Huskyland Theme Park Water Slide Project

Request for Proposal

Engineering Services
Executive Summary: Huskyland is seeking proposals to perform engineering services in the planning for its projected waterslide. This document gives the requirements for the project and seeks services to aid in the design of the site and the ride. It lists the properties of the site and the desired features of the ride and requests assistance in the technical details of the preliminary design. Proposals are due in the ILS on either Mar 31 or Apr 1, 2011. 1.0 Description
Huskyland is planning a new ride. It will be a gravity-powered waterslide, culminating in an exciting splashdown in the waters of Huntington Lake. The plan is to include three changes in vertical acceleration as well as the splashdown. To accomplish this, Huskyland is seeking the services of an established engineering firm to assist in the design. A site has been picked on the Ruggles Peninsula located within the Parks boundaries. The site plan is to be found as Fig. 1, attached to this RFP.

2.0 Technical Details

2.1 Slide Design The ride is designed to have several thrilling moments, which will be: the start from rest, the acceleration in the troughs (larger than normal g-forces) and in the top of the ride (smaller g than normal) and finally the launch into the air and the splashdown. The slide is to consist of: three arcs of a circle connected by straight lines ending in a straight line section that acts as the launch toward the water.

This is as indicated in the sketch, Fig. 2, at the end of the RFP. The ride vehicle (hereafter called the boat) will be loaded and hoisted up to the top of the slide by a device, which we already possess. This hoisting device includes the release of the boat onto the first straight section, at the point marked A on the sketch. The boat will then slide down the first straight section into the first circular arc where it will bottom out and then proceed up the second straight line section to pass over the hill and then down another straight line section through another arc and finally to the launch point where it will then sail out over the Lake to land in the water, with a large splash. The boats are already in Huskylands possession. Each has a mass of 55 kg and will seat four passengers. For the purposes of this proposal assume a maximum mass for each passenger of 100 kg. Thus the mass of boat and riders to be used is 455 kg. The slide will have minimal but non-zero fiction due to the water that will be pumped along its length. We have the equipment for this and do not need any assistance in this area. Our studies have shown that this will achieve a kinetic coefficient of friction between 0.01 and 0.025, depending on atmospheric conditions on a given day.

2.2 Tradeoffs There are a number of limiting facts that must be considered in the design. These are basically tradeoffs trying to maximize the thrill of the ride while keeping it within the physical limits of the available space and within the comfort tolerance of the riders. Here are the main features that must be balanced in the design: The total length of the ride must be less than or equal to the 160 meters available for it on Ruggles Peninsula. The radii of the circular arcs, will contribute to the total length of the ride as well as to the acceleration acting on the riders and the boat. As indicated briefly in Figure 2, these radii should be referred to as R1, R2, and R3. The heights of the start, the hilltop, the two troughs and the end will determine the speeds at these points. As indicated briefly in Figure 2, these heights should be referred to as h0, h1, h2, h3 and h4, all referenced to the surface of the lake (h=0.) The angle of the launch of the boat at the end as well as its height will determine the two components of the velocity of the boat as it strikes the water. The vertical component of the boat velocity as it impacts the water will determine the deceleration of the boat in the vertical direction, and thus the comfort of the entry (impact) into the lake. The total length of the ride along the track will affect the energy lost due to friction. This length is a function of the angles of the straight sections and the radii of the circular arcs.

It will be necessary to tradeoff these parameters in the design, minimizing friction effects and passenger discomfort and maximizing the thrill of the ride. You do not need to optimize the design for this proposal, however.

3.0 Content of the Proposal

The proposal must include one full design of a slide. A slide design will consist in: Determination of the four heights and the three radii such that the entire ride fits within the 160 m site planned. Note that these heights and radii will determine the angles of the straight line sections. A complete discussion of how you determined these parameters is called for. Please note that the ride does NOT have to fit exactly into this given length (160 m) as that is a maximum length for it. Determination of the g-forces in the two troughs and on top of the hill. It must be shown that the boat will remain on the track at the top of the hill and that the g-forces are within toleration limits of the average rider. A brief discussion of how you choose these limits is in order here. Then discuss the launch and landing as how you determine the comfort level there as well as how you maximize the fun of the splash landing. The use of Impact and average force will help here. Up to this point you should do all of this without friction. The effects of friction should then be estimated using both the lower and the upper limit of the friction coefficient as given above. (Note that this will determine the speeds at the troughs and the hill as well as at the launch point and thus affect the g-forces there.) Finally, a discussion of the variations on these chosen parameters that might be shifted to alter the ride and how such shifts might affect it. You do NOT need to actually do such calculations. It should be accompanied by the calculations as well as simple figures showing your design in some detail. These do NOT have to be fancy CAD drawings or anything like that. They may be hand drawn if that is easier for you. A length of five or six pages (word document) would seem to be typical including figures and tables. Eleven to twelve pages would be FAR TOO LONG! And ten would seem excessive as well. Finally, since Huskyland has not chosen a name for the ride, a suggestion would be appreciated but it is not a required part of the response. Please remember that Huskyland is a family park, so it should be obvious that no inappropriate names will be accepted and submission of such would be considered negatively for your proposal.

Huntington Lake

160 m

Huskyland Theme Park

Ruggles Peninsula Figure 1 Site Map

Figure 2 Plan view of the slide