February 19, 1998

STRUCTURAL DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF NOVEL MATERIALS: EPOXY, PASTA, AND PLASTICS

by:

Douglas Schmucker, Assistant Professor

Martha Gross and Jason Stitt, Graduate Students

Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering

The Pennsylvania State University

ABSTRACT

The seminar will present both anecdotal and experimental data obtained during the design and analysis of small-scale structures made of epoxy, pasta, and K’Nex plastic. Discussion will revolve around the unique constraints and demands imposed by these novel materials. Creative solutions for construction techniques, material property estimation, and behavior estimation will be presented as will an update of the development of a probabilistic design code for structures made of K’Nex plastic.