Week 7

21th May 2012 - Group Meeting 03

Since our Feasibility report is due this week, we met up to decide what sections we wanted and how we would split the work between all five of us.

Feasibility report breakdown

1. Introduction and Purpose of the Report == Heidi

2. Describe the Models - Differentiate between them == Heidi

3. Experimental - Calculation / Results  == Jon

4. Budget - Real life for each scenario - include shrub research and jute research alternate == Achira and Anushree

5. Conclusion == Ami

Finish Sections Properly and send to Anushree by Wednesday 12 (Midnight)

20th May 2012 - Group Meeting 02

We cut the rice crops to 15 cm - (ACHIRAS BOOK).

And ran tests to see how much the pipe cleaner moved/bent when a. the fan speed was increased and b. when the distance from the fan and the field was increased. This was done for all three scenarios - 

a test scene - with no blocking of the rice crops

the jute wall model

and the shrubs model.

18th May 2012 - Group Meeting 01

Questions to ask visitor 

1. What kind of trees/shrub goes around in that area- how high are they

2. How strong the winds are in the area.

3. Which one of the options does he think will work better 

4. Materials/fibers commonly used in Thailand (to replace with jute)

5. Inclination of fields - our model reasonable?

6. How tall do rice crops grow?

Things to bring tomorrow
- Camera
- Fan
- Ruler

Next Meeting at Sunday 2pm

17th May 2012 - Lab Meeting

Decide scale ratio - Model to Original
Define Variables
Decide on Tests
Add tape/tab/cotton onto rice stalk (pipe cleaners) if not enough bending

The worst wind direction is ...
the distance from bush.tree at which it stops being effective is...
we need x- layers of this .....
one side is wayy more effective than this

Scale ratio
Use Rice stalk as reference
Rice stalk height - 7.5 cm

Aim: What do we want to learn - to see how effective each solution is by testing the angle and distance that the rice stalk bends to find the effectiveness of each solution.


Variable
1. Different Shrub/jute fence heights at rice crop reference
2. Wind speed/ strength
3. Thickness of Jute material
4. Wind Direction
5. Distance from barrier to the plant

Controlled Parameter
1. Height of Rice Stalk
2. Inclination
3. Distance between each rice crop
4. Camera angle
5. Location of fan
6. Distance from fan to models

Dependent variable 
1. Distance moved (relative to stick/reference point - how much have they bent)
2. Angle


Control
Model with just the pipe cleaners acting as rice crops on the inclined slope.

What can we change about your solution (some parameter - height of fence/density of trees)

Research Questions
How far away can you be from the barrier until its effects are diminished.
How high can wind speed get until effects are diminished

- Try and find relationships (e.g. effective as long as wind speed stays under...)

Charts
wind speed vs average bend (maybe for each row)
height vs effective distance

Than we can answer our questions.