Process
You will work in groups of 3. Each group will redesign the footbridge over Amazon Creek so that it meets ADA specifications. One person, the ADA inspector, is in charge of researching what exactly are ADA specifications. One person, the Master Budgeter, is in charge of researching bridge materials and devising a budget for the reconstructon. One person, the Bridge Designer, is responsible for the design of the bridge. The three of you will colloborate to produce a final product that as a group you will present to the class. The class will act as city council and will vote to approve or deny your reconstruction project. Although each student has individual responsibilities, you are dependent on each others' findings to design your final product. Remember there is no I nor U in T-E-A-M-W-O-R-K
As a class, we will be taking a field trip to the current bridge site to record measurements of the width and height of the bridge. These measurements are essential for planning the redesign of your bridge. Furthermore, during this field trip, each team will record the distance from the bridge to the existing trail (on both sides of the stream). This distance is known as the bridge approach. It is the bridge approach that is critical in making the bridge ADA certified.
Keep good records of your findings as it will help your group come
together to produce a final product. Remember, perserverance is
key. Break each task into smaller tasks. Compile the
information. Apply your mathematical knowledge. And work
together. We will spend the next few class periods dedicated to this project.
The ADA inspector:
- You will need to go to website: Federal ADA guidelines From here, you will need to
navigate the website to determine the minimum standards for the bridge's slope and width to
meet ADA specifications. You may also search the web, using
google as a search engine, to find reports of other ADA certified pedestrian bridges to
determine how others design
- Other websites to investigate:
The Bridge Designer:
I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world. –ALBERT EINSTEIN, interviewed by George Viereck, The Saturday Evening Post, October 26, 1929
- This job will involve lots of creativity. The first site you should check out is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridges. This site will give you a good overview of what a bridge is, its components, and different styles of bridges. After reading through this site, search the internet to locate examples of ADA certified pedestrian bridges.
- Your responsibilities include designing the bridge and
communicating with the master budgeter what materials will be
needed. Before you decide on the final design, you will need to
work with the ADA inspector about which regulations you will be working
within.
- Your sketches will be needed for the group presentation to visually display the redesign.
- Your job will involve close collororation with the bridge designer. You should look at the sites listed for both the bridge designer and the ADA inspector. Your first task is to determine what materials your bridge will use. Then, your responsibility is to calculate of the amount of materials needed to build the bridge and their costs.
- In determining the costs, you should research the web for prices of
lumber, rock, gravel, cement. However, if the web proves to be
too difficult, feel free to visit (or call) a local home improvement
center to determine prices for materials.
- Here are some links for you to investigate:
REVIEW :
Remember to keep the goal of this project in mind. Working as a group, you will be redesigning a bridge to make it ADA certified.
Checklist:
- What are the requirements of a pedestrian bridge to be ADA certified?
- What are the dimensions of the bridge?
- What will the bridge look like?
- What materials are needed?
- How much do materials cost?
The Presentation:
You have worked really hard at gathering information, assessing it, and then incorporating the data into a real-world design task. Now, it is time to synthesize your work into a presentation to the class who will act as the Eugene City Council. The presentation must include: 1)illustrations, 2) a budget, and 3) and persuasive argument justifying the costs.
The illustrations will display what your bridge looks like. This can be done either in 2-dimensions or 3-dimensions. Also you need to present how much the reconstruction will cost and give a convincing argument on why the benefits of this redesign justify the costs.