ENGR 103 - Spring 2013 Freshman Engineering Design Lab Veggie Wall Project Design Proposal

Date Submitted: April 16,

2013

Submitted to:

Donald J. Bucci , dab382@drexel.edu

Group Members:

Michal Swoboda, ms3737@drexel.edu

Carlos Ruiz, cr536@drexel.edu

Mick Giraso, mng42@drexel.edu

Blake Fink, bzf23@drexel.edu

Abstract: The purpose of this project is to design a vertical fence that is able to sustain the growth of vegetation and maximize the growing area of urban farms. The vertical fence project was considered to allow the Walnut Hill Community Farm to maximize their crops and farming area. The design of the fence poses a challenge as resources and funds are limited. The materials used to create the fence must be cost-effective. The fence will contain individual compartments that will house the plants and soil. The compartments materials and dimensions must meet the average standard of the vegetations specified need of growth. The two pieces together must be compatible. The expected product is a functional prototype compartment for the vertical fence that can be used to grow plants and vegetables over an extended period of time.

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Mission Statement

The goal of this project is to develop a design for a cheap and easy to maintain vertical vegetable garden for urban farms with limited growing space. The design will be independent, which means it will not require an already existing wall or any other vertical structure as its base.

Introduction

The increasing popularity of urban farms and community gardens creates a need for a more efficient use of the growing area. Currently, urban farms use the raised beds technique (Hartley, Richard S.), which allows the user to isolate the crops from the potentially polluted soil in urban areas and create a unique growing habitat in every bed. However, the ongoing need to create more space efficient solutions led to the development of vertical gardens, which incorporate the positive characteristics of raised beds, in addition to being sustainable and more space efficient. This project concentrates on developing an affordable and easily maintainable vertical vegetable garden, which can be used as an alternative to the raised beds technique, which does not require an already existing wall as its structural component. The Walnut Hill Community Farm has been developed by the TEC-Community Development Corporation and the local residents to create a local source of healthy produce as well as a center to support and strengthen the local community. The farm is an 11,580 square foot vacant lot adjacent to a SEPTA metro station. The farms urban location prevents the use any adjacent walls as a structural base for the Veggie Wall, which calls for an independent design.

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Market Study Stakeholders and Needs Stakeholder 1: Walnut Hill farm

Stake: The Farm will be using the Vertical Fence regularly. Need 1 (Priority: 1, Planet): Maximize the available space. Need 2 (Priority 2, People): Grow an increase amount of crops. Need 3 (Priority 3, Prosperity): Develop new urban farming techniques. Need 4 (Priority 3, Prosperity): Change the public image of the farm, considering its urban location.

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Need 5 (Priority 4, People): Allow the farm to distribute an increased amount of growing space to the community. Need 6 (Priority 1, Planet): Expand the farm without the need to purchase additional space. Need 7 (Priority 5, People): Provide the opportunity for people to learn and volunteer at the community farm.

Stakeholder 2: The Walnut Hill Community Stake: The Community will use the Vertical Fence Need 1 (Priority 1, People ): Ability to grow personal crops on the farm Need 2 (Priority 2 , Prosperity): An increased number of crops to trade Stakeholder 3: Students Volunteers at the Walnut Hill farm Stake: The student volunteers will use the Vertical Fence Need 1 (Priority 1, Prosperity): Learn farming techniques Need 2 (Priority 2, Prosperity): Inspiration for the development of sustainable agricultural technology. Need 3 (Priority 3, People): Learning the importance of sustainable design.

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3.2

Specifications

Specification Stakeholder(s) Walnut Hill Farm, The Walnut Hill community, Student Volunteers at the Walnut Hill farm Walnut Hill Farm, The Walnut Hill community, Student Volunteers at the Walnut Hill farm Walnut Hill Farm, The Walnut Hill community, Student Volunteers at the Walnut Hill farm The vertical fence can allow compartments Number of with vegetation to hang on it. compartments to hold. >8 >6
The Vertical fence can be easily accessible.

Need
The vertical fence is perpendicular to the ground.

Units The angle of the fence with respect to the ground ()

Ideal = 90 ("Tips For Building Your Fence.")

Marginal 85 < x < 95

The height of the fence from the ground (ft.)

> 6ft (Moseson, Alex.)

> 5ft

ENGR-103 Freshman Design Proposal Walnut Hill Farm, The Walnut Hill community, Student Volunteers at the Walnut Hill farm Walnut Hill Farm, The The compartment can produce vegetation Walnut Hill community Walnut Hill Farm, Student Volunteers at the Walnut Hill farm The compartment can be dropped without damage The compartment can hang on the vertical fence

Section 080, Group 03 Number of brackets needed per compartment >2 >4

Number of plants to grow in compartment Free fall from height without failure

>1 (may vary on dimensions) >6ft (Moseson, Alex.)

>2

>6ft

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Deliverables

The expected product will be a prototype compartment that will attach onto the vertical fence. The compartment will be attached to brackets, which will then clutch onto the fence for support. The compartment will be able to demonstrate the capability to hold the weight of soil and plant within it. The compartment will have a drain within it allowing water to exit. The compartment will be able to demonstrate removal for easy access for either harvesting or cleaning. The material will either be a composition of aluminum or wood. The prototype will be a full scale model.

Technical Activities

The vertical fence may be around 6 ft in height (Moseson, Alex). The fencing may be either a standard chain link or crossbars fence. The vertical fence will have compartments that resemble shelves hanging from the cross bars. With regards to the posts, the vertical fence may either be made of an alloy or pressurized treated wood. Wood is cheap and provides a great amount of stability but it rots overtime when exposed to water for prolonged periods of time (Building a Vertical Garden." 2013). Aluminum is more expensive than wood but more resistant to weather. The crossbars may either be attached to the posts by extruding through the holes within the posts or the bars may be attached to a bracket. This bracket may be held in place using nails/bolts. The columns of compartments will provide organization to the fence and allow easier accessibility. Figure 1 shown below is a general example of the vertical fence, in which the compartments will be attached.

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Figure 1 shows an example of a vertical farm (JillBrit 2007)

5.1

The Vertical Fence design

The walls initial design will require dimensions appropriate to the amount of area given. An appropriate design of the wall is crucial to its sustainability and longevity. The structure will require a solid foundation and should face erect. Figure 2. given below shows the initial design, which was generated to help visualize the overall design. The wall may be composed of either parallel wooden posts or an aluminum alloy that will be directed vertically. Cross bars will be installed perpendicular to the posts to create additional rows. The crossbars must be stable as they will contain the majority of weight from the compartments. Unlike Figure 1 shown above, additional crossbars may be added for stability and to prevent movement of the compartments as shown in Figure 2 below.

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Figure 2 Model Created using Creo Parametrics to demonstrate initial fence design

5.1.1 Determining the materials for the Vertical Fence The materials that will be chosen to create the wall should be cost effective, able to support the weight of the plants compartments and withstand environmental factors for an extended period of time. 5.2 Creating the Compartments

The compartments will be designed using a 3D modeling program and created within the machine shop, after which, they will be tested and modified if needed. The stakeholders preference of vegetation will be taken into consideration when determining the dimensions. However, the compartment may be constructed from either an existing product or from raw

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materials, which will be modified to fit the computer model, which can be seen in Figures 4-5 below.

Figure 3 Model Created using Creo Parametrics to demonstrate compartment

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Figure 4 Model Created using Creo Parametrics to demonstrate compartment

Project Timeline

Week Task Initial research Initial design Computer model of prototype Supply search Construction of prototype compartment Final report preparation Table 1: Design Project Timeline. 1 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

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The machine workshop will be used to construct the designed prototype. The computer lab will be used to design the prototype.

Expertise

The design and construction process will require the proficiency in the field of market research, computer modeling, prototype design and construction, which includes the expertise with specialized machining tools. Market research will allow assessing the required specification of the design, which will be used to develop a computer model, and finally, a working prototype.

Budget

Category Frame Six Plant Compartments TOTAL

Projected Cost $173.55 $139.02 $312.57

Table 2. General cost overview of the Veggie Wall project.

9.1

Frame The frame is the main structural component of the vertical fence garden. It is constructed from materials that are able to withstand the weight of the plants compartments and weather conditions. The frame is a necessary component of the vertical wall, because it voids the need to alter or damage an already existing wall to which urban farms and community gardens often do not have access.

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Category 2x4 Wooden Posts Tube & Conduit 3/4 in. x 10 ft

Projected Cost $31.18 $42.57

Tube & Conduit 1-1/4 in. x10 ft.

$99.80

TOTAL

$173.55

Table 3. Cost overview of the frame (HomeDepot 2013) 9.2 Plant Compartments Plant Compartments will be constructed from aluminum sheets according to the computer
model in Figures 4-5. The compartments need to be able to withstand the weight of soil and plants over an extended period of time. References

Category Aluminum sheets Aluminum hooks

Projected Cost $14.23 $8.94

TOTAL $23.17 Table 4. Cost overview of one compartment (Online Metal Store 2013; HomeDepot 2013 )

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ENGR-103 Freshman Design Proposal 10. References

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"5/8 In. X 4 In. X 8 Ft. MDF Base Moulding." Home Depot. N.p., 2013. Web. 23 Apr. 2013. "Allied Tube & Conduit 3/4 In. X 10 Ft. Electric Metallic Tube Conduit." Home Depot. N.p.,2013. Web. 23 Apr. 2013. "The Basics." Vertical Garden Institute. Red Factory, 2013. Web. 23 Apr. 2013. "Building a Vertical Garden." DIY Guides. DIY Guides, 2013. Web. 23 Apr. 2013. "Command Small Metal and Plastic .5 Lb. 1-3/16 In. Wire Hooks (9-Pack)." Home Depot. N.p., 2013. Web. 23 Apr. 2013. "Community Garden Provides Fertile Soil For Freshman Engineers' Creativity." Drexel University. Drexel University, 27 Sept. 2012. Web. 23 Apr. 2013. Farm Fencing. N.d. Photograph. San Diego. Fencing Services. 2013. Web. 23 Apr. 2013. Hartley, Richard S. "Gardening With Raised Beds." Gardening With Raised Beds. WVU County Extension Agent, Oct. 1998. Web. 24 Apr. 2013. Jill. "Jill's Gallery Birthday 07 Vertical_Garden." Jill's Gallery Birthday 07 Vertical_Garden. N.p., 2007. Web. 07 May 2013. Moseson, Alex. Group 3 - Annotated - Wallnut HillCommentSummary. Philadelphia: n.p., 18 Apr. 2013. PDF. "New Products." Vertical Gardening Systems Living Wall Components, VGS. VERTICAL GARDENING SYSTEMS, 2013. Web. 23 Apr. 2013. "Online Metal Store." Aluminum Sheets. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2013.

"Tips For Building Your Fence." Tips For Building Your Fence. Quality Equipment Rentals, 2011. Web. 24 Apr. 2013. "Walnut Hill Community Farm." The Enterprise Center. N.p., 2013. Web. 23 Apr. 2013.

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"What Is Tower Garden." Put a Farmers Market on Your Back Porch. NSA Juice Plus+, 2012. Web. 23 Apr. 2013.

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