Testing Procedures: Building Connection Solution

Testing Procedures:

Building Connection Solution

Introduction:

The building connection solution will be a design for system that connects the base of large buildings such as restaurants, bathrooms, and life guard buildings to the new Avon Walkway. The final solution must be capable of supporting any of the previously mentioned structures, and must be able to hold these structures in place during the event of a category 5 hurricane. The building connection system must function properly without disturbing the structural integrity of the boardwalk support system, and must be universally designed to accommodate any type of building that may be placed on the new Avon Walkway.

General guidelines for solution testing:

Viability:

·       Does the solution present an overall viable option for building to boardwalk connection?

Usability:

·       Can this solution be used by all large buildings to be placed on the walkway?

Durability:

·       Will this solution remain intact over time or will it require maintenance? If so, how much?

Aesthetics:

·       Does the solution adhere to the intended overall mood of the boardwalk?

The final solution will be tested by Environmental Engineer Tom Micai, Architectural designer Christopher Zoog, team Civil engineer Melissa Osgoodby, team electrical engineer Adam Rubin, and instructors Wendy Green and John Cuttrell.

Test Stages:

Preliminary Test: Alternate solution choice

1. Gather alternate solution drawings.
2. Create design matrix for solutions with group.
3. Discuss with group which alt. solution makes the most sense based on approximate cost, functionability, aesthetics, and construction intricacy.
4. Fill out design matrix with group and determine if previous choice still makes sense and why.
5. Make final decision- choose alt. solution to continue to develop.

Secondary Test: Chosen Solution Revision

1. Determine solution placement (above, below, adjacent to buildg.)
2. Determine if the connection will hold under the weight of a ten ton buildg.
3. Determine solution medium/ materials.
4. Determine if dimensions of solution will allow foot traffic along boardwalk.
5. Determine if solution will interfere with any pre-existing electrical systems.
6. Determine if solution meets Flood Hazard Act Rules.

Tertiary Test: Final design testing

1. Repeat steps 1-6 from secondary test.
2. Propose design to group.
3. Compare group solutions and make sure that solution does not interfere.
4. Propose final design to mentors, and ask for suggestions.
5. Take suggestions into consideration; Make changes to design where deemed necessary.
6. Determine the mood that the design emotes; Make sure it aligns with overall walkway mood.
7. Determine accurate cost of final solution.
8. Compare cost to similar pre-existing solutions.
9. Present final design to instructors. 

Final Design Rationale: Vending Hut

 

Rationale for choosing:

Solution D- Folding Vending Hut

Design Matrix:

Solution:	Solution A Classic Pass Vending Hut	Solution B Accordion Vending Hut	Solution C Beach Pass Vending Machine	Solution D Folding Vending Hut
Follows Intended mood.	5	5	0	5
Includes storm protection features.	0	5	0	5
Is economical to build/ buy.	4	3	2	4
Is durable.	5	3	2	5
Provides a source of income.	5	5	5	5
Is made of recycled/ green materials.	4	4	2	4
Totals:	23	25	11	28

 

Rationale:

 

    The Beach Pass Vending Hut infrastructure is made of a wood medium (2x4’s and 4x4’s) and is outfitted with a panel wall for each side. Each panel is attached to the beams with large screws, and at the base of the hut with two hinges. In the event of a storm all of the screws are taken out of the walls and the walls are allowed to rotate on their hinges and rest on the ground. Then, the screws taken out of the walls are used to bolt the walls into the boardwalk surface. This holds the walls down while simultaneously reinforcing the base of the hut. Without the walls on the sides, the hut isn’t nearly as susceptible to damage due to high wind speeds since there is less material to create drag.

Solution C is the most functional design out of all four Beach Pass Vending hut alternates. The Folding Vending hut is inexpensive, can be built on site, and requires little maintenance. The Folding vending hut resembles the beach pass hut that was used on the boardwalk before Hurricane Sandy. The wood panel walls, and shingled roof adhere to the “classic beach” mood that the new walkway should create as opposed to the modern feel of the metal vending machine solution.     

Functionally, the Folding Vending hut is flawless. The interior is large enough to fit two adult beach pass vendors. If placed near beach access points the hut will prevent users from neglecting to buy a pass increasing the total profit that the walkway generates. The folding wall feature acts as a storm protection system. Once the walls have been screwed into the walkway surface the hut will be impervious to heavy wind, and will be able to resist strong currents. The reason structures are blown away by harsh wind is due to the friction that is created when the wind comes in contact with different parts of the structure. The greater the surface area of the structure, the more force due to frictional drag will be acted upon the structure. Removing the walls and exposing the infrastructure significantly reduces the surface area of the Vending Hut therefore reducing the effect that wind has upon the entire structure.

The Folding Vending Hut is the most viable solution for a beach pass vending structure for the new Avon walkway. The design functions perfectly, is inexpensive, is aesthetically pleasing, and blends perfectly with the theme of the walkway. The storm protection system will help the structure survive a category 5 hurricane and all associated factors that come with a hurricane. The Folding Vending Hut will pay for itself in a single summer day proving that it is worth implementing on the new Avon walkway.  

Alt. Solutions: Vending Hut Design

=====> Background Info Slideshow <=====                                              9/15/13

Click Link Above

Background Info: Avon Boardwalk Redesign

Systems Engineering II

Ancestry.com. Avon Overlook. Web. 15 September 2013.

Due to the small population of Avon, the target group of users most affected by this is the group of tourists from urban areas that are attracted to the beach during the summer months. The pedestrian foot traffic that the Avon boardwalk and beach sustains in a single summer week is greater than the entire population of the town. In addition to tourists, the Avon boardwalk and beach are used everyday by locals. The boardwalk is what separates the massive Atlantic Ocean from the minuscule piece of land that is the town of Avon. To residents, the boardwalk is an iconic piece of the town that represents protection, relaxation, and an important source of income.

Seeds, Jeffrery. Boardwalk of the Absurd. Web. 15 September 2013.

Oswald, John. Broken boardwalk. Web. 15 September 2013.

The reasons for rebuilding this boardwalk are obvious.. Each year over 40,000 people visit the boardwalk and the majority pay for beach access. Assume 75% of the 40,000 summer guests go to the beach. That 75% represents $270,000 for the town of Avon. Without a boardwalk and ticket booths to sell beach passes, the town loses this money. Other boardwalk stakeholders include owners of local surf schools, Inns, Hotels, and restaurants such as the owners of the Avon Pavilion. All of these businesses are impacted negatively by the lack of summer tourism that is inevitable without the main attraction.

Avonbytheseanj.com .Avon .Beach Traffic. Web. 15 September 2013.

The replacement boardwalk should promote a similar feeling that the original structure did. The style of the old boardwalk was simple; Wooden boards, concrete benches, and tall plain light posts gave the boardwalk a classic beachy feel. This same mood should be recreated with the construction of the new boardwalk. The nostalgic mood of a classic beach boardwalk will replace the mood that the old boardwalk created. This will bring the town of Avon back to a state of normalcy instead of introducing a modern foreign structure that has no meaning to the residents or annual guests. Although accomplishing this mood is important, maintaining the structural integrity of the boardwalk and the associated structures takes precedence.

Heidel, Theresa Avon Boardwalk. Web. 15 September 2013.

The beachfront of Avon is only one example of the catastrophe caused by Hurricane Sandy. Boardwalks up and down the Jersey Shore were completely destroyed. Some boardwalks fared better than others. Towns fitted their beach fronts with different products and structures, and therefore different post storm results can be seen. For example, on the Bradley Beach boardwalk stone pavers were used instead of wooden planks. These pavers remain in place, and weren’t displaced during the hurricane. Most boardwalk piling support systems remained intact, but almost all of the wooden board surfaces were ripped away. This shows that one of the main design failures during Hurricane Sandy was the connection between the boardwalk support systems and the boardwalk surface.

Super storm Sandy caused billions of dollars of damage along the United States coastline. Avon by the Sea is one small town on the Jersey shore that was affected by this catastrophe. The Avon Boardwalk, a huge source of revenue for the town, was completely destroyed during the hurricane. The main decking of the boardwalk was washed away completely, and buildings attached to the boardwalk were ripped from their foundations and strewn about the town. After the storm, all that remained was the piling system. Every year more than 40,000 tourists visit Avon by the Sea, many with the sole purpose of visiting the beach. The boardwalk must be rebuilt to withstand storms such as Hurricane Sandy, but must maintain the classic beach mood that Avon locals and visitors alike have come to know and love. Components from other boardwalks that survived the storm will be instrumental the research and development process of the new walkway.   

Works Cited

"6 Months Report: Superstorm Sandy." 6 Months Report: Superstorm Sandy from Pre-Disaster to Recovery | FEMA.gov. FEMA, 29 Apr. 2013. Web. 15 Sept. 2013.

"Profile of General Demographic Characteristics." New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development,, Apr. 2010. Web. 15 Sept. 2013.

Wernersbach, Paul K. "The New Jersey Seashore Tradition." Welcome to Avon-by-the-Sea, The New Jersey Seashore Tradition. Avon by the Sea, n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2013. 

               

oardwalk Redesign

Calendar

Main Buildg. Storm Protection Research

Large Structure Storm Protection System Research.
Main Buildings (Bathrooms, beach pass huts, first aid station)

Hurricane Resistant foam-concrete composite

Paul K. Moore, July 7, 1999. R-40 homes Inc.

The Foam- concrete composite acts as the main material or medium with which to build a building. The composite is an alternative to using wooden walls or concrete blocks, and eliminates most of the interior construction required for buildings made of more traditional mediums.

• Eliminates framed wall and truss roof construction.
• Utilizes a polymer bond between concrete and foam using a  reinforced poly-styrene fiber acetate.
• Can resist up to 155 mph wind gusts.

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Water-Gate Water Barrier

Gulf Coast Storm Protection. Water-Gate Water Barrier. 19 September, 2013.

The Water-Gate Barrier is an inflatable alternative to a traditional permanent sea wall. The barrier is only deployed in anticipation of a storm eliminating the ocean view restrictions. The Water-Gate system functions by utilizing the weight of the flood water to automatically deploy the tube system while simultaneously anchoring the base to the surface that the system is resting on.

• No pump required- Self Inflating.
• 6” to 18’ retention levels. (height of barrier).
• Can be packed neatly for effective storage.

Water gate implemented in a flooded neighborhood.
Gulf Coast Storm Protection. Water-Gate Water Barrier. 19 September, 2013

Water gate implemented around perimeter of home.
Gulf Coast Storm Protection. Water-Gate Water Barrier. 19 September, 2013

Water gate system overview.
Gulf Coast Storm Protection. Water-Gate Water Barrier. 19 September, 2013

Deflated Water Gate System.
Gulf Coast Storm Protection. Water-Gate Water Barrier. 19 September, 2013

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Relocatable fire storm and contaminate resistant modular buildings

Roy Mouton, William Baldwin Dec 6, 2001

• Steel modular units.
• Non combustible
• Can withstand high wind speeds.

Roy Mouton, William Baldwin Dec 6, 2001

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Raised Structure Systems:

A very common solution for water damage to structures in flood zones is to “raise” the structure. Raising the structure simply means replacing a traditional solid foundation with a network of pilings that will support the main structure. Raising structures is an effective solution for protecting structures for two main reasons:

1.) Raising the structure off ground level eliminates the possibility of flood damage. The

piling network is not affected by still water.

2.) The drag caused by storm surges coming in contact with the exterior surface

area of the structure is the main contributing factor in why a structure might

be damaged or completely uprooted. Exchanging a traditional base with a

piling network will allow water to flow through the space that the structure

once stood. The drag on the structure is significantly less since the surface

area of the pilings is less than that of the original foundation.

fig. 1 Raised house (piling support system)

fig.2 Ocean front condominium with minor apparent  damage

fig 3.Raised beach structure adjacent to ocean.

Chan, Rina. More Pictures of Hurricane Sandy. 5 Nov, 2012.

fig 4. Structure with walls blown out.

Chan, Rina. More Pictures of Hurricane Sandy. 5 Nov, 2012.

Each of the buildings pictured above is in near proximity to the ocean and each survived the storm with minor damage. In figure 1 there is the least exterior damage since there is the most distance between the ground and the solid base of the house (atop the support system). Figure 4 shows the most damage.Originally, the structure had walls surrounding it (some can still be seen barely attached). The walls pictured are no more than thin panels that were weak enough so that they were ripped away from the main structure instead of taking the structure with it.

fig.5 Coastal house devastated by  Hurricane Sandy. Chan, Rina. More Pictures of Hurricane Sandy. 5 Nov, 2012.

fig.7 Lavalette beach house development. Tama, Mario. Dove Beach Houses. Getty Images.   

fig.6 Coastal beach club cabana pushed off foundation. Superstorm Sandy Devastation. Getty Images. Africanseer.com  

 fig.8 boardwalk restroom uprooted. Superstorm Sandy Devastation. Getty Images. Africanseer.com

As made evident by figures 5-7 above, structures with traditional foundation designs as opposed to raised-base systems take significantly more damage. Figure 8 is specifically relevant to superstructure design for the new Avon walkway. The photo shows a restroom that had previously stood on a boardwalk located in Southern New Jersey.

Besides the obvious displacement of the structure, other damage can be seen such as the warped boards that make up the structure walls. Based on the surface damage that can be seen, figure 8 proves  that a structure without a sound interior support system (made evident by boards warping inward) will take more unrepairable damage. For example, if a system of standard vertical wooden beams was reinforcing the exterior walls the walls would have been able to be replaced and the building might have been salvageable.

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Works Cited

Chan, Rina. More Pictures of Hurricane Sandy. 5 Nov, 2012.

 

18 September, 2013. Web.

Gulf Coast Storm Protection. Water-Gate Water Barrier. 

19 September, 2013. Web.

Paul K. Moore, July 7, 1999. R-40 homes Inc. 

17 September, 2013. Web.

Roy Mouton, William Baldwin. Dec 6, 2001. 

16 September, 2013.Web.

Superstorm Sandy Devastation. Getty Images. Africanseer.com. 

18 September, 2013.  Web.

Tama, Mario. Dove Beach Houses. Getty Images. 

17 September, 2013.  Web.