Tower Testing Instructions

Step 0: Meaure tower weight and height

Use the luggage scale to measure the weight of your tower.

The height of the tower is the distance from your tower base to the point where you will load your tower.

Step 1: Secure the tower base

Before loading the tower structure, you must first secure the base of the tower to the ground. There are two options for securing as shown below. We recommend finding a flat spacious location for testing.

Option A: Have someone help you hold down the base of your tower structure with either their feet or hands.

Option B: Take your structure outside and use metal stakes to secure the base of your tower structure to the ground.

IMPORTANT NOTE: On the final testing day, once you secure the tower base and start testing, you will not be able to re-adjust where and how the base is secured. During the initial tests, you may want to experiment and note down the best way to secure your structure. Your video recording for the final testing should show how and where the base is being secured.

Step 2: Loop and hook the luggage scale

In order to load your tower structure, the luggage scale must be looped and hooked onto a horizontal CORI beam member. See Step 4 below for an example of what the luggage scale hooked around a horizontal CORI beam member can look like.

The images below show how to loop and hook the luggage scale around any CORI beam member.

Loop the luggage scale strap around the CORI beam

Hook the metal end of the strap around the CORI beam and onto the triangle end

Close-up look at the luggage scale hook from the side

Step 3: Turn on the luggage scale

Turn on your luggage scale, and press the power button again to zero the scale. Make sure the scale is reading the force in pounds (the screen should say "lb" and NOT "kg", "Oz", or "g"). You can toggle between the units by holding down the power button.

The image shown below is what your luggage scale should read before any force is applied.

Step 4: Pull luggage scale horizontally to apply lateral force

The lateral force shall be applied by pulling onto the luggage scale. Be careful not to angle the luggage scale upwards or downwards when pulling. For the performance index, the "height" factor will be taken as the distance from the flat ground surface to the CORI beam that is hooked by the luggage scale.

For the final test day, your structure will be loaded from a randomized direction until failure. This means that you should design your structure so that it can withstand the required loads from any direction.

Remember to take a video of the luggage scale reading as you are pulling!

IMPORTANT NOTE: For safety, if you are having someone help you with holding down the base of the tower, please make sure that you are pulling AWAY from where they are standing or sitting.

Step 5: Record results

Re-watch your video recording of the luggage scale reading and identify the maximum load that your structure was able to withstand. Take note of this number (either write it down or take a screenshot) and be prepared to share your results with Hala Industries. After each test day, Hala Industries will release the test results to all companies.

An example reading of 15.32lb on the luggage scale is shown below.

Step 6: Redesign

You will construct and test 2 initial designs before constructing and testing your final design. Some useful questions to think about when making changes to your tower design:

  • Where and how did my tower fail?

  • Was the failure due to the placement of members or was it due to poor craftsmanship?

  • Should I add members or remove members to increase the performance index?

  • Where should I add or remove members?

  • How much material do I have left to build with?

  • Does my partner know what I am doing, and will they be able to attach the blades to this tower?

Good luck and have fun! ;)