Editing Talk:Mombasa Tether
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:I should probably have mentioned that I'm refering to the Halo 2 model, as you can see it is considerably taller than the tallest structure encountered during gameplay. The revised Halo 3 model seems not be particularly objectionable. I see your point, although I'm concerned with the rate of change in load with respect to cross-sectional area. It seems that the total load should exceed the compressional strength at the base, which should cause barreling and ultimately failure. As far as I'm aware, mechanics on the atomic scale is quantisized, I should know since I'm majoring in Quantumn Nanoscience at the moment.--[[User talk:Plasmic Physics|Plasmic Physics]] 07:13, August 4, 2010 (UTC) | :I should probably have mentioned that I'm refering to the Halo 2 model, as you can see it is considerably taller than the tallest structure encountered during gameplay. The revised Halo 3 model seems not be particularly objectionable. I see your point, although I'm concerned with the rate of change in load with respect to cross-sectional area. It seems that the total load should exceed the compressional strength at the base, which should cause barreling and ultimately failure. As far as I'm aware, mechanics on the atomic scale is quantisized, I should know since I'm majoring in Quantumn Nanoscience at the moment.--[[User talk:Plasmic Physics|Plasmic Physics]] 07:13, August 4, 2010 (UTC) | ||
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::The structures do appear to be noticeably different, although the Halo 2 model actually appears to have a sturdier, better-constructed base with thinner, more closely clustered rings than the ODST model. In the Halo 2 model, we can see that the base support struts are enormous, with at least three (possibly more) branching out from the bottom-most ring along with what appears to be a central support and anchor continuing straight down into the Earth. Given the size of the structure we can see in the image with Regret's carrier as a comparison, the base is just short of 5 kilometers tall, but given the sheer density of the supports, seems quite sturdy. Given their angle, they also do not support the weight of the tower vertically, and flare out toward the base for greater thickness. Rather than explode, it is more likely that the struts would buckle outward, if they were overwhelmed. The tapering present in at least some of the struts does seem to make this unlikely, however.<br | ::The structures do appear to be noticeably different, although the Halo 2 model actually appears to have a sturdier, better-constructed base with thinner, more closely clustered rings than the ODST model. In the Halo 2 model, we can see that the base support struts are enormous, with at least three (possibly more) branching out from the bottom-most ring along with what appears to be a central support and anchor continuing straight down into the Earth. Given the size of the structure we can see in the image with Regret's carrier as a comparison, the base is just short of 5 kilometers tall, but given the sheer density of the supports, seems quite sturdy. Given their angle, they also do not support the weight of the tower vertically, and flare out toward the base for greater thickness. Rather than explode, it is more likely that the struts would buckle outward, if they were overwhelmed. The tapering present in at least some of the struts does seem to make this unlikely, however.<br><br>It is impossible to definitively say how many rings are on the Halo 2 model since it disappears into the clouds, but we can see at least nine, and the ODST model has ten. Compared to the base, this puts the total height of the structure at likely around 15-16 kilometers, assuming ten rings. Accurate calculations are impossible given the lack of information as to the tower's mass and construction. However, modern carbon fiber epoxy has a compressive strength of greater than 1 GPa, more than 25 times that of stone which can already support a vertical tower of 2 kilometers. Specifically, SP Systems SE84LV with Toray 300S fibers has a tested compressive strength of 1.3 GPa, more than enough to support such a tower.<br><br>This comparison is directly in conflict with the ODST elevator. According to the article, the tether snaps 2 kilometers above the surface, but this snapping point is halfway up the ring structure, far above the support base. This means that the ''entire'' structure is shorter than five kilometers, which given the same materials as mentioned above, would make construction of the tower even easier. Although the support struts here are significantly thinner, and the rings proportionately larger and farther-spaced, the two ring support columns are tapered, which would give greater strength relative to their weight. In any event, the greatly reduced height (and presumably, mass) of the structure makes compressive strength much less of an issue.<br><br>Finally, if the support base is used as an anchor, then it would not even need to support the entirety of its own weight, since it would be supporting itself against the tether, although we have no evidence of that.<br><br>And unless a demonstration of exactly how ''quantum'' mechanics preclude the construction of such a structure can be provided, it is much more logical to accept the Newtonian physics equations that traditionally govern structural engineering, since rarely do we ever calculate strength down to the quantum level as no structure should ever be built so close to its compressive failure point.[[User talk:The one092001|The one092001]] 22:38, August 4, 2010 (UTC) |