Download Engineering PBL

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Engineering PBL
Problem: Your engineering firm has been hired to create a skyscraper that rivals the Burj Khalifa
in Dubai, UAE. The company that enlisted the services of your company wants to become the
new record holder for the world’s tallest building.
Getting Started: Resources
Types of Engineers http://typesofengineersguide.com/
Structural Engineering https://www.civil.tamu.edu/areas/structural/
Burj Khalifa: The World’s Tallest Tower http://www.burjkhalifa.ae/en/TheTower/TheTower.aspx
 Burj Khalifa’s Grand Vision
 Fact Figures
 Compare the World’s Tallest
 Construction
 Structural Elements
 Grounds
Building Big: Skyscraper Basics http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/skyscraper/basics.html
Activity
Building Big: The Skyscraper Challenge
 Location 1 – Fire in Chicago
 Location 2 – Sinking Cathedral in New York
 Location 3 – Potential Building Collapse in Los Angeles
Warm-Up: The Marshmallow Challenge - In eighteen minutes, teams must build the tallest
free-standing structure out of 20 sticks of spaghetti, one yard of tape, one yard of string, and
one marshmallow. The marshmallow needs to be on top.
Final Project
Take the information that you have learned to help you create a sketch of your skyscraper. Using
spaghetti noodles and marshmallows create a model of your design. Be sure that it is structurally
sound and can hold weight without breaking.