In last Friday's design meeting, Eugene explained how we needed to analyze the schoolhouse's structure (specifically the roof truss) by calculating the load for different scenarios like if there was an earthquake, hurricane, someone on the roof during an earthquake, etc. We needed to determine which was the worst scenario and base the design of the structure on this to ensure that the building would be stable.
So in yesterday's general meeting, Dennis (an undergraduate civil engineering student who graciously volunteered to do the load calculations) brought in his analysis of the truss structure. Now we can finish calculations on this coming Friday's design meeting and hopefully have the design done by February. The meeting will be at 12:30 PM on the 8th floor of Boelter Hall in the SEL Research Commons which is right across from the Science Engineering Library.
And I forgot to mention that a recent email from Marvin, our contact in Nicaragua, informed us that there is most likely going to be plywood that we can use! Yay!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Design and Deadlines
During the design meeting, our head design leader, Eugene, basically showed us in ten minutes how to build a schoolhouse. Of course, there's definitely more calculations and work so there will be a Design Day this Friday at 12 PM. Anyone wanting to help and willing to learn can come even without a structural engineering background. They will be meeting in front of Boelter Hall in the Court of Sciences. There are two designs for the schoolhouse: one with plywood available and one without plywood available. The alternative of not having plywood would cause more difficulties in design and gathering material and would be more costly.
In our regular meeting, Oren reminded us of the deadlines approaching. There is a great need for us to raise money because without the money we cannot begin construction of the schoolhouse. Therefore, everyone is to bring the name of a foundation with a grant to next week's meeting.
Another issue raised was that the foundation would probably be exposed for a long time (possibly even a year) and because the soil is mostly clay, we need to find ways to build the foundation to last during the wait between visits. Two solutions that were discussed were to either build a bigger foundation or to transport gravel or sand from another location to place the foundation on top of (the gravel or sand will allow water to drain).
In our regular meeting, Oren reminded us of the deadlines approaching. There is a great need for us to raise money because without the money we cannot begin construction of the schoolhouse. Therefore, everyone is to bring the name of a foundation with a grant to next week's meeting.
Another issue raised was that the foundation would probably be exposed for a long time (possibly even a year) and because the soil is mostly clay, we need to find ways to build the foundation to last during the wait between visits. Two solutions that were discussed were to either build a bigger foundation or to transport gravel or sand from another location to place the foundation on top of (the gravel or sand will allow water to drain).
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Clay Sucks
David, our geotechnical graduate student, finished running tests on the soil samples that the team brought from the assessment trip and delivered the results during the meeting. He said the soil is mostly clay and the clay is mostly plastic which leads to problems in the stability and safety of the structure. Basically, clay sucks. Luckily, our design team can hammer out a plan that overcomes the problems that clay presents. The design team is now also focusing on the water tanks for the rainwater catchment. In the design meeting, they debated whether it should be underground or above ground, made with plastic, and other aspects of the tanks. To be more effective, possibly the coming Monday, there will be a Design Day(!) filled with lots of calculations and designing. Design Day will help us get a more definite plan sooner. Anyone can come, even if you do not know how to design a structure, because there will be much needed help with calculations and cost estimates.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Welcome Back!
Today was the first meeting of our winter quarter! And we have a lot of work to do!
Oren and Henry talked with someone from the EWB headquarters who reviewed our submitted post-assessment. She brought up some important issues that we hadn't considered such as determining who owns the land that we are building the schoolhouse and finding a schoolhouse. In addition to finding solutions to the issues she called to attention we have many other forms to complete so that we can travel to Nicaragua this summer.
In addition, more pressure is on the design team to complete the design of the schoolhouse and to also create alternative designs. Starting next week, they will be meeting at 5:30 PM in the same room where we have our meeting. I'm sure that they can use any help!
Lastly, a previous EWB-UCLA project in Thailand will need some reconstruction. The No Lae schoolhouse built several years ago needs improved water tanks. Anyone interested in helping in this project or heading this project can contact Nathan, our President and he can probably lead you to the mentor/leader of the project.
Oren and Henry talked with someone from the EWB headquarters who reviewed our submitted post-assessment. She brought up some important issues that we hadn't considered such as determining who owns the land that we are building the schoolhouse and finding a schoolhouse. In addition to finding solutions to the issues she called to attention we have many other forms to complete so that we can travel to Nicaragua this summer.
In addition, more pressure is on the design team to complete the design of the schoolhouse and to also create alternative designs. Starting next week, they will be meeting at 5:30 PM in the same room where we have our meeting. I'm sure that they can use any help!
Lastly, a previous EWB-UCLA project in Thailand will need some reconstruction. The No Lae schoolhouse built several years ago needs improved water tanks. Anyone interested in helping in this project or heading this project can contact Nathan, our President and he can probably lead you to the mentor/leader of the project.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Thanksgiving Dinner
Our Thanksgiving potluck was successful! We had mashed sweet potatoes, blondies, cupcakes, apple cider and more! There was more than enough food to go around and we tried to mix in with the Guatemala group since we don't usually have the time to talk and meet with them. We also had a guest speaker, Dustin James, who is building eco-domes in San Jacinto. He shared his plans for the area and showed the progress of one of his eco-domes. EWB-UCLA is invited to come with Dustin this winter break to help in the construction of the eco-domes! This is a great opportunity to help others and learn about engineering; basically a chance to be an engineer without borders! If interested email Dustin at dustinfjames@gmail.com
In terms of fundraising for our project, Karen has shared a Google Doc with grant resources and will help us be more organized and efficient in applying for grants. Be sure to check out the document and start working on a grant if you see no one else is working on it!
There will be no meeting next week since it will be dead week, the week before finals! Have a great Thanksgiving!
In terms of fundraising for our project, Karen has shared a Google Doc with grant resources and will help us be more organized and efficient in applying for grants. Be sure to check out the document and start working on a grant if you see no one else is working on it!
There will be no meeting next week since it will be dead week, the week before finals! Have a great Thanksgiving!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Plywood, Partners, and Potluck
Great news! We are pretty sure that we can get plywood in Nicaragua! If the right kind of plywood is available in Nicaragua, it would make the design and construction of the schoolhouse a lot easier. During today's design meeting, we had a bigger group of people and we discussed our alternative, trusses, if we could not use plywood. Once we can confirm that there is plywood, we can start to get all the details and logistics of the design.
In the general meeting, we decided to partner up people to apply for grants. Since the EWB organization will begin to charge $500 for assessment trips and $1000 for implementation trips, we need to raise even more money!
Lastly, we ended the meeting with tentative plans for a potluck next week! We want the meeting to be short since Thanksgiving break will be starting and what better way to celebrate and be thankful than with a plethora of good food!
In the general meeting, we decided to partner up people to apply for grants. Since the EWB organization will begin to charge $500 for assessment trips and $1000 for implementation trips, we need to raise even more money!
Lastly, we ended the meeting with tentative plans for a potluck next week! We want the meeting to be short since Thanksgiving break will be starting and what better way to celebrate and be thankful than with a plethora of good food!
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Trying to get creative...
Did you know a school in Guatemala was built using plastic bottles?
Today in the design meeting and in our general meeting, we placed emphasis on discussing the materials we wanted to use to build the schoolhouse. Currently, our ideal material is using plywood but we do not know if we can get plywood in Nicaragua. Our options seem to be limited because Las Brenas, the community where we are building the school, is in a remote area. From the capital of Nicaragua, it takes multiple hours of bus rides, boat rides and mule rides to get to our destination so transporting materials is a big issue. If anyone has any ideas, even as creative as using plastic bottles, they would be welcome and feel free to come to our design meetings which are held an hour before the general meeting starts in the same place! (And if you're curious as to how the plastic bottles were used, check out the link on our Google Group: EWBUCLA Nicaragua-Sanitation)
And as always, we are still working hard to get grants, the fuel that drives our project forward.
Today in the design meeting and in our general meeting, we placed emphasis on discussing the materials we wanted to use to build the schoolhouse. Currently, our ideal material is using plywood but we do not know if we can get plywood in Nicaragua. Our options seem to be limited because Las Brenas, the community where we are building the school, is in a remote area. From the capital of Nicaragua, it takes multiple hours of bus rides, boat rides and mule rides to get to our destination so transporting materials is a big issue. If anyone has any ideas, even as creative as using plastic bottles, they would be welcome and feel free to come to our design meetings which are held an hour before the general meeting starts in the same place! (And if you're curious as to how the plastic bottles were used, check out the link on our Google Group: EWBUCLA Nicaragua-Sanitation)
And as always, we are still working hard to get grants, the fuel that drives our project forward.
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