Q5.4: Can wall members be non rectangular if they meet minimum vertical height requirements? Can there be perforations in the wall member given that the total wall member vertical height is at least 1in but the spacing between the perforations is less than 1in?

Answer: Wall members can be non-rectangular if the longest vertical distance that can be measured on the wall member is at least 1 inch. Any perforations are allowed in the wall member as long as the total vertical height is at least 1 inch and the total horizontal length is at least 1 inch.  The […]

Q5.3: What are the rules for wall to frame member connections? Are we allowed to glue a wall member to a frame member that is in contact for more than 1in?

Answer: The contact area between a wall member and a frame member can be more than 1 inch in any direction.  There is no restriction on length of faying surface in wall member to frame member connections.

Q5.2: Are we allowed to place a floor member in the top of the non-buildable floor area of floor 7 to support the full floor area of floor 8. ie Base of floor member falls 3/16 below the elevation of floor 8.

Answer: No, you cannot place any floor members in the hollow, non-buildable area below floor 8. No members of any kind can occupy the non-buildable area.

Q5.1: Are calculations of loads for an actual structure needed for the reports (i.e. tile weights, facades, plumbing, electricals, furnitures, live loads, etc.)? or is only the balsa calculations are needed for the strength assessment of real structural loadings? (In this case the balsa model already scales the real self weight of the structure, and the metal rods scales the mentioned loadings above)

Answer: Only the weight and loading for the balsa wood structure need to be considered.  The weight of a real, full-scale structure does not need to be computed at any point during the competition.