Design and Fabrication of a Liquefaction Demonstrator

• Client & Funding: DLH Department of Engineering, ASU, San Angelo, TX
• Student: John Carrico, Ryan Ramoneda, Stephen Stipanovic
• Duration: Fall 2020 - SP 2021 (MENG 4279 and MENG 4380 ME Senior Design I and II)

Abstract:
This capstone team was assigned the task of designing and fabricating a liquefaction demonstrator. The machine needed to be capable of producing both fluid flow-induced and shake-induced liquefaction in the soil in a way that was appropriate for classroom demonstrations. This project required background research on mechanical engineering and geotechnical engineering principles. To design such a machine that met the required objectives, the objectives first had to be defined. To do this, meetings were held with the client, Dr. William Kitch, to get a set of requirements and objectives for the project. Meetings were also held with various professors at Angelo State University to gain more information and a better understanding of geotechnical principles, pump selection parameters, and other mechanical engineering principles. The students also did their research by consulting textbooks, research papers, and online sources. The students, after researching the relevant topics and conducting experiments, were able to successfully design and fabricate a liquefaction machine that could be used to demonstrate both fluid flow and shake-induced liquefaction. All the design work was done by the students. The machine consists of modified prefabricated and completely custom-built parts and components. The only limitations on the project were the time frame for its design and fabrication, the budget for the project, and the skill level of the students. These limitations did not inhibit the students from producing a successful liquefaction demonstration machine.

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