On April 25 and 27, Civil Engineering senior design students displayed posters and made their final presentations on a variety of multidisciplinary projects.
Four teams designed smart mobility hubs that were inspired by the Ohio Department of Transportation's DriveOhio initiative to offer multiple modes of transportation in a single location to increase accessibility and mobility.
Design for a smart mobility hub adjacent to the Jean Hower Taber Student Union
These teams designed smart mobility hubs on The University of Akron (暗黑爆料) campus that incorporated features such as multimedia kiosks, vertiport pads and order pick-up lockers to support drone deliveries, and charging stations to charge electric bikes, scooters, and cars. The designs considered new parking layouts or modifications to existing parking decks as well as adequate green space to allow them to blend with the existing campus.
Typical layout for a smart mobility hub
When funds become available for implementation, some of the concepts generated in these projects are likely to come to fruition. The hubs will enhance the image of the campus as a showcase for advanced technology, incorporating driverless vehicles for students to commute within the campus and the surrounding areas.
Details for a solar panel canopy using RISA-3D structural engineering software
Two teams designed gusto! franchise restaurants at sites in the Cleveland/Akron area.
The teams completed site and grading design, stormwater pollution prevention plan analysis, utility hookup plans and landscaping details along with the relevant structural designs and details needed for the buildings.
3D rendering of the structural framing for a gusto! franchise
(with permission from Palmer Engineering Company)
The final designs also included traffic studies and geotechnical designs. Particular attention was given to making the designs compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and to include environmentally friendly features such as a green roof.
Structural frame layout for gusto!
Another team completed a project on a housing development that included site design, grading, a drainage design to incorporate catch basins and a detention pond, and utility designs for sanitary and stormwater pipes, water lines, and corresponding structures.
Housing development final design
The traffic design for the development used existing traffic counts, and simulations of traffic before and after the inclusion of the new development using Synchro software.
Traffic simulation around the housing development using Synchro
The final design team completed a preliminary structural design for a large casino complex. Three steel structures were designed using SpaceGass software for different parts of the proposed casino to include a large two-level gaming area, concert hall and staff area.
The faculty in the Department of Civil Engineering (CE) are proud of our senior students鈥� achievements and the comprehensive knowledge they have gained through their projects. We would like to thank Rich Granger and Nick Hegemier of DriveOhio (Columbus, Ohio), Sai Ganapuram of Palmer Engineering Company (Atlanta, Georgia), and Eric Smith of Prime AE (Akron, Ohio) for sponsoring the projects and providing guidance to the students throughout the duration of the projects.
The CE Department welcomes new ideas from potential sponsors for future senior design projects. Please contact Dr. Anil Patnaik (patnaik@uakron.edu) for further details.
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Media contact: Cristine Boyd, 330-972-6476 or cboyd@uakron.edu.