How Can a Sculpture Be Engineered to Float and Stay Stable in Water?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the engineering challenge of designing a device that allows a sculpture to float in a pond while maintaining a specific distance from the water level. The project involves considerations of buoyancy, stability, and the effects of water level changes throughout the year.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • Paul introduces his project, detailing the requirements for the sculpture to float and remain stable while being partially submerged, emphasizing the need for buoyancy calculations.
  • One participant suggests determining the total volume of the assembly to calculate the amount of water it will displace, which is essential for understanding buoyancy.
  • Another participant inquires about the method for calculating the buoyancy needed based on the volume displacement.
  • A later reply references Archimedes' principle as a foundational concept relevant to the discussion.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants appear to be in agreement on the importance of calculating volume and displacement for buoyancy, but the discussion remains unresolved regarding the specific calculations and methods to achieve the desired stability.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the need for further clarification on the assumptions regarding the sculpture's design and the environmental conditions affecting buoyancy.

whitts_r1
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Hello all,

Upon stumbling the forum during research I noticed some very helpful posts, and joined.

This is my first post, to introduce myself I am an Manufacturing Engineering student with a large project on my hands and looking for sources of information.

I have been given the task of designing a device that will allow a sculpture to float in a pond of 5m depth. The sculpture has to maintain a 5-10mm distance from water level at all times leaving only the sculpture visible and the device fully submerged! (4-5" WATER LEVEL DEVIATION THROUGHOUT YEAR) meaning sculpture will be moving up&down.

The sculpture is of 485kg. The idea is to place the sculpture on framework incl. floats which will keep the sculpture afloat, by "counteracting" the weight of the structure against the upward force created by the floats (buoyancy).

where am I going with this? Well... I hope that with your knowledge of flotation/buoyancy calculations etc. I could be pointed in the right direction of information that would help me find out how I can make this work! :DMany thanks in advance,
Paul.

Just some pics to maybe make more sense of this post!

(wood sculpture, grey = framework/structure, Yellow = floats, concrete base to sit on pond floor)

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You will need to determine the volume of your entire assembly so that you can determine the amount of water it will displace. This is a necessary first step.
 
In knowing the total volume figure, thus the amount of water displacement, how would you go about calculating the buoyancy needed?
next step?

thankyou for reply
 
Do you know Archimede's principle? If not, look it up.
 

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