Mec E 460 Project Proposal

Project Title: ‘Borealis’ Mechanical Support Structures

Objective
“ Borealis” is an interactive, multi-media, sculptural “ data portrait” of the Edmonton
community of Belgravia. It w ill be a permanent installation in the Belgravia A rts Park,
located immediately West of 115th street, betw een 74th and 73rd avenues. It w ill have
both a physical, sculptural component (located in the abovementioned A rts Park) and
an online, w ebsite, component. The physical component w ill be an interactive LED
sculpture w hose lights are visible during most daylight hours and at night. The LEDs
w ill be driven by data abstracted from the Internet that forms a visualization of
information of interest to the community.

These strings of LED lights w ill be supported off of three poles, approximately 20m in
height mounted on concrete pilings in a manner similar to that of streetlights. The
overall project w ill cover an isosceles- triangular area of the park, w ith equal sides of
approximately 20m to 30m in length.

The mechanical support structures for this project have tw o aspects: Firstly, support
means for suspending approximately 20 criss crossing LED strings at a height of
approximately 20 m over top of the park area. Secondly, support of approximately 8
solar panels that provide an off-grid, 1.8 kW peak pow er source for the project in a
manner that provides both w ind-loading protection and ease of servicing.

Borealis is expected to be erected during the summer of 2011 and to premiere in the
w inter of 2011 or spring of 2012.

Scope of Work
Research and specify the support poles and mountings needed for the project.
Develop designs of the rigging structures needed for the LEDs.
Develop and design mounting means for attaching the LED strings to the support
structures.
Develop a preferred process for on-site physical rigging/installation of the support
system.
Develop a mechanical system for servicing and snow clearing of the solar panels
powering the system, one that also functions to preserve the panels from dangers of
wind loading in high wind situations.
Coordinate prototyping of the mechanical solar panel subsystem with another
(electrical engineering) student group who will be building up the solar power supply
system during Jan/11 to April/11.
If needed, build a scale prototype of the system to ensure full-scale buildability.
Wind tunnel scale model testing at U of A(?).
Designs are to be to such a degree of detail that they can be reviewed and
stamped by a P.Eng. structural/mechanical engineer and certified for building.
Ideally, some or all of the team would be available during the summer of 2011 to
realize the project in the park, work for which they would be paid.
Preliminary Design Specifications
Support means for the LED strings must be minimally invasive in terms of
occlusion of view “through” to the sky. People will be looking up at these LEDs
overhead; they must appear to “float” in the air as much as possible without support.
This means that any support mechanisms (cables, etc.) must be absolutely as thin
and invisible as possible.
Wind loading of the structure must be taken into account, with attention given to
the maximum wind profiles possible in Edmonton at 20m height. The design should
be such that, should limited failure occur, there is enough structural integrity to
continue to support the LEDs and keep them from raining down on the heads of the
unwitting public. This requirement is clearly at odds with the first dictum of being
minimally visually invasive.
Support and servicing of the solar panels has three aspects: Firstly, snow
removal from the panels (angled at 53 degrees for maximum solar flux reception)
during winter is a potential issue. This is particularly so given their height about
ground. Some means of ensuring/allowing snow removal (mechanical or
electromechanical) must be devised. Secondly (and perhaps related) is that fact
that ideally some means of raising/lowering the panels must be devised to allow
servicing if problems occur with them. Thirdly, these panels are large – each one
measures approximately 1.6m x 1.0m; eight of them will function as a pretty good
sail in high winds. Support for this must be designed so that undue mechanical
stress is not placed on the panels in high wind conditions – perhaps something that
bends and flexes somewhat like bamboo (or other) trees.

Deliverables
Mechanical drawings, bills of materials, lists of suppliers, and fabrication
instructions with enough detail that the design could be fabricated or replicated
by others.
Drawings/designs to be reviewed, approved, and stamped by an
appropriately qualified P.Eng. at the end of the project.
A working mechanical prototype of the solar power array support structure
that can be mounted off one of the support poles in the on-site realization of the
project.
Ideally, one or more eager students to perform the final setup/install of the
system during the summer of 2011.

Prototype Resources
Money is available to pay for prototyping costs.
Being electronics/computer engineering people, we do not have large shop
space or mechanical fabrication tools in house.

Project Sponsor
Name: Will Bauer
Title/Position: President
Company: Moment Research Corporation
Address: 7111 Saskatchewan Drive NW, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2A4
Telephone #: (780) 669-0529
Email address: m_co@shaw.ca
Available Meeting Time
One meeting every week as needed…perhaps about 2 hours per session but can vary
as required. Meetings can be in person or via Skype, etc. if it seems preferable.

Maximum Number of Groups

One team preferred

Intellectual Property Ownership

Design IP owned by the sponsoring company.

Images

On-Site Final Realization – N.B. LED lines will likely not be a straight Cartesian
Grid as (inaccurately) depicted here
 74th Avenue

Rink
Lighting Standard

Solar Power Photovoltaic Panels - Mounted atop of LED support pole

Belgravia
Community LED Control Electronics and Solar Power Supply Enclosure Box
League (ca. 4 ft. x 4 ft. x 4 ft. H)
Building Tree
Arts Park Land

115th Street
Support pole (ca. 65 ft. high) l cabl
es
Tree on t hin stee
poles
pport
b et ween su
d
nte
s mou
i gh t string
L
LED N.B. Geometric layout shown is conceptual only.
Actual light string layout is yet to be designed
Tree
66 ft.

Tree

Lighting Standard

Interactive webcam
vantage point atop
LED support pole. Tree Tree Tree Tree Tree

South West Corner 66 ft.

73rd Avenue

== Tree (Viewed from Top)

LEGEND:
LED Light String-Supporting Pole (Top View)
Load Bearing (Tensioned) Steel Cable
LED Bearing Steel Cable
Lighting Standard

Plan View of Support Poles and Conceptual LED Rigging Solution