Week 3: Information and Lab Procedure

Lab Date: April 17, 2014
Lab Occupations

• Lauren Kujawa, Researcher/Tester
• Tyler Wicker, Researcher/Tester
• Chris Gibson, Researcher/Tester
• Sal Realmuto, Researcher/Tester
• Gabe Markowitz, Researcher/ Tester

Lab Information and Procedure

• April 17, 2014 was the third meeting of the lab section.  After a brief talk with the professors, groups moved to the Soil Laboratory in Main Building.  There, the group was given sand and was tasked to make the sand into the tallest cone shaped structure.  This would determine the natural response angle of the sand: the angle at which the sand will always fall to.
• Each of the five group members took a turn at piling the sand.  The data collected included the height, width, and angle that was determined using measurements.  
• The natural response angle should be around 30 degrees

Data (2 scoops of sand were used in each trial)

Equation: To find the angle theta, the following equation was used:

Theta = 45(degrees) - (measured angle)/2

where theta is the angle calculated and the measured angle is the angle measured with a protractor.

Trial 1

•  Height: 2.25 inches
• Width: 2.25 inches
• Theta: 29.50 degrees

Trial 2

• Height: 2.25 inches
• Width: 3.75 inches
• Theta: 29.50 inches

Trial 3

• Height: 2.50 inches
• Width: 3.70 inches
• Theta: 28.00 degrees

Trial 4

• Height: 2.50 inches
• Width: 3.65 inches
• Theta: 27.80 degrees

Trial 5

• Height: 2.30 inches
• Width: 4.00 inches
•  Theta: 30.05 degrees

Average Height: 2.36 inches
Average Width: 3.77 inches
Average Theta: 28.97 degrees

Post Lab

• The group continued to discuss possible designs for the retaining wall.