Testing Procedures:
Building Connection Solution
Matthew Napoli
Avon Boardwalk Redesign
Introduction:
Saddle Connection System
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 testing:
Saddle Connection System
Viability:
· Does the solution present an overall viable option for building to boardwalk connection?
Result: Yes. The solution will provide a rigid connection between the target building and the boardwalk piling system.
Usability:
· Can this solution be used by all large buildings to be placed on the walkway?
Result: Yes, any building that has a total square footage of over 500 sq. feet will be lowered onto the solution allowing the hex bolts to pass through the pre drilled holes in the base of the building.
Durability:
· Will this solution remain intact over time or will it require maintenance? If so, how much?
Result: The solution was designed with components that are able to resist environmental factors native to the Avon beachfront. To prevent rotting and corrosion over time, pressure treated lumber and stainless steel was used. The Hilti concrete anchoring system is guaranteed to remain in place even if cracks appear in the concrete over time.
Aesthetics:
· Does the solution adhere to the intended overall mood of the boardwalk?
Result: The final solution is located in between the the base of boardwalk buildings and the concrete piling. Due to this placement the mood that the solution generates is irrelevant.
Final Solution Testing Results Continued.
Saddle Connection System
The final solutions were initially meant to be tested by Architectural designer Christopher Zoog, team Civil engineer Melissa Osgoodby, team electrical engineer Adam Rubin, and instructors Wendy Green and John Cuttrell. After months of contact, the Architectural mentor Chris Zoog ceased contact with Matthew Napoli the designer. Matthew Napoli emailed Matt Kippel to request his help in testing the designs. Due to time constraints Matt Kippel has not yet been able to produce testing results. Since all of the drawings and renderings were produced in AutoCAD Matthew decided to contact former AutoCAD teacher David Alfonse to test the specifications of the CAD drawings themselves. After scanning both drawings together the two discovered the following flaws.
- The Limits drawing were not set up correctly.
- The of the Vending Hut Drawing was off.
- When the components of this drawing were combined the proportions were slightly off causing the decking from the main boardwalk to interfere with my Saddle connection system.
- Dimensioning arrows and leaders weren’t lining up correctly.
- Dim-style defaults needed to be altered.
- The materials chosen for the various wood, concrete, metal and sand surface types were limited by the pre installed materials and did not look realistic.
- Downloaded material packs with colors and textures that matched the true material qualities much better than the default ones.
- Additional lighting needed to be added to highlight important features of the drawing.
Test Stages:
Saddle Connection System
Secondary Test: Chosen Solution Revision
- Determine if the connection will hold under the weight of a ten ton buildg.
- Yes: The stress rating for the combined force of the two systems easily surpasses ten tons.
- Determine the most applicable type of solution medium/ materials.
- The chosen materials are all guaranteed durable, can be purchased at a fair price and all match the style of the rest of the boardwalk systems.
- Determine if dimensions of solution will allow foot traffic along boardwalk.
- Yes: The system will be placed under the large boardwalk buildings so that they cannot possibly interfere with foot traffic.
- Determine if solution will interfere with any pre-existing electrical systems.
- No: The system will be implemented before the electrical systems are.
- Determine if solution meets Flood Hazard Act Rules.
- Yes: The solution is strongly anchored to the boardwalk and rests above sea level.
Conclusion:
Saddle Connection System
The testing procedures performed on the final solutions so far have been conducted by Matthew Napoli with help from professor David Alfonse and Team members Melissa Osgoodby and Adam Rubin. The original Architectural mentor Chris Zoog did not contribute to the testing procedures as he was initially supposed to which contributed to the slight lack of testing results. Matthew Kippel has agreed to help complete the testing procedures in the near future. With the results completed at the present time the designs have been determined as viable solutions for the systems that they are replacing on the new Avon Boardwalk. Further testing will only point out minimal changes that can be made to the designs to make them more professional for presentation.
