Class Project
Fall 2025
Project Overview
Wreck-It-Ralph: Building Disaster is an interactive engineering project focused on structural behavior and failure analysis. The project explored how buildings respond to applied loads and how design decisions influence stability, load paths, and failure modes.
Through hands-on modeling, testing, and analysis, the project translated theoretical structural concepts into a tangible system that demonstrates real-world engineering principles in an engaging and accessible format.
My Role
I contributed to the structural design, modeling, and testing of the building system. Working collaboratively within a team, I focused on understanding how forces propagate through a structure and how material choice, geometry, and connections affect overall performance and failure behavior.
Design & Engineering Process
Structural Modeling & Layout
- Designed and modeled building components using AutoCAD, focusing on structural layout and load paths
- Considered geometric constraints and connection points to simulate realistic building behavior
- Evaluated how component arrangement influenced stability and failure response
Programming & System Logic
- Supported implementation of C++ code to manage system behavior and interactive elements
- Assisted in coordinating physical structure with programmed responses
- Ensured alignment between mechanical behavior and system logic
Testing & Failure Analysis
- Conducted controlled testing by applying loads to the structure
- Observed and analyzed failure modes, including deformation and collapse patterns
- Used test results to evaluate design limitations and identify potential improvements
Tools & Skills Applied
- AutoCAD (structural modeling and layout)
- C++ (system logic support)
- Structural mechanics fundamentals
- Failure mode analysis
- Physical testing and observation
Results
- Successfully demonstrated structural response under applied loads
- Identified key relationships between design choices and failure behavior
- Created a functional system that visually and physically represents engineering failure concepts
- Applied testing insights to refine structural design decisions
Key Takeaways
- Developed a practical understanding of structural load paths and failure mechanisms
- Strengthened skills in translating theory into physical systems
- Gained experience analyzing and interpreting test results
- Improved ability to collaborate on multidisciplinary engineering projects
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