Bank to bank pyramid with hubba and large curved railMonday, January 14, 2008
Friday, January 11, 2008
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Math and Science Final Report
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Math and Science Final Report
Toms River Skate Park Design
Jim Phillips
Figure 1-1: 3-Dimenstional skate park overview
I. Introduction
One of the most overlooked but growing problems in today’s society the pressing issue of children that lack a fun and safe environment in which to skateboard. Although it may sound ridiculous, this is a very real problem that faces skateboarders of Dover Township everyday. Each day, skaters are constantly being harassed, hassled and even arrested for doing something that they love. Therefore, I plan to design and model a skate park that fits the needs of Dover Township. When planning to devise and construct a skate park in any situation, careful consideration must be taken when dealing with the mathematical, scientific, and technological aspects of the design process.
II. Science
A. Ergonomics
Figure 2-1: Skate park ergonomics Ergonomics is the application of scientific information concerning objects, systems and environment for human use. Ergonomics is commonly thought of as how companies design tasks and work areas to maximize the efficiency and quality of their employees’ work. However, ergonomics is involved in anything that involves people. For example, work systems, sports and leisure, health and safety should all embody ergonomics principles if well designed. It is the applied science of equipment design intended to maximize productivity by reducing operator fatigue and discomfort (Wikipedia).
When formulating the layout for a skate park, the designer must keep in mind the theory of ergonomics. If a skate park is to be enjoyable, it must have the appropriate “flow.” This is to say that the ramps are all positioned in a manner that allows a skateboarder to ride around the park in a smooth manner, with little or no pushing. Ramp position also negates how popular specific areas of the park will be. If a ramp combination is set up using the appropriate ergonomics, it will allow the rider to approach the obstacle with accurate speed, thus making the ramp more amusing. If the ergonomics of the park is imbalanced, one area of the skate park will be more congested than others, causing over-crowding. Overall, the more flow a skate park has, the more popular and enjoyable it will be.
III. Mathematics
A. Scaling and Dimensioning
The main mathematical task that I was confronted with during this project was the dimensioning of the ramps, as well as creating a scale to use for my model. For my final model, I decided to use the scale of 3” = 1’, which is the maximum scale that will fit on a sheet of plywood. This was obtained by taking the dimensions of the park, and dividing them into the dimensions of a standard sheet of plywood. From this, I determined that the park could be not be larger than three-times its initial size, thus leading to my final scale.
When drawing in scale, I would need to convert the measurements from my preliminary model to the dimensions of the final design. This required a great deal of measuring the first model in centimeters, and then converting it to feet and inches, which were used to successfully draw and dimension the drawings done in Auto CAD (Figure 3-1). The drawing base set up in Auto CAD was in multiples of ten feet, so to stick to scale I needed to match this to the smaller dimensions of the original model. For this, I mainly used the decimal 0.625 to switch the drawing from inches to feet. Overall, math was a very active area of my project design.
IV. Technology
The main technology involved in the overall design of this project was the type of material that will be used in the final construction of the park; the Pro-Series. After reviewing many material options, I decided to use the Pro-Series design for my park because of its superior all-around performance (Figure 4-1). The Pro-Series is an all-steel building method that is coated in a durable MaxGrip powder-coat paint finish. Although there are many distinct product lines to choose from when constructing a skate park, about 80% of the municipalities that build outdoor parks opt for the all-steel system, due to the myriad of complex technologies that make up the Pro-Series method (Figure 4-2).
1. Thick 3/16” Laser Cut Framework
By using technology like a laser table to cut the thick framework, the materials are able to hold incredibly tight tolerances. This ensures that each ramp section fits together perfectly for a seamless feel and appearance.
2. Tamper-resistant Stainless Steel Hardware
All the hardware that is used is stainless steel and the pinned-hex head bolts ensure that they are only removed at the convenience of the designer.
3. Hot-dip Galvanized Coping/Grind rails
The galvanized coating ensures that even after years of grinding these areas will still look great and be free of rust.
4. Thick 3/16” Steel Riding Surface
This surface is guaranteed not to crack, dent, chip, warp, or ever need replacing. Combine this with the corrosion protection of galvanizing and the perfect traction of the MaxGrip™ paint and this surface will reduce the required maintenance greatly.
5. 13-Gauge Galvanized Solid Steel Enclosures
The thick steel enclosures are galvanized before they are powder coated to ensure maximum corrosion protection.
6. Beveled Leading Edge
We take an extra step and bevel down the leading edge to make the transition so smooth the rider glides on and off the ramps.
7. No Approach Plate Seam
Because the riding surface itself serves as the transition from the ramp to the concrete, there is no need for a separate approach plate. When an approach plate has to be used, it creates a seam that runs perpendicular to flow of traffic, which can be bothersome and even unsafe if the materials shift over time.
8. MaxGrip™ Polyester Powder coat
Extensive research has been conducted to formulate a paint that provides the perfect traction for the action sports industry. The MaxGrip™ surface is applied on top of the galvanized ramp sections creating the ultimate combination in corrosion protection.
9. Vertical Baluster Guardrails
Hot-dip galvanized steel guardrails are not only tough and corrosion resistant, but the vertical design will increase visibility, allow airflow, and minimize the likelihood of climbing.
10. 10-Gauge Platform Guards
The solid panel design provides the same level of safety as the vertical baluster design with a different look.
11. Fastener Free Riding Surface
Since all the welding is done from the underside of the ramp, there are no fasteners needed to attach the riding surface. The riding surface for each section is instead welded to the laser cut framework from the underside prior to being painted. These ribs contain laser cut holes so that the equipment can be bolted together from the underside in order to build components in endless configurations and sizes. All other construction methods require hundreds of fasteners in the riding surface to hold it down, which if not checked regularly, could back out and cause severe injuries.
IV. Conclusion
All in all, many different areas of study were used in the design of my project. When planning to devise and construct a skate park in any situation, careful consideration must be taken when dealing with the mathematical, scientific, and technological aspects of the design process. In my design, I made use of the many advances in skate park material technology to design a park that is both safe and enjoyable. I employed the science of ergonomics when planning the layout of my park, to ensure that the rider will approach any obstacle with accurate speed, thus making the ramp designs more amusing. Lastly, I used much mathematics in the dimensioning of the ramps, as well as creating a scale to use for my model. Overall, with the use of these specific areas of the design process, I feel that I have created a superior park that will ultimately perform superbly.
Works Cited
Wikipedia. “Ergonomics.” 10 January 2008.
American Ramp Company (ARC). 10 January 2008.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Monday, January 7, 2008
Ramp 8 Orthographic
Ramp 8 Orthographic - Plaza style street section with multiple stairs and hubbas
Friday, January 4, 2008
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
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