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Erika SchmidtSheldon Addis

Stephen CoxBenjamin Thompson

Nichole McGuireSean Herron

Barry Brinkman, Ph.D.Karinna M. Vernaza, Ph.D.

Gannon University, Erie, PA

Regional Science Consortium 8th Annual Research Symposium

History of the Scholarship

• Scholars of Excellence in Engineering and Computer Science (SEECS)

• NSF, Directorate of Undergraduate Education Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (S-

STEM)

• Grant of $600,000 awarded in July 2008

• 11 graduates of the program, to date

• 26 current SEECS scholars: five seniors, six juniors, seven sophomores, and eight freshmen

• Renewal awarded in May 2012 for $600,000

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Background

• Creeks are becoming polluted

Debris, Toxic contaminants, etc.

• Pennsylvania Sea Grant (Non-profit Organization)

- “Promotes the ecological and economic sustainability of

Pennsylvania's coastal resources through research and outreach … focusing on the Lake Erie and Delaware River drainages of Pennsylvania”

- Partnered with Gannon University SEECS program

- Tasked with building a sediment collection device

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DESIGN Constraints

The device to be prototyped and constructed should meet the following constraints:

• Collect two (2) liters of wet sediment

• Environmentally friendly

• Movable by one person

• Under SEECS budget

• Anchored in place

• Durable and reusable

• Collect sediment of different sizes

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OUTLINE: DESIGN AND BUILDING PROCESS (‘10-’12)• Toured Cascade Creek

• Researched methods of sediment collection

• Designed, built and tested two prototypes

• Combined and optimized initial designs

• Constructed final product

• Implemented sediment collection device

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Research

Initial ideas

• Pump water out of creek to a filter

• Modified downstream defender

• Use bedload sampler

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Sediment Collection Device:Two designs were prototyped and tested

Design 1

Design 2

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RESULTS OF Weir Tank TESTINGDesign 1 Design 2

Confetti was employed to simulate sediment.

Results were positive.

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Sediment Collection Device:

Designs were consolidated and collector built

Front Box

Back Box

Frame

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Frame Dimensions

• 4 feet long by 2.5 feet wide

• 13 inches tall

• 8 inch platforms on sides

• Lid with latches

• Concrete blocks set on sides Held in place by L brackets

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Box Dimensions

Two boxes

18” long

12” tall and wide

8” wide by 5” deep opening

Screen at front and back openings

First Box

Four baffles

Second Box

Three baffles

Elbow joint at exit

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Building

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Finish Project Cont.Assembled

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Implementation Pictures

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INITIAL RESULTS

After two weeks in the Cascade Creek, sediment was collected.

Boxes were not locked during the first deployment.

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Questions?

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