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== Background == | == Background == | ||
The stormwater drainage system located around the cafeteria courtyard awning at Zane Middle School has proven ineffective. To remediate the system’s inadequacy | The stormwater drainage system located around the cafeteria courtyard awning at Zane Middle School in Eureka, Ca has proven ineffective. Initially the gutter system overflowed during rainstorms. To remediate the system’s inadequacy the gutter caps were removed allowing excess water to drain into the courtyard creating waterfalls. Zane Middle School requested that a design be implemeted that removed the waterfalls and fixed the initial problem of gutter overflow. | ||
== Problem statement and criteria == | == Problem statement and criteria == | ||
Revision as of 00:50, 4 May 2015
Abstract
The purpose of this project is to solve the awning drainage problem at Zane Middle School. Team Livewire created a replicable, integrated gutter box called the Streamline which is installed between the gutter downspout and serves as a direct drain and secondary reservoir. The Streamline, if deemed successful, will be implemented on other awning rainwater drainage systems throughout the campus.
Background
The stormwater drainage system located around the cafeteria courtyard awning at Zane Middle School in Eureka, Ca has proven ineffective. Initially the gutter system overflowed during rainstorms. To remediate the system’s inadequacy the gutter caps were removed allowing excess water to drain into the courtyard creating waterfalls. Zane Middle School requested that a design be implemeted that removed the waterfalls and fixed the initial problem of gutter overflow.
Problem statement and criteria
The roof rainwater drainage system at Zane Middle School does not function as needed. The system currently deposits all the rainwater from the awning into the student quad area. The objective of the this project was the modification of the current system to achieve the total diversion of rainwater from the awning roof surrounding the quad to the main campus drainage system. The following criteria for evaluating the appropriateness of a design was determined through interviews with the administration at Zane Middle School.
| Criteria | Weight | Constraints |
|---|---|---|
| Efficacy | 10 | Flowrate of water through system |
| Implementable | 9 | Easy to incorporate at all sites |
| Maintainability | 8 | Easy to maintain or repair |
| Durability | 7 | Design lasts for a long time |
| Safety | 7 | Risk to students and faculty are minimized |
| Aesthetics | 6 | Design is visually appealing |
| Cost | 4 | Material and design cost are low |
Description of final project
The final Streamline design consists of an integrated, powder coated aluminum gutterbox. The addition of the Streamline to the drainage system replaces the caps on the gutters, preventing the water from flowing from the gutter system into the Quad. The body of the gutterbox is angled at 20O, allowing for faster drainage due to gravity. The Streamline is also hollow, allowing the internal volume to be used as a secondary reservoir for water in excess of what the downspout is able to contain. The increased head due to the reservoir increases water pressure and consequently speeds up drainage.
Costs
| Quantity | Material | Source | Cost ($) | Total ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | #4 Screw | Ace Hardware | 0.17 | 6.80 |
| 40 | #4 Washer | Ace Hardware | 0.19 | 7.60 |
| 40 | #4 Nut | Ace Hardware | 0.17 | 6.80 |
| 10 | Self Tapping Screws | Ace Hardware | 0.15 | 1.50 |
| 10 | Screws | Ace Hardware | 0.11 | 1.10 |
| 10 | Screws | Ace Hardware | 0.12 | 1.20 |
| 4 | Screws | Ace Hardware | 0.14 | 0.56 |
| 24 | Self Tapping Screws | Ace Hardware | 0.12 | 2.88 |
| 2 | Metal Street Signs | Arcata Scrap | Donation | 52.50 |
| 16 Ft2 | Bronze Powder | J&W Powder Coating | Donation | 96.00 |
| 1 | Vulkem 116 Sealant | Zane Custodial Staff | Doantion | N/A |
| Total Cost | $176.94 | |||
Testing Results
The Streamline has undergone natural testing through a series of five storms since it was installed. The Streamline has performed well and as expected through all storms. Zane Middle School's administration has reported satisfaction with the success and efficacy of the Streamline. Formal testing has been undertaken which included timing the speed at which five gallons of water drained through the Streamline. It was found through the testing that on average the flow rate through the system was 1.34 liters per second. The volume of water used in the testing greatly exceeded the volume of rainwater that could flow through the Streamline during a maximum rainfall event. Based on the rainfall data for Eureka and the testing results, it was found that the Streamline is capable of accommodating maximum volumes of rainfall.
| Run | Test Volume | Time to Drain |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 19 Liters | 40 seconds |
| 2 | 19 Liters | 32 seconds |
| 3 | 19 Liters | 22 seconds |
| 4 | 19 Liters | 29 seconds |
| 5 | 19 Liters | 24 seconds |
How To Construct Streamline
Below is a step by step tutorial to recreation of the StreamLine.
Discussion and next steps
Once installed Streamline will perform with little to no maintenance. In the occasion of a clog the streamline may need to be removed for cleaning. In this case all steps for installation would need to be performed again. Streamline was designed to accommodate to maintenance needs. Streamline can be easily snaked, which cuts down on the probability of ever needing to be removed.
Ultimately, to consider streamline a major success, it would be ideal to see the solution implemented throughout the entire quad area. The first iteration of Streamline solved one of the leaky downspouts, not all. Zane Middle School proposed the implementation of the Streamline gutter boxes at all downspouts of the awning in order to ameliorate the poor performance of the drainage system. If the Streamline were to be implemented on every downspout of the awing at Zane Middle School, it would improve the performance of the drainage system and solve the existing problems.