By: Chad Harrington

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Bridge Controller 1.0

• By Chad Harrington
• Sarah Steward

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Background Information

• Types of Draw Bridges
• Swing bridge
• Lift Bridge
• Bascule Bridge

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Background Information

• Drawbridges
• Average opening and closing time 1 minute
• Operated by a Drawbridge attendant
• Built to provide clearance for boat traffic,
  where stationary bridges would have too step of
  grades
• Uses counterweights to help open and close

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Bridge Controller 1.0

• Bascule Bridges
• Most commonly built
• Other types may require running electrical wires
  under water

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Background Information

• Code of Federal Regulations
• 33CFR117 Drawbridge Operation Regulations
• Sec. 117.15 Signaling.
• (a) General.
• (1) The operator of each vessel requesting a
  drawbridge to open shall signal the drawtender
  and the drawtender shall acknowledge that signal.
  
• (2) The signals used for requesting and
  acknowledging shall be sound signals, visual
  signals, or radiotelephone communications.

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Background Information

• (b) Sound signals.
• (1) Sound signals shall be made by whistle, horn,
  megaphone, hailer, or other device capable of
  producing the described signals loud enough to be
  heard by the drawtender.

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Background Information

• (c) Visual signals.
• (1) The visual signal to request the opening of a
  draw is--
• (i) A white, red, or green flag
• (ii) A white, amber, or green lights

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Background Information

• (d) Radio telephone communications.
• (1) Radiotelephones may be used to
  communicate the same information provided by
  sound and visual signals.
• (3) When radiotelephone contact cannot be
  initiated or maintained, sound or visual signals
  under this section shall be used.

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Problem Statement

• Design and build a control system that can be
  implemented into an existing (Bascule) bridge
  system that will apply the following
• The bridge will sense presence of automobiles and
  boats to assure safety.
• This bridge will not any pedestrian traffic

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Solution Statement

• To build a realistic 3D model of an automated
  Bascule Bridge and river that will have
• Sensors (placed appropriately) and
  microcontroller will work together to detect and
  control traffic of miniature boats and
  automobiles
• A central controller to receive data from the
  traffic sensors and boat sensors to open the
  bridge at the correct time to ensure safety
• Software will acknowledge boats by sound
• Software for general control, including
  functionality to prioritize traffic of
  automobiles versus boats based on peak traffic
  hours

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System Overview
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BC- 1.0 Gantt Chart
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Electrical
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Where we are what happens next?

• Chad
• Research pricing
• for traffic sensors
• Sarah
• Researching types of sound detection
• for boats audio signal

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Where we are what happens next?

• Chad
• Start to develop software for automobile sensing
  
• Sarah
• Start to develop software for boat detection

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Where we are what happens next?

• Chad
• Design framing layout for canal
• Sarah
• Calculate the loads to determine the
  pressure on the bottom of the water canal

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What has been Completed

• Initial research on
• Inductive Loop Sensors
• Ultra Sonic Sensors
• Types of Draw bridges
• Other Development
• Tentative Flow Chart
• Gant Chart
• System Overview
• Decided on Type of controller

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Questions?