforalongperiodoftime.Thetableshouldnotbeoperatedunattendedandthe110Vpowershouldalwaysbedisconnectedwhennotinuse.ParaphrasingGreg:Thereshouldbeabigwarningonanyplansforanearthquakesimulationmechanismthatusesamotorofanysort,asitcouldbedangerousifnotdesignedandoperatedproperly.About10yearsagoataCalPolyStateUniversitySLOopenhouse(PolyRoyal)anArchitectureorEngineeringstudentusedapowerdrillsetonlowspeedandlefthisearthquakemachinerunning.Itoverheatedandafireeruptedthatbasicallyburneddownafewclassrooms.ArodwithaU-shapedbendismountedparalleltoonesideoftheplatformsothatitisfreetorotate.OneendofastiffwireisbentinalooparoundthebottomoftheUwhiletheotherendisshapedlikeahookandisattachedwithstrappingtapetotheedgeofthetable.Amoredurableandflexiblealternativetostrappingtapeistoattachasquarepieceofautomobileinnertubewithdimensionsofabout2x2inchestotheedgeofthetable.Therubberisfoldedoverandgluedtothetopandbottomofthetable.Hotgluehasworkedwellforme.Letabout3/4inchoftherubberstickoutbeyondtheedgeofthetableandpokeaholethroughthisflap.Thenthestiffwireisbentthroughtheholeintherubber.Thisarrangementwillcausetheplatformtomovebackandforthastherodisrotated.Thevariablespeeddrillisattachedtotherodbyitschuck.Thehandleofthedrillisalsofirmlyattachedtotheplywoodbase.Constructiondetailsarepostedfortwoshaketabledesigns.Todemonstratetheneedforadiagonalelementtogiveawallshearresistance,Iuse6-inchlongpiecesofwoodorplasticwithmagnetsmountedateachend.IhaveattachedVelcrototheplatformandmatingVelcrotoabaseblock.Thebaseblockhasmagnetsmountedateachend.Abasicwall,consistingoftwoverticalsandahorizontalelement,canbebuiltonthebase.Thiswallwillfalldownduringanearthquake.If,however,adiagonalelementisadded(madefromalongermagnetstick,whichisprovided)thenthewallwillresiststrongshaking.Iusuallyprovideonelongmagnetsticktobeusedasthediagonalandthreeshortmagnetsticksandchallengethestudentstobuildastrongwall.Eventuallytheydiscoverthatadiagonalelementiscrucial.Hereisaphotographoftheshaketable.Totheleftofthetableisapieceofplastic(cutfromafluorescentlightdiffuser)withfourfingersofvaryinglength.Whenthisisvibratedontheshaketable,onecanexperimentwiththeeffectofshakingfrequencyontheamplitudeofmotionofbuildingsofvaryingheights.Belowarethreephotosoftheshaketable:onewiththemagneticsticksandtwowithaflexiblebuilding.Clickhereforsomeadditionalinformationonuseandconstructionofmagneticsticks.AttheMay,2000,openhouseoftheUSGSinMenloPark,CA,BobPagedemonstratedsomeadditionalbuildingissuesusingtheshaketable.(Clicktoenlarge)Headdedsomepoststoonesideofthebuildingsothatastringcouldbewrappedtoformx-bracesforeachfloor.Belowarepicturesofthebuildingwithandwithoutthex-bracing.(Clicktoenlarge)Bobalsodemonstratedadesignfeatureofsomemodernbuildings,namelybaseisolation.Thefoundationofabuildingwithbaseisolationallowsthegroundtomoverapidlybackanforthwhilethebuildingstandsnearlystill.Toillustratethis,Bobusedtwojarspartlyfilledwithwater.Onewasattachedfirmlytotheshaketablewhiletheotherwasallowedtoslidebackandforthwithinaplastictray.(Clicktoenlarge)ClickHEREforsomemoreinformationonbaseisolation.ClassroomExercisesthatuseaShakeTableLarryBraile,aPurdueUniversityseismologist,hasdevelopedafunclassroomcontestinwhichgroupsof4or5studentsdesign,build,andtestbuildings.Althougheachgroupstartswiththesameconstructionmaterials,itsamazinghowmanydifferentdesignsresult!Also,checkoutLarrysotherprojectsatPurdue.Instructionsforbuildingwatertowers.Simulatingwood-frame,masonry,andsteelframebuildings:ideasfromMCEER(MultidisciplinaryCenterforEarthquakeEngineeringResearch).ShakeTablesintheClassroomEachyearFrankDevereauxandDanArgentaruseashaketabletotestthebuildingskilloftheirstudentsduringtheirunitonplatetectonics.Herearesomephotosoftheshaketablebeingusedin2000and2001.Danhascreatedanextensivewebsitewithdetailedinformationonthisunittoaidany