Our Year 8 geographers have been busy thinking about how buildings can be designed to withstand, or at least stand up to, an earthquake, through the use of different engineering techniques. This is the culmination of a programme of study in which the geography classes have explored plate tectonics and specifically the volcanos and earthquakes and the theory behind these events. A number of case studies have been examined to explore themes such as how the level of development of a country affects the response to these hazards and how natural hazards may be managed to reduce potential for a natural disaster.
Year 8 looked at the techniques and technologies that engineers might deploy to ensure buildings in earthquake-prone areas can redistribute the forces that travel through them during a seismic event and withstand collapse.
Pupils have produced some sophisticated PowerPoint presentations, technical drawings and 3D models, designed and constructed from materials ranging from cardboard to chopsticks, and even cake!
