Abstract[edit | edit source]
The Rectangle of Doom is a plot of land situated at the front of Zane Middle School located in Eureka, California. Zane Middle School has a history of partnering with the Cal Poly Humboldt Environmental Resources Engineering program on Engineering projects at Zane Middle School. The problem with the Rectangle of Doom is that it is constantly getting trampled by children and the previous projects have had limited longevity. The solution to this is to design a solution that is durable, cost effective, and interactive. It is important that the design can handle a large number of passing students while being pleasant on the eye. This will be done using in depth autoCAD designs that will include a High Cost and Low cost design.
Background[edit | edit source]
In this project, we are working with Zane Middle School located in Eureka, CA for Spring 2020 semester. This middle school is a STEAM school, (science, technology, engineering, art, and math). The school and the Environmental Resources Engineering (ERE) program at Cal Poly Humboldt have a history of partnering on engineering projects concerning Zane Middle School. The current issue with the Rectangle of Doom is the landscaping which is too delicate and has been continually trampled by the school children. The Engineering 215 group that designed the layout of the Rectangle of Doom did a great job on the Aesthetic look of it but failed the test of time in regards to durability. As The Three Amigos, it is in our interests to increase the durability of the Rectangle of Doom so that it may handle a large number of passing students, while also keeping it pleasant to look at. We hope our project design will satisfy the guidelines set by our client Joan Crandell and Trevor Hammons, as well as leave a lasting impact on Zane Middle School.
Problem statement and criteria[edit | edit source]
There will be multiple in depth autoCAD designs for a High Cost and Low Cost version in order to improve upon the current design of the Rectangle of Doom that is cost effective, durable, and interactive.
| Criteria | Weight | Constraints |
|---|---|---|
| Durability | 10 | Durable enough to withstand regular use by middle schoolers |
| Appearance | 7 | More beautiful than it is right now |
| Cost | 9 | Preferred between $100-$325 |
| Interactivity | 6 | The game boards should be played with on a daily basis |
| Safety | 8 | Must be as safe or safer than it was before |
| Environmentally Friendly | 4 | Less than 1/2 concrete |
| Maintenance needed | 5 | Less or equal to amount needed now |
Description of final project[edit | edit source]
High Cost[edit | edit source]
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Final Design: High Cost
Description[edit | edit source]
The concrete and Remesh hog wire are the foundations that the gameboard is going to be constructed on. Remesh hog wire is a 40-gauge welded wire grid that is important to prevent cracks in the concrete. Concrete can be laid without reinforcement; however, the concrete is then more prone to cracking. Concrete can be poured at a minimum of 4 inches. The depth of the concrete will be 6 inches. This was decided because the concrete will not be experiencing heavy loads from cars or trucks. The concrete requires a wooden frame to be set up before it is poured.
The High-Cost model utilizes two Magnolia L. Nigra trees to maintain a more appealing landscape. Two 2-foot tall saplings will be instant to ensure that no ignition trampling will take place. There will also Woodchips spread around the gameboard and tree to add thickness to the already existing woodchips that are sparsely covering the Rectangle of Doom.
How To Use[edit | edit source]
To use the model, set up the chess pieces on the gameboard and play the game of chess. When the gameboard is not being used, store chess pieces in a dry place.
Low Cost[edit | edit source]
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Final Design: Low Cost
Description[edit | edit source]
The low-cost model is similar High-Cost model, the main difference in the game board is the thickness of concrete and the lack of steel reinforcement. The concrete will be poured at the minimum 4-inch thickness to save cost. The 4-inch thickness should be able to handle say to day foot traffic but will not be strong enough to support a heavy load due to a car. 40-gauge welded hog wire will also not be used to save cost. This leave the walkway to be more prone to cracking year after use. The concrete requires a wooden frame to be set up before it is poured to maintain desired shape.
How To Use[edit | edit source]
To use the model, set up the checker pieces on the gameboard and play the game of chess. When the gameboard is not being used, store checker pieces in a dry place.
Prototyping[edit | edit source]
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Paint Test
Testing of Paint[edit | edit source]
This purpose of this prototyping was to test the adherence of several different types of paint to concrete. The test was carried out using available paints and analyzing previously painted surfaces. In figure 5-1, the red paint is spray paint and the white paint is latex. They both stuck to the concrete block well but there was not enough time to analyze the durability. Given the weather conditions at the location of the project, neither paint type was chosen, and Masonry paint was the selected paint. Use a gallery of prototyping photos and lessons learned.
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Desire Test
Testing of Desirability[edit | edit source]
To test the desirability of the Rectangle of Doom, a cardboard prototype was constructed, and people were interviewed about what they thought of it. The goal was to receive feedback that could lead to improvements on the design. What was discovered is that people liked the aesthetic look but questioned the practicality of it. Specifically, whether middle schoolers would display an interest in the game. What needs to be considered is that the area with the gameboard is also a path to walk across the Rectangle of Doom instead of through the bark chips. Another suggestion was to have a box for all the game pieces to be stored inside. This was considered but the cost would be quite high while the pieces could be stored with all the P.E. equipment.
Costs[edit | edit source]
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Itemized list of Materials for High Cost Construction
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Itemized list of Materials for High Cost Maintenance
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Itemized list of Materials for Low-Cost Construction
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Itemized list of Materials for Low-Cost Maintenance
Satellite Projects[edit | edit source]
Maintenance[edit | edit source]
Both the Low-Cost and High-Cost Designs require intermittent maintenance. You can find the schedule of maintenance below.
Schedule[edit | edit source]
- Weekly
- For High Cost water Magnolia trees during the first two growing seasons.
- None for low cost.
- Monthly
- For High Cost, after the first two years water Magnolia trees twice a month.
- None for low cost.
- Every 5 years
- For High Cost, trim magnolia trees or assess on a yearly basis.
- For Both Designs, repaint the checkerboard and replace wood chips.
- Every 10 years
- Replace chess/checker pieces if needed.
Discussion and next steps[edit | edit source]
Hopefully Zane Middle School incorporates one of the two designs we proposed and builds something to replace the loose dirt that currently occupies the Rectangle of Doom. We hope that the guide we laid out will be useful in the event the school decides to use our design. We would also maybe like to see our design implemented on the second half of the Rectangle of Doom if the school wanted to fill up the other half.
