Experiment: Simulate a tall building with stepping stones and Dixie cups.?

Question

Step 1: get donations or buy 20-30 concrete stepping stones (2" or so thick, round or square, very flat) and a gross or 2 of Dixie cups. Report weight of each stone.
Step 2: on a very level base (check it), chalk an outline of the stones. Arrange 9 or 16 cups in even spacing. Place a stone flat on the cups.
Step 3: repeat to see how high a stack can be made before collapsing.
Step 4: Video tape as stack builds - ideally with 2 cameras, one showing overall scene and one showing bottom 3 layers.
Step 5: Post video to UTube
Question: Does the tower tip significanly to one side or fall basically straight down?
Build another tower, but stop a layer or two before it collapses. Use a rod to punch out cups 25% of the way down from the top until the top starts to fall. Record falling pattern, does building fall straight down. This simulates fall of Buildings 1 & 2 of World Trade center. (Optional: place a bit of flour on each layer and paper sides to show blow out.)

Second option: build stack short of collapsing. In bottom layers, punch out one column of cups near corner on 2-3 layers, then go back and take out a cup next to that on each layer, working in toward center, repeat. This is building 7 at WTC. Does building fall straight down, slightly off center or lean to one side?

Answer 1

Yes, I do remember reading that a cost-cutting builder did actually use Dixie cups in the construction of the World Trade Center. Then, they had to hire mercenaries to remove the evidence.