Research & Development

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

Research is a crucial, even fundamental component of any design process. The purpose of this preliminary aspect is to provide us with an insight into how things are done in the real world, from which we can obviously derive our own ideas. It also aids our comprehension of certain constraints, as well as available strategies with which to implement our design solutions.

More specifically, when it came to carrying out our own research, the process was facilitated by way of fragmenting the required information into four appropriate sub-topics, with each one assigned to a different member of the team.

The primary goals for our research included:

1. Owen: To investigate physical and mechanical properties of concrete (in addition to those of any other materials we may consider utilising), in order to make well-informed and sensible decisions regarding the specifications of our design. Essentially, we needed to know which materials would provide the best performance results possible, whilst serving its purpose within our final project design, and what sort of pre-requisites come with the use of such materials, so that they can be adequately catered for. 2. Josh: To study the environmental conditions experienced on the North Sea, such as relief, weather, wave height, wave frequency, depth, tides, salinity and sediment composition, and hence understand the constraints within which the project must be made capable of working. 3. Oliver: Look into potential strategies for transporting large concrete panels around the country, as well as methods for the launch of structures from dry-dock, which would enable us to make suitable decisions as to how to construct the tower and convey it out to sea. 4. Adam: Obtain an understanding of tug-boats, common towing processes used at sea, and conventional methods of stabilising buoyant structures on turbulent waters. This would place us in a good position to maintain the safety and effectiveness of our tower whilst being towed to location, alongside upholding that of the people involved in the launch process as well.

With these targets in mind, the questions were addressed, and a wealth of helpful information was obtained, as follows: