Specialist transport recycling facility Abstract Abstract Machines AbstractMachines Machines Abstract Machines
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Leeds Leeds Beckett University LeedsBeckett BeckettUniversity University Leeds Beckett University
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Sam Sam Hayes SamHayes Hayes Sam Hayes
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Thesis Thesis project Thesisproject project Thesis project
“A forest of 747s, like a unnatural dreamscape. Pictures don’t do it justice.” Autopia, Wired. 2011
Project Introduction
Historical maps
‘Boneyard’ Aerospace maintenance and regeneration group
“Where all our birds go to die� Airliners. 2013
Aeroplane decommission system
Current regulatory system and architectural intervention
Aeroplane graveyards
Largest aeronautical graveyards locations and number of planes
Aeroplane graveyards
Largest aeronautical graveyards locations and relative wealth of material and technology
Site Identification
Concept based rules to identify the best site locations
Largest Cities in the UK Providing excellent infrastructure and distribution techniques
Identifying best site Continual expansion of the 3 location parameters to remove less effective sites
Current Decommissioning Facilities Increasing distance from these facilities will maximise economic success
Current abandoned airfield facility in the UK Maximising economically and political influence by identifying most effective site
Site Identification
Site map
Over the course of this coming academic year I plan to derive a functional, sculptural and architectural convergence as I further my research into mechanical systems. I plan to conduct research into the aeronautical engineering industry, a subject of great interest and intrigue for myself. The aeronautical industry is an ever growing industry contributing the widely known phrase ‘the world is getting smaller’ and aiding the growth of globalisation. As a direct result to often exponentially increasing transport system Airline companies have an increasingly complex task dealing with the aircraft that have reached their lifespan limits. Across the USA huge graveyards are rapidly amassing. Other countries that have a significant history with air transport have similar conditions. Specifically countries involved in WWII have an alarmingly high number of aircraft approaching decommission. The result is billions of pounds in technology and materials becoming abandoned graveyards set in desolate wastelands. The projects main aim will be to combat this ‘bring much needed reuse of currently wasted materials back into circulation. With a ever increased scarcity of relatively precious metals such a titanium and aluminium the project will have instant industrial ramifications. I have begun sed researching and have decided to renovate a derelict airfield site in Sheffield as a result of a multitude of criteria; transport links, remnants of existing infrastructure and desperate need of aircraft recycling. Part of the site has been recently renovated into a science and business park. The remaining structures will provide an interesting juxtaposition of new build and refurbishment. The remains of now defunct Sheffield Airport will help service and add context/scale to the project.
Identifying market requirements
By highlighting the most common aircraft currently used, the design can attain an element of intelligence by allowing design influence for the planes that will eventually become decommissioned. The progression trends noted by the images below show that air travel is becoming faster and cheaper/km.
Identifying market requirements
Along with air travel generally becoming cheaper and faster theirs an ever more number of plane in the air at once with furthering numbers of passengers. With increased range of specific long haul flights air travel is becoming a more convenient method of travel
Aeroplane composition
Most common commercial plane BOEING 747-400
Glass, aluminium plastic laminates (50%)
Aluminium (25%)
Titanium (12%)
Steel (7%)
Others (6%) Glass, Carbon
Aeroplane graveyards
Largest aeronautical graveyards locations and relative wealth of material and technology
Aeroplane decommission
When a plane is decommissioned it is either sent to storage were possible minor salvage operation may occur. The more likely scenario is it is to costly or large to store and it is recklessly demolished.
Aeroplane graveyards
Largest aeronautical graveyards locations and relative wealth of material and technology
National recycling rates
Most metals can be recycling infinity without losing any materials properties. Some need lesser qualities of virgin metals to return to the correct metallic composition.
Recycling rates 52%
0% Unknown
52% 49% 48% 46% 40% 34% 32% 30% 27% 20% 19% 18% 18% 16% 10% 9% 5%
Switzerland Austria Germany Holland Norway USA Canada UK Japan Ireland Italy Portugal Spain Greece Ireland China Russia
Rising scrap metal prices
There was a crash in scrap prices as the 2012 recession hits the global market. Bar that temporary fluctuation over the last decade the price of scrap metal has constantly increased. This increase in value has directly caused to the increase in demand for metal recycling systems as they become increasingly economically viable whilst encouraging sustainability.
Scrap Index Price (ÂŁ/ton) 400
GPD value (%) 8
International recycling demand
300
6
200
4
100
2
0
0 2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010 Time
2011
2012
2013
2014
Current spectrum of decommissioning systems
The spectrum has varying level of speed to fully dismantle an aircraft but genrally as the successfulness of salvageable materials increases so do the time
Demolition The usage cranes and other operating machinery to quickly reduce the size of the plane
Compartmentalisation Identifying and breaking down components of a plane to then be manually checked and dismantled
Precision Using machinery to identify very specific parts to assess and dismantle
Current spectrum of decommissioning systems
Demolition
Considered the quickest way to reduce a plane to small parts. Often this lead to large amounts of waste. The process is the faster at reducing the size to save space. Sending planes to storage can be extremely costly. be incredibly costly and
Time taken
Salvageable materials
Current spectrum of decommissioning systems Compartmentalisation
This takes place across several days and comprises of teams of trained engineers taking apart component to individually assess. This is the most common practice currently because it provides a substantially large amount of salvageable materials.
Time taken
Salvageable materials
Current spectrum of decommissioning systems Precision
This is a slower method of decommissioning a plane. Large sections of the planes are lined with electro conductive tape. Varying currents are passed through the structure via the tape. This process identifies the quality of materials and any imperfection in the material. This is an extremely productive and selective salvage technique
Time taken
Salvageable materials
Material separation
Aluminium recycling techniques Hall Heroult process
Steel and Iron recycling
Titanium recycling process
Program, spatial sequence and connectivity
Inital massing
After having analysed what types of spaces are required to for fill and the connections between. I’ve plotted the resultant masses on the site to better anaylise the pros and cons.
A
B C D E F
A - Intake and storage B - Climate controlled storage C - Plane assessment and disassembly D - Administration E - Material separation F - Material recycling and distribution
Initial massing The design decision to blend the massing into the hillside is a conscious choice to reduce the overall impact on the site. This allows for both private and public zones to be easilt established. The hidden massing also hides the manufacturing processes and allows the aircraft to seemingly dissappear into the hilsside with clean high grae materials to be distrubuted.
Concept planes
Architecture and the aeronautical industries have always had a technological revolution at their core. I plan to learn, adapt and use the technological advances as design precedents
Bionic Structures
Morphing Materials
Future aircraft could be built using a bionic structure that mimics the bone structure of birds. Bone is both light and strong because its porous interior carries tension only where necessary, leaving space elsewhere. By using bionic structures, the fuselage has the strength it needs, but can also make the most of extra space where required. This not only reduces the aircraft’s weight and fuel burn, but also makes it possible to add features like oversized doors for easier boarding and panoramic windows.
Morphing material are not in a static state, they can adapt, warp and react to stimulas. This dyanimc ability (Memory) is used to deal in a more responcive manner to multiple unquie situations. A memory is created using sensor and activator systems that give materials a certain level of artificial intelligence.
Composite Materials
3D Printing
The combination of uses several materials to select and hybridise materials porperties to achieve a overall enhanced performance.
Repeatedly printing very thin layers of material on top of each other until the layers form a solid object in materials ranging from high-grade titanium alloys to glass and concrete. As well as simplefying complex geometry, this form of production minimises waste.
Technology is the future
Integrated Neural Network
Energy Harvesting
smart materials will turn the aircraft’s structure into a network, disposing of miles of cables found in todays aircraft.
Smart energy solutions such as energy harvesting will be a part of the cabin environment. The body heat you give out will be collected by your seat or pod as you relax or sleep, and combined with energy collected from other sources, like solar panels, to fuel cabin appliances.
Future predictions imply that spaces will be programmed to provide virtual reality within the aircraft.
Self-Reliant Materials Materials will be self-cleaning. These intelligent materials should also be selfrepairing, represented today in surface protection. Genrally does with electrified and coating materials materials that reply dust and dirt with an electrostatic charge.
Bionic structures Case study : Bionic tower Client: confidential Location: Abu Dhabi Status: Planning Stage 2009 The design creates a fully intelligent faรงade that responds to its environment to hybridise energy efficiency and user comfort.
Bionic Structures
Generic floor plan
Bionic Structures offers maximum construction freedom by pushing technology to its absolute limits. Generally bionic structures are based upon as class system where multiple cutting edge techniques are combined to create multiple their strengths. Bionics uses solutions found in nature to solve technical problems. Evolutionary processes have produced a great range of broadly diverse biological structures: Over 1,000,000 animal species and approximately 500,000 different plant types are now known to use biological systems which often are unique capable of adapting to specific situations. Adapting to an environments encourages minimum use of materials and energy. Such resultant forms and structures are optimised in terms of embodied energy. It isn’t until the recent paradigm shift in conventional manufacture techniques that we have begun to understanding the levels of information that generate these highly complex and optimised structures. Electrostatic building skin
Substructure
Exoskeleton structure
Floors and structural core
Additive manufacturing systems can offer real structural solutions to emulate such intelligent structures and reap inherent positive traits; saving time, materials, costs, simplifying production etc... This technology permits genuine innovations within the aeronautical industry ranging from ergonomics to aerodynamics. One specific example of this is the manufacture of a bionic gripper that can pick up objects gently, flexibly and yet powerfully, and then place them down again. These robots coupled with intelligent analysis can form the basis of an aeroplane dismantling system. The resulting machinery is lightweight and long-lasting whilst saving time and money because no tools were required in the production process. Klaus Müller-Lohmeier, Head of Advanced Prototyping Technology at Festo, is impressed: “Laser sintering first made it possible for us to produce the bionic handling assistant and its gripper arm, the adaptive DHDG gripper. The complexity and the necessary integrated functionality of the parts meant that there was no alternative production method.”
Composite materials
Composite materials The developed material system capable of emulating self-organization is then extended into a architectural structural principle. The self-organization process works by developing a fibre composite that can sense and efficiently adapt to changing environmental conditions. Embedded fibre optics are used to sense multiple parameters and shape memory alloys integrated in a fibre composite material. The definition of the geometry, both locally and globally complement the adaptive functions. ‘Morphogenesis’ refers to the changes in shape, structure and material properties of biological organisms that are produced in response to transient changes in environmental conditions. Resultant adaptations to specific conditions that occur in response to environmental stimulus aid in minimising waste energy, controlling environmental zones. Architectural paradigms endeavour to convey highly performative complex systems. Aspiring to dynamically adapt to such configurations by responding to multiple stimuli such as the user, requirements, environmental conditions etc... Intelligent architectural smart systems are actuating components assembled and controlled. They provide an efficient system
Morphing materials
Morphing materials The key principle behind advanced morphing materials is that they can respond to external stimuli in a passive manner. Previously to react to external factors, mechanical systems have been introduced. Although they can replicate the more effective performative systems they all inevitably require maintenance and eventually degrade. Its this passive ability that enables a intelligent system to respond and interact. To produce a higher level of efficiently within an intelligent system.
3D Printing
3D Printing 3D printing technology continues to advance, developing new applications which are demonstrated by a new manufacturing process that can create 3D printed metal components with an unprecedented degree of precision. This means greater control over the customisation of components. 3D printing involves an additive process in which successive layers of material are laid down with and fused to create an geometry. As technology has progressed, developing more precise optimised metal parts has become possible. This enables better control of local material properties, which can be used customised to suit strength, weight, and function.
Local metal manufacturers, distributors and producers
A
Contextual anaylisis of surrounding area A - Sheffiled Forgemasters B - Outo Kumpa steel manufacturers C - Repair and storage trainyard D - New Tinsley science and business park E - Main terrain impacts F - Abandoned airport storage hangers G - Rolls Royce balde manufacturing
C
B
D F
E
G
Site Analysis Historical maps - Macro scale
1789 - Major road built to Rotherham
1794 - Rotherham prospering over Sheffield
1795 - First large scale usage of canal of River Don for industrially purposes
1796 - Major road connection acrossthe pennies built
Site Analysis
Historical maps - Macro scale
1803 - Sheffield prospering due to transpennine connection, Rotherham industrial expansion stagnates. Continual local industrial shift from Rotherham to Sheffield
1834 - Sheffield noted a powerhouse of the north
1817 - Sheffield enjoys significant influence and expansion due to the critical influence industrial revolution
1893 - Sheffield noted a ‘Steel city’
Site Analysis Historical maps - Meso scale
1905 - Introduction of the River Don canal
1929 - Connection to the National train line
Site Analysis
Historical maps - Meso scale
1959 - M1 connected to Sheffield, runs adjacent to the site
1980 - Continual industrial and residential expansion of ‘Steel City’
Site Analysis Historical maps - Meso scale
1989 - Continual expansion of Sheffield
1996 - Construction of Sheffield Parkway and immediate M1 connection
Site Analysis
Historical maps - Meso scale
2007 - Closing of Sheffield city airport due to economical factors
2014 - Construction of Science and Business park along fringes of site