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==Conclusion== | ==Conclusion== | ||
===Discussion=== | ===Discussion=== | ||
The prototype bog we built is 1/4 the scale of the final project. The design we have come up with can easily be manipulated and expanded upon to meet the final scale of 16'x3'. Our prototype serves as the basic building block for the final installation. Each PVC Fame and drum frame allows for easy expansion to a larger size with the addition of many of the same parts. | |||
===Lessons Learned=== | ===Lessons Learned=== | ||
*perforated pipe for inlet/outlet system, may not need as many holes on the intake side. | *perforated pipe for inlet/outlet system, may not need as many holes on the intake side. | ||
*drums connected in series | *drums connected in series | ||
*capped PVC is very buoyant | *capped PVC is very buoyant | ||
* | |||
===Next Steps=== | ===Next Steps=== | ||
===Troubleshooting=== | ===Troubleshooting=== | ||
==Team== | ==Team== | ||
The members who are responsible for the Wetland bog prototype. Spring 2014 semester. Engineering 305 at Humboldt State University. Teacher: [[User: Lonny|Lonny Graphman]] | The members who are responsible for the Wetland bog prototype. Spring 2014 semester. Engineering 305 at Humboldt State University. Teacher: [[User: Lonny|Lonny Graphman]] |
Revision as of 05:36, 9 May 2014
Abstract
Background
WetLand is a floating island that illustrates a partially-submerged house surrounded by a human-made bog. The interior of the house is functional and contains a live, work, and enclosed performance space with: a dry compost toilet, kitchen with sink and shower that utilize purified rainwater. A 40x20x3’ flat deck barge and two access gangways composes the primary infrastructure. A greenhouse in a structure adjacent to the submerged house contains vegetables grown hydroponically, a natural grey water filtration system, and soil-based produce. WetLand’s railings around the perimeter are also made into planters, and floating planters around the perimeter include bulrush, cattail, and vining plants that all naturally clean the water.
What: As environmental instability continues to transform our cities, what happens when the land we use is only temporary? WetLand is a mobile, sculptural habitat and public space atop a barge made to explore solutions for sea-level rise, housing, resource interdependence, and a decrease in useable land.
Events will be programmed with FringeArts. Residents will live on board and host events, from workshops to skill shares. High school and college students in Philadelphia will help steward the space, collect data about energy use and production, and test and maintain onboard water systems.
Where: WetLand will be constructed at Pier 9, across from FringeArts in Old Town, Philadelphia. It will be tugged to Penn’s Landing adjacent to the Seaport Museum and open to the public on August 15, 2014.
When: WetLand will launch August 15th on the Delaware River at Penn’s Landing through September 31, 2014.
Why: WetLand is a narrative approach to inhabiting a future Philadelphia with accelerated environmental challenges that are interconnected and everywhere, including lack of clean water, usable land. This is at once a visually engaging structure but also a working living system narrated by its users, who look to a time when people are again dependent on the nearness to the water. WetLand is an experiment that uses water in various ways: To float, to desalinate river water for growing plants, to tie up to or launch from, and to bridge urban space with nature. The waterfront is often under-appreciated and underused that has potential to bring together a site and communities. When activated, the site brings people to the nature that lies on the edge of the city and effectively brings interdependence between both of those spaces to the forefront.
WetLand addresses the importance of decentralizing our basic resources by using appropriate technology to create a regenerative water-based living system that provides food grown from cleaned river water, power from sun and tides, shelter for living and events, collected and purified rainwater for all other needs. We need to work together to build cities that connect, heal, and empower. We need people living in cities that join the city with nature who can care for it and work out an idea of nature that includes human culture and livelihood.
How: Building supplies for WetLand are reclaimed from the local waste stream to further narrate a future when reuse is common and parts are made with found materials. This project will be completed through FringeArts, the James L. Knight Foundation, and the partnerships we make together.
Who: WetLand is sponsored by The James L. Knight Foundation with FringeArts. For more details including additional partners contact studio@marymattingly.com and sarah@fringearts.com. Coming soon: www.wet-land.org
Problem statement
The objective of this project is to design a floating bog to provide inspirational awareness to alternative sustainable environmental design. The floating bog is to be placed in the Delaware River alongside the WetLand barge which will be moored in a prominent part of downtown Philadelphia. The floating bog will be used throughout the duration of the WetLand project and serve as an educational platform of alternative water treatment techniques. The crew aboard the WetLand barge may choose to plant the bog with edible plants for added sustenance. The ability to manually monitor the quality of the bog water will play an essential role in the educational component and promote community engagement.
Literature Review
This is a review of the available literature pertinent to the prototype WetLand bog to be constructed for the WetLand barge in Philadelphia PA.
Wetlands
Wetlands are described as areas that are saturated with water for extended periods of time and support vegetation specifically adapted thrive in saturated soil. Wetlands are generally transitional areas between open water and dry land. [1]Historically wetlands were regarded as economically useless land. Wetlands support a variety of plants species including bulrushes, mangroves, sedges and cordgrass. Many of the plants that inhabit wetland areas have proven to be sufficient at filtering and removing pollutants from water. [2] Wetlands provide a variety of ecological services including water filtration, habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife and serve as a buffer zones against erosion and rising water. [3]
Floating Wetlands
With the transformation of waterfronts in coastal areas to industrial centers the water quality and loss of valuable habitat have come into question. Many coastal cities have begun to explore the validity of small scale floating wetland projects to restore ecological services to their shorelines and waterways. Constructed ecosystems in urban areas may prove to improve conditions. Floating wetlands may prove to provide invaluable ecosystem services to these once natural areas through functions such as pollutant uptake, habitat creation and increased aesthetic appeal. One promising case is in the city of Baltimore, Maryland. Beginning in 2010 two separate floating wetland installations tripled the coverage of wetlands and by 2012 the coverage area increase to 2,000 square feet. The productivity and ultimate success of floating wetlands is yet to be determined, but the practice has been going on for over two decades in some regions. Many cultural obstacles stand in the way of floating wetland installations such as regional policy and funding. But the future of floating wetland systems appear promising. [4]
Invasive Plants
Invasive plants are characterized as any plant species that is non-native to an area that after introduction have the ability to compete the native flora. [5]
4. Delaware River Basin Commission. 2012 Delaware River and Bay Water Quality Assessment.
5. Philadelphia Water Department. 2006. "Tidal Wetland", Andropogon Associates LTD. http://www.phillywatersheds.org/doc/ERU_4_Tidal_Wetland.pdf
7. Clemson University. Floating Treatment Systems, Report. 2008
8.Tyler Kimberly, Ruan Michelle. 2012. “Edible and Medicinal Plants”, SUNY Plattsburgh, NY. http://edibleandmedicinalplants.weebly.com/index.html. (February 6, 2014)
9. Among the Stately Trees, wordpress. (2013). “The top 75 Wetland Plants”, Lehigh University. http://amongthestatelytrees.wordpress.com/2013/04/16/the-top-75-wetland-plants/. (February 9, 2014)
10. Moore, Peter D.. (2001). Wetlands. New York: Facts on File.
12. Keddy, Paul A. 2010. Wetland Ecology. Principles and Conservation. 2nd edition.
Project Evaluation Criteria
The following Criteria will be used to assess the success of this project. These criteria were chosen based on input from the artist and the team of students responsible for the design and construction of the prototype. The scale (1-10) represents the importance level of meeting the constraint of each listed criteria. 10 has the largest magnitude and decrease numerically in descending order.
Criteria | Constraints | Weight (1-10) |
---|---|---|
Budget | Must be between $600-$1,000. | |
Aesthetics | Compliment the installation and increase appeal. | |
Vegetation | Plants must be adequate for the Delaware River regional climate, water quality, and be able to endure as it moves to New York. | |
Education | Educational aspect compliments the overall theme of the project. | |
Reproducibility | Can be easily recreated with readily available materials. | |
Functionality | Utilize the appropriate and most efficient water purifying and oxygen adding plants. | |
Materials | Recyclable materials preferred obtained from the Philadelphia area. | |
Maintenance | Be easily maintained with little to no expertise. |
Budget
The project will require a variety of new and re-purposed materials. Many of the new materials were purchased from local business and used materials were gathered from a variety of locations throughout Arcata, CA. Donated items include PVC, lifeguard bouy, nylon rope and 2"x4" wood. Donators are listed as 'source' in table.
Quantity | Material | Source | Cost ($) | Project Cost ($) | Total ($) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 50 gallon drum | Water Planet Garden Supply | 32.38 | 32.48 | 32.48 | |
2 | check valve | Ace Hardware | 9.99 | 19.98 | 19.98 | |
2 | 3/4" PVC nipple | Ace Hardware | 0.99 | 1.98 | 1.98 | |
2 | 1.5" sch 40 Slip Cap | Ace Hardware | 1.50 | 3.89 | 3.89 | |
1 | small screws (20) | Ace Hardware | 1.99 | 1.99 | 1.99 | |
20 | washers | Do it Best | 0.17 | 3.40 | 3.40 | |
4 | 90* 1x1/2 PVC | Do it Best | 0.61 | 2.45 | 2.45 | |
2 | small screws | Do it Best | 1.19 | 2.38 | 2.38 | |
1 | 12' nylon rope | Donated | 5.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
1 | Lifeguard Bouy | Donated | 15.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
1 | 2"x4"x28" wood | Donated | 3.68 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
2 | 1" Bulkhead fitting | Bayside Garden Supply | 9.95 | 19.90 | 19.90 | |
1 | 1" Barbed insert to 1" | Bayside Garden Supply | 0.55 | 1.10 | 1.10 | |
1 | Barbed Insert Elbow | Bayside Garden Supply | 0.55 | 1.10 | 1.10 | |
1 | 1" Black Tubing - 1" | Bayside Garden Supply | 1.45 | 1.45 | 1.45 | |
2 | 3/4" to 1" male adapter | Do it Best | 1.99 | 3.98 | 3.98 | |
3 | 90* 3/4" elbow | Do it Best | 0.59 | 1.77 | 1.77 | |
Total Cost | $97.81 |
Timeline
Tentative timeline of tasks to date.
Date | Task |
---|---|
March 2, 2014 | create timeline and finish budget |
March 06-11, 2014 | gather materials: plastic bottles, coconut fiber, boat, and some plants. Contact potential donors |
March 12, 2014 | assemble materials: prototype 1 final sketch up, gather rest of materials as necessary |
March 15, 2014 | begin initial testing and monitor of prototype 1 begins |
March 20-30, 2014 | monitor of first prototype in either Fern Lake, or Arcata march |
April 4, 2014 | monitor continues, move on to second prototype planning if failure of first prototype |
April 9, 2014 | build second prototype; finalize schematics with client |
April 12, 2014 | begin writing instruction manual |
April 19, 2014 | continue monitoring, and have East coast resources for the “WetLand project” where they could gather materials |
April 23, 2014 | make video |
April 28, 2014 | final monitoring |
April 31, 2014 | clean up and dis-assemble prototypes |
May 1, 2014 | Final project reports |
May 11, 2014 | final timeline |
May 12, 2014 | project presentation |
2007 | 20.8 |
2008 | 21.8 |
2009 | 25.0 |
2010 | 30 |
2011 | 37 |
2012 | 38 |
Tools
This is a comprehensive list of all the tools we used to construct the bog. Other tools may be substituted.
ShovelTools |
---|
Hack saw |
Circular saw |
Reciprocating Saw |
Tape measure |
Hammer |
Extension Cord(s) |
Metal snips |
Clamps |
Wood Chisel |
Screw Gun |
Marker |
Chalk line |
1/4" drill bit |
3/16" drill bit |
Pipe Wrench |
Square |
Vice |
Rubber mallet |
1"x (3/4") hole cutter |
Design
During design process the WetLand Bogs team strived to incorporate the ideas of our client, Mary Mattingly, into the parameters of Lonny Graphman's Engineering 305 course at Humboldt State. Over the course of four months our team designed and tested a number of different approaches for this unique task. Our team faced many challenges including limited funding, test site availability and time. One of the unique challenges for this project was that the preliminarly design, constrction, and testing took place in Arcata, CA, nearly 3,000 miles from the projects final destination.
Water Pump
Materials
- 1 1x1/2"x30" PVC
- 1 1x1/2" PVC cap
- 1 1"x36" PVC
- 1 1" t-joint
- 1 can PVC glue
- 2 1"x4" PVC
- 2 1" PVC cap
- 2 1x1/2 rubber o-rings
- 2 3/4" check valves
- 1 1x1/2"male coupling
- 2 3/4" PVC nipple
- 1 3/4" t-joint
- 2 3/4" male threaded couplings
Instructions
PVC Frame
Materials
- 14’x1(1/2)” PVC pipe
- 4 (1(1/2)”)x 90 degree fittings
- PVC glue
- 2 small Buoys
- 12' rope
Instructions
Drum Frame
The Drum Fame is a relatively quick build. The 55 gallon drum and boards could be substituted for a larger or smaller sizes depending upon available resources.
Materials
- 1 55 gallon drum
- 20 wood screws
- 1 45" x 2" x 4" board
- 2 36" x 1/2" x 4" board
Instructions
Inlet/Outlet system
Materials
- 8 (3/4”) x 90 degree fittings
- 1 (3/4”) hose fitting
- 1 (3/4”) nipple threaded
- 1 (3/4") female coupling threaded
- 2 (3/4") male threaded adapter
- 2 (3/4") bulk head fitting
- 2 (3/4") to 1" male threaded adapter
- 2 1" Barbed insert to 1"
- 1 Barbed Insert Elbow
- 1' Black Tubing - 1"
- 1 (3/4") PVC t-joint
- PVC glue
- ~70" (3/4”) PVC pipe
Instructions
Testing
Testing of the constructed bog began April 29, 2014 and lasted until May 11, 2014. A variety of parameters were tested both visually and mechanically. Our original test site was a location along the Mad River. We eventually obtained permission to test the bog at Fern Lake.
Buoyancy
Buoyancy testing began with single capped PVC tube. Which we found to be surprisingly buoyant. We then tested the same tube with plastic water bottle lids screwed directly into the PVC tube. This was also surprisingly buoyant. We than filled each bottle to the with water and found the PVC tube to displace enough water with the added weight to float just above the water line. Testing progressed to the PVC frame of our final design. We added a quartered lifeguard buoy for extra buoyancy. With the request of our client for a water quality monitoring system we eventually added the sectioned 55 gallon drum to the PVC frame. Testing of the PVC frame and the 55 gallon drum proved to overwhelmingly buoyant. We filled the drum with 40 gallons of water, a 170 pound team member hopped in wearing a 30 lbs weight belt and the bog still floated. Our results show that PVC when capped and sealed is buoyant. The sectioned 55 gallon drum also proved to be buoyant and when when combined the two were able to maintain positive buoyancy with over 500 pounds added.
170lbs(teammate)+30lbs(weight belt)+(40gal of fresh water*8.34lbs/gal fresh water)= 533.6lbs.
Pressure
Water Quality
Water quality was monitored once a day over four days. We checked the PH, turbidity, dissolved Oxygen, and Salinity of the bog. We also tested the water at the test site for comparison. Results are as follows.
Date | Fern Lake | Bog |
---|---|---|
5/8/14 | 7.64 | 6.87 |
5/9/14 | ||
5/10/14 | ||
5/11/14 |
Date | Fern Lake(NTU) | Bog (NTU) |
---|---|---|
5/8/14 | 4.16 | 5.20 |
5/9/14 | ||
5/10/14 | ||
5/11/14 |
Date | Fern Lake(%) | Bog (%) |
---|---|---|
5/8/14 | 102.1 | 34.5 |
5/9/14 | ||
5/10/14 | ||
5/11/14 |
Date | Fern Lake(°%) | Bog (%) |
---|---|---|
5/8/14 | 90.9 | 38.5 |
5/9/14 | ||
5/10/14 | ||
5/11/14 |
Plants
We chose to use non-invasive local plants for the prototype bog. Plants were obtained from the surrounding landscape at the test site. Information on appropriate plants was obtained from staff and students at Humboldt State University, [7].
For testing purposes we planted a variety of local flora.
- Skunk Cabbage
- Horsetail
- Lilly
Rush
Horsetail sp: Spenophyta
Sedges
Scouring rush sp: Spenophyta
Operation
This is how to successfully operate the bog. Once planted the bog will require visual inspection, water quality analysis and should be flushed 2-3 times per week.
Maintenance
Maintenance of the bog should be preformed daily, weekly and monthly. Maintenance consists of visual monitoring for undesirable materials, leaks, plant health and water quality analysis.
Schedule
- Daily
- Visual inspection for undesirable materials.
- Visual inspection for leaks.
- Visual inspection of overall plant health.
- Weekly
- Water quality analysis.
- 2-3 times per week the bog should be drained and injected with new water.
- Monthly
- Flush entire system, including check valves and pump.
- Re-plant as necessary.
Instructions
This is how to maintain. The step by step how to template {{How to}} is most likely best for this part.
Conclusion
Discussion
The prototype bog we built is 1/4 the scale of the final project. The design we have come up with can easily be manipulated and expanded upon to meet the final scale of 16'x3'. Our prototype serves as the basic building block for the final installation. Each PVC Fame and drum frame allows for easy expansion to a larger size with the addition of many of the same parts.
Lessons Learned
- perforated pipe for inlet/outlet system, may not need as many holes on the intake side.
- drums connected in series
- capped PVC is very buoyant
Next Steps
Troubleshooting
Team
The members who are responsible for the Wetland bog prototype. Spring 2014 semester. Engineering 305 at Humboldt State University. Teacher: Lonny Graphman
References
- ↑ U.S Army Core of Engineers[1]
- ↑ [Kulser, Jon A; Kentula, Mary E. 1990. Wetland Creation and Restoration. The Status of the Science]
- ↑ [Mitsch, Willam J; Gosselink, James G. 2007. Wetlands 4th Edition. ]
- ↑ [Building Floating Wetlands to Restore Urban Waterfronts and Community Partnership]
- ↑ USDA legal status plants
- ↑ City of Philadelphia. Invasive Plant List [[2]]
- ↑ http://www.appropedia.org/Emergent_plants_for_constructed_wetlands.