Monday, September 28, 2009

Selection/Rejection/Intention Report

In coming up with these several solutions, I went along a list of specifications that I have created to make the Atlantic Highlands marina green. The marina had to have wet slips accommodating vessels up to 200 feet. It also had to have a full service fuel dock with sanitary pump-out stations and an 88-ton travel lift and yard. The marina designs had to be able to provide a wide range of services for captains as well as weekend boaters. As for my alternate solutions of the Atlantic Highlands marina, I have three. They are all drawn at a scale of 1”=120’. My first solution (figure 1) has the most areas of interest. These include a solar powered canopy over the fuel station, a full service fuel dock with a sanitary pump-out station*, and a boat loading crane*. The purpose of the solar powered canopy is to power the fueling using the sun. This is extremely green because the amount of power used in this serving station will be powered by the sun, an endless source. Also as far as the docking material (labeled in green), I was thinking of using something similar to this connect-a-dock material that requires no intensive cleaning material (http://www.connectadock.com/dock/connectADock.asp?gclid=CPztheTRlZ0CFQtN5QodPw6p1w). This will prevent any intensive cleaning material to leak into the bay waters. As far as the solar paneled canopy I have an idea of having a roof over the docking station kind of like the roofs in these images:(http://www.nauticexpo.com/prod/pildne/floating-fuel-station-23364-120219.html). The solar panels (labeled in purple) will power what needs to be powered electrically in the fueling station. Not only will this be more efficient, it will also save money for powering the fueling docks in the long run. The full service fuel dock with sanitary pump-out station is another important factor. This docking station, which extends off of a pier, will allow boats to pull up into the boat locks. These boat locks will prevent the boats from moving around and will make fueling easier. This convenience of having the fueling dock is that boats low on fuel can pull in, fuel up, and pull out. My job is to limit the amount of damage that occurs to the surrounding environment. I plan to do this using a bucket-like system which will catch all fuel runoff during the fueling process, and funnel it to a designated area where it can be filtered. All of the filtering will be done out on the fueling dock (labeled in orange). Another issues that arises is the lowering of boats into the waters using the boat ramp. The issues that arises is oil leaks from the cars and trucks that lower boats down the ramp. By having a boat loading crane (labeled in red) this prevents cars and trucks from nearing the water. All the vehicles have to do is pull up by the crane, have their boat picked up by the crane, and then lowered gently into the water right by the boat ramp. Having this service will prevent further environmental pollution. By looking at these designs, I have devised a pros and cons list. The pros of this solution is that it has solar-powered panels, a loading crane, a sanitary fuel pump-out station and Eco-friendly docking material. The cons are that the solar panels will cost a lot of money before it starts to pay itself off and the loading crane has more risks involved including responsibilities and liabilities of people's boats. The pros outweigh the cons therefore this solution is viable.


Figure 1= My drawing of solution 1 with all
parts labeled in color.




My second solution (figure 2) of the marina is very similar to my first however there are several variations. These variations include location changes of the full service fuel dock with sanitary pump-out station. The location of the dock has changed from being an extension off a pier, to just being a pier with a fueling station on it (labeled in blue). This will provide the same facilities as my first solution (figure 1) and will allow boaters to dock their boats and re-fuel. The next part of my solution is the boat loading crane (labeled in red). It is of the same design as my first solution (figure 1). It will be able to lower and raise boats out of the marina waters, preventing the polluting of the waters in the marina from car/truck oil leakage. The docking material also in this solution uses the same polyurethane material that only requires a hose to clean them as opposed to intensive cleaners. The docks are labeled in purple in my second solution (figure 2). I devised pros and cons of my second solution. The pros for this solution are Eco-friendly way of loading boats and docking material that doesn't harm the environment. The cons for this solution are the responsibilities and liabilities form the boat crane and the costs of the fueling station. The fueling station is not that environmentally friendly. As for my second solution (figure 2) the pros and cons are a tie. Comparing my first two solutions, my first one seems to be more environmentally friendly and just an overall more viable solution.


Figure 2= My second drawing with all
parts labeled in color.



My third solution for the green marina (figure 3) is the most simplest of the three. This solution includes special attention in the areas of the full service fuel dock with sanitary pump-out station and the boat loading crane. The boat loading crane (labeled in red) will be able to rotate 360 degrees. The crane will have the ability to lift a boat from the land and place it in the water by the boat ramp. This limits the amount of pollution that will leak into the waters from cars and trucks towing their boats. Also the crane will be able to move out on the water according to my drawing (labeled in red). The crane will adjust depending on the size, specifically the length, and be able to place any sized boats in the water. My second area of interest is the full service fuel dock (labeled in blue). The fueling station will be a a floating dock that boaters can pull up to and dock. The location of the fueling station is beneficial to boaters just visiting to fuel instead of the residential boaters that keep their boats there permanently. This is because the location of the fueling station is near the entrance. This limits the amount of distance a boat would need to travel to refuel their boat. I devised pros and cons for this solution (figure 3). The pros of this solution are being able to lift and lower boats into the water in an environmental friendly way and having an easily accessible fueling station. As far as cons, the fueling station might cause leakage of fuel into the water surrounding it. Also the cost to construct this multi-functional crane will be large.


Figure 3= My third drawing with all parts
labeled in color.



Now including my third drawing, of the three drawings, my first one seems to be the most viable solution. This is because it has will have the most helpful effect on the environment around it. This marina (figure 1) will benefit the environment by using solar paneled canopies over the fueling station, an Eco-friendly fueling station, a boat loading crane that will limit the amount of fuel leakage, and the Eco-friendly docking material. My first solution will be my final solution that I will continue to design and model.

* With recent contact with my mentor, Mike Danko, I have taken upon his advice in omitting the boat crane idea due to financial and feasibility problems. Also the fueling station will be modified. Instead of having slips where the boats will enter, it will be a dock with pilings that a boat can dock into and re-fuel. The current drawing indicates problems in navigating to the slip because strong gusts of wind or currents could cause the operator to damage his/her boat or the dock. I have been introduced to a new idea which uses aeration device that has bubbles to cancel out frequencies from boat motors that harass marine life. Also an aeration device can be used to disperse leaked fuel. It is feasible to use solar cells to harness the suns energy to power these devices. These will be new addendums to my final solution.
Below is an image of my final revised solution, labeled in color:

Brainstorming/Alternate Solutions

Solution 1



Solution 2



Solution 3



Revised Final Solution

Monday, September 21, 2009

Monday, September 14, 2009

Summer Research (Photos)


Figure 1.1= The Atlantic Highlands Marina








Figure 1.2= Possible area where improvements
can be made to clean up polluted areas and a
cleaner way to store supplies. Photo taken
by Anthony Olivera.


Figure 1.3=Image of fishing boats docked
in the marina. Photo taken by Anthony Olivera.



Figure 1.4= Image of the breakwater out of the
marina. Photo taken by Anthony
Olivera.




Fig 1.5= Pilings where charter fishing boats
are docked. Photo taken by Anthony
Olivera.




Figure 1.6= Pilings are spaced about 5 meters
apart in this area of the marina. Photo taken
by Anthony Olivera.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Summer Research

Recreational boating in marinas can be significantly detrimental to the ecosystem around the marina. Toxic materials, such as hydrocarbon liquids and oil, can cause problems to animals living in the immediate area. These animals include sea birds, fish and shellfish. An alarming fact is this: every year, from recreational boating, oil pollution is estimated to be 15 times the amount of oil that was spilled in the Exxon Valdez oil spill. That oil spill was somewhere around 1 billion liters! Also, another occurring problem is that 30% of the fuel used in two-stroke engines leak into the water. By encouraging maintenance of boat users’ engines, we can lower the amount of fuel that leak out into the water.

Boat Maintenance Tips

By having oil absorbing rags on your boat at all times, whenever a spill arises, you can clean up most of the spill. Even in large bodies of water, small spills can damage and spread to be a bigger problem.
Disposal facilities are available to clean up such spills and can be in several areas in the US and Canada. Mandating their phone numbers on every vessel can provide even the slightest way of help (US: 1 800 CLEANUP/ Canada: 1 800 667 4321)
Waxing the hull of your boat will reduce the need of cleaning it with toxic chemicals.
If the need does arise to use cleaning materials, use non-toxic ones before jumping to the rather potent ones. Vinegar is an excellent non-toxic cleaner.

Antifouling paints are used when sealing or coating the bottom of your boat. Three types of antifouling paints are ablative, hard antifouling and silicon coatings. These coating materials when used with an abrasive material can sometimes make the paint exposed which seeps it into the water. Using less abrasive material can prevent this.

"Eco-Friendly Boating." Eartheasy - Sustainable Living. 2003-2009. Web. 11 Sept. 2009. .


"Clean Marinas." NOAA Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management. Web. 11 Sept. 2009. .

= Gave mission statement of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and how they are working to improve marinas.

"The Clean Marina Program - Sea Grant – St. Johns County Extension Office." St. Johns County Extension Office – Solutions for Your Life - UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Web. 11 Sept. 2009. .

= Gave clean marina action programs in Florida. Showed me how people around the country are working to improve marinas.

"NJDEP-njcleanmarina.org-Clean Marina Guidebook (complete)." Google. Web. 26 Oct. 2009.

=This pdf file is a guidebook that the NJDEP uses to standardize marinas as environmentally friendly.

Testing Procedures

In final product form, the function of the product will serve as a marina but with new technology preventing damage to the environment around it. To test the level of efficiency of the marina, the marina will have to be labeled a "green" marina by the New Jersey Clean Marina Program. This program goes by a Clean Marina Guidebook and Self-Assessment Checklist that is used as their standards. Both of these will be accessed online at www.njcleanmarina.org when checking if my final product is substantial.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Limitations

Individual Limitations (Structural Engineer)

  • Green Marina compliances related to dock system
  • Site boundaries
  • Anchoring
  • Materials
  • Docking Type
  • Hardware and metal fittings
  • Piling spacing

Group Limitations

  • Time (we have one school year to complete this project)
  • Money (budget must not exceed school spendings)
  • People (our Systems Engineering 2 instructors)
  • Tools and Equipment (those that are available to us in the workshop)
  • Capital

Specifications (Individual)

  • Wet slips accommodating vessels up to 200 feet
  • Dock Type will be used with environmentally friendly material, no chemically treated wood
  • 30,50 and 100 amp single and three phase electrical service
  • Fresh water access
  • Full service fuel dock with sanitary pump-out station
  • 88-ton travel lift and yard
  • Pedestrian walkways
  • Boat launch ramp
  • Bulkhead and retaining walls
  • ADD specs for concrete floating docks, utilities, pre-stressed concrete piling, gangways, dock accessories and a pre-stressed concrete sheet pile breakwater
  • Minimize need for and impact of dredging
  • Use environmentally preferred materials
  • Employ nonstructural shore erosion control measures

Design Brief

Group
For this project students are put in a scenario where they have to redesign the Atlantic Highlands marina that will better improve the conditions in that environment. That way, the end user of the final product will be satisfied knowing the environment will be improved. In final product form, the function of the product will serve as a marina but with new technology preventing damage to the environment around it.

Individual
As the structural engineer of the team, my job is to create, redesign and construct all "wet" portions of the marina. This includes all structures from the shoreline out to the breakwater.

Background Information

The project that I will be working on for the 2009-10 school year at the Marine Academy of Science and Technology will be called the Green Marina. It involves remodeling a local marina to make it more “green,” as in environmentally friendly. Marinas have a history of causing pollution in the bays and oceans they are near. Sludge and oil seep off the boats and drain into the water. The water-life around the docks is strongly affected by these hazardous wastes. The aim of this project is to rid of all those wasteful materials using teams of a structural and civil engineer that will both design a more efficient marina.
My position in this project is the position of the structural engineer. My job is to redesign everything from the shoreline out to the breakwater. This is mostly concerning the docks and pile-ons. I have plans to design the pile-ons using different materials besides wood. Also I have ideas on the drainage in the area. Some marinas have leaking fuel from the boats that all drain towards the water, most marinas have an incline to the water, and I have ideas on how to fix this problem.
In conclusion, after a year of work, each team will be able to have a plan, design, model and presentation on a redesigned “green” marina.