- #1
schiavonir
- 1
- 0
Hi physics folks-
Every year for the past 3 years, I have built an ice rink in my back yard. Unfortunately, I do not have the flattest back yard, in fact it has quite a downward slope and then a steep uphill slope. But, I'm determined the make the biggest rink I can reasonably make, given what I have to work with.
So, the challenge I end up with is that the side that is furthest downhill ends up being about 30" high, with the pressure of several thousand gallons of water pushing on that wall. It is a struggle, all winter long (and one I sometimes lose) to keep that wall up. I have tried building various bracing structures, and this year I've pounded 2x4 stakes into the ground at 6 different points along that side, and I'm going to build 45 degree supports in addition. I have one more idea, and this idea is what brings me here.
My thought is to add a "ramp" of filler up against that wall in such a way that I create something of a bowl instead of a vertical dam. This would have the benefit of a) using less water, which therefore means less water will be exerting pressure on the wall, and b) exerting pressure downward on the filler material instead of on the wall. Here is an attempt to diagram it.
This diagram represents previous years:
G = ground
W = wall
* = water
X = filler
_________W
*********W
*********W
*********W
*********W
*********W
GGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
This diagram represents my idea to add filler:
_________W
*********W
********XW
******XXXW
*****XXXXW
***XXXXXXW
GGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
So will adding filler up against the wall help to reduce the force exerted on the wall by the water?
Thanks in advance for your help. I am an engineer myself, but in Computer Science, and it's been a long time since I've taken those physics classes where I would be able to calculate something like this myself. Let me know if anything in my explanation is unclear.
-Roger
Every year for the past 3 years, I have built an ice rink in my back yard. Unfortunately, I do not have the flattest back yard, in fact it has quite a downward slope and then a steep uphill slope. But, I'm determined the make the biggest rink I can reasonably make, given what I have to work with.
So, the challenge I end up with is that the side that is furthest downhill ends up being about 30" high, with the pressure of several thousand gallons of water pushing on that wall. It is a struggle, all winter long (and one I sometimes lose) to keep that wall up. I have tried building various bracing structures, and this year I've pounded 2x4 stakes into the ground at 6 different points along that side, and I'm going to build 45 degree supports in addition. I have one more idea, and this idea is what brings me here.
My thought is to add a "ramp" of filler up against that wall in such a way that I create something of a bowl instead of a vertical dam. This would have the benefit of a) using less water, which therefore means less water will be exerting pressure on the wall, and b) exerting pressure downward on the filler material instead of on the wall. Here is an attempt to diagram it.
This diagram represents previous years:
G = ground
W = wall
* = water
X = filler
_________W
*********W
*********W
*********W
*********W
*********W
GGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
This diagram represents my idea to add filler:
_________W
*********W
********XW
******XXXW
*****XXXXW
***XXXXXXW
GGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
So will adding filler up against the wall help to reduce the force exerted on the wall by the water?
Thanks in advance for your help. I am an engineer myself, but in Computer Science, and it's been a long time since I've taken those physics classes where I would be able to calculate something like this myself. Let me know if anything in my explanation is unclear.
-Roger