From Oceanic Plastics Pollution to Building Blocks: A Two-Semester Project Spanning Statics and Solid Mechanics

Gerald Sullivan; Craig Altmann; Jon-michael Hardin

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Conference: 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Publication Date: August 23, 2022
Start Date: June 26, 2022
End Date: June 29, 2022
Conference Session: Environmental Engineering Division Technical Session 4
Page Count: 11
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--40764
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/40764
Download Count: 277

Paper Authors

biography

Gerald Sullivan Virginia Military Institute

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Dr. Gerald Sullivan, Professor of Mechanical Engineering and holder of the Hardaway Chair at the Virginia Military Institute received his Ph.D. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1991. Prior to joining the faculty at the Virginia Military Institute in 2004, he held teaching positions at the University of Michigan-Dearborn and the University of Vermont, then took on a research position in the semi-conductor industry where he was involved in the development of precision alignment systems for X-ray Lithography applications. His interests include electromechanical design, materials, and control systems, with research applications ranging from seismic communication systems for rescue operations in coal mines, robotic tick eradication, and most recently space structures.

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Craig Altmann Virginia Military Institute

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Assistant Professor

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Jon-michael Hardin Virginia Military Institute

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Abstract

First discovered in 1997, the great pacific garbage patch has been the source of increasing concern as evidence of the harmful effects of oceanic plastics pollution on wild life and even human beings accumulates. Currently 65% of Americans see oceanic plastics pollution as the most serious threat to the environment, outranking even that of climate change. While an impressive statistic, there is still a considerable knowledge deficit on the part of the public regarding the mechanics of oceanic plastics pollution, and what exactly can be done to mitigate the problem. Certainly one of the more daunting challenges of the 21st century, there are manifold solution approaches that can be brought to bear against oceanic plastics pollution, affording the topic great potential as the subject for relevant project-based engineering education. In this paper, a two semester long project is described in which students design and build a machine to create low cost building blocks out of plastic waste as part of their statics and solid mechanics course sequence. The project is assigned to students in their statics course approximately one third of the way through the fall semester. Students are introduced to the issue of oceanic plastics pollution and are presented with the problem of designing a low cost, human powered machine to compress heated plastic waste into molds in order to create building materials for people in developing nations. Students hone their knowledge of kinematics, solid modeling and statics to create their designs. In the follow on solid mechanics course during the spring semester, student design teams develop detailed designs of the block making machine based on stress constraints, then build and test the machines competitively, (which machine can create the block with the highest density?). Presently, the project is a work in progress and the first finished machines will be tested in April 2022. The paper will document implementation of the two semester project, as well as describing the skill sets developed and reinforced by the project. Additionally, it is emphasized that the project requires students to process information concerning global environmental and societal issues, thereby addressing ABET student learning outcomes 2 and 4.

Citation
Format

Sullivan, G., & Altmann, C., & Hardin, J. (2022, August), From Oceanic Plastics Pollution to Building Blocks: A Two-Semester Project Spanning Statics and Solid Mechanics Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN. 10.18260/1-2--40764

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - First discovered in 1997, the great pacific garbage patch has been the source of increasing concern as evidence of the harmful effects of oceanic plastics pollution on wild life and even human beings accumulates. Currently 65% of Americans see oceanic plastics pollution as the most serious threat to the environment, outranking even that of climate change. While an impressive statistic, there is still a considerable knowledge deficit on the part of the public regarding the mechanics of oceanic plastics pollution, and what exactly can be done to mitigate the problem.  Certainly one of the more daunting challenges of the 21st century, there are manifold solution approaches that can be brought to bear against oceanic plastics pollution, affording the topic great potential as the subject for relevant project-based engineering education. In this paper, a two semester long project is described in which students design and build a machine to create low cost building blocks out of plastic waste as part of their statics and solid mechanics course sequence. The project is assigned to students in their statics course approximately one third of the way through the fall semester.  Students are introduced to the issue of oceanic plastics pollution and are presented with the problem of designing a low cost, human powered machine to compress heated plastic waste into molds in order to create building materials for people in developing nations.  Students hone their knowledge of kinematics, solid modeling and statics to create their designs. In the follow on solid mechanics course during the spring semester, student design teams develop detailed designs of the block making machine based on stress constraints, then build and test the machines competitively, (which machine can create the block with the highest density?). Presently, the project is a work in progress and the first finished machines will be tested in April 2022. The paper will document implementation of the two semester project, as well as describing the skill sets developed and reinforced by the project. Additionally, it is emphasized that the project requires students to process information concerning global environmental and societal issues, thereby addressing ABET student learning outcomes 2 and 4. 


AU  - Gerald Sullivan
AU  - Craig Altmann
AU  - Jon-michael Hardin
CY  - Minneapolis, MN
DA  - 2022/08/23
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - From Oceanic Plastics Pollution to Building Blocks: A Two-Semester Project Spanning Statics and Solid Mechanics
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/40764
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--40764
ER  -