Building a Train Platform Station in the Isle of Wight - Essay Example

Use of Sustainable Materials in building a Train Station Presented to ) (Date) Use of Sustainable Materials in building a Train Station: Building a Train Platform Station in Isle of Wight Introduction Train stations are places where trains stop to collect and deposit passengers. This is the point of contact between passengers and railway. The station has several sections that offer various services. The design should be attractive, comfortable and convenient for passengers. Efficiency in layout and operation must be considered during design and building process. Management and maintenance of the stations is very important. Station and Crossing Safety Passenger safety at stations is an important issue during the design stage and dictates design for a railway station. The assumption that passengers and public members take care of themselves at railways stations is based on the fact that they have to keep looking for passing trains, cars and luggage which may cause damage to or by trains. With this consideration in mind, designers create platforms that are not raised above the level of the rail. Passengers need to climb to trains with assistance from staff and mobile steps transported by vehicles. Most railways were not fenced with segregation only being applicable at terminals ad busy stations. Railway stations in the UK are fenced, with the public and passengers being kept away from tracks. Platforms constructed allowed a reasonable step into trains without assistance from staff. Bridges and subways constructed to allow movement across the railway line without interference of trains. The high platforms enabled quick loading and unloading of trains. This scenario contrasts US railway stations marked with frequent accidents and cars being struck by trains (Ross 2005, p.25). Platforms A platform is a raised section of the ground adjacent to the railway track often used by passengers to board a train. In the US, it is called a track. According to UK platform design standards, the height of the platform is equal to that of the train floor. Platform width is an important element in station design. It must accommodate expected number of passengers but not waste the available space. It should provide free visual areas in its length to enable passengers to read signs and assist staff to ensure safety during dispatch of trains. Columns responsible for support can influence the operation by minimizing circulating area and flow of passengers during peak seasons. The edges need to be straight to accommodate clear sight lines (Ross 2005, p.25). Sustainable Materials (Steel, glass and roof of cement slabs with steel) Modern infrastructure in train stations, airports and subway stations provide efficiency, and quality services. Use of sustainable materials during construction makes them economically and environmentally viable. Designs of new structures are influenced by beauty, space and ventilation. Growing interest in sustainable designs by governments for railway stations enhance choice of material for construction. Several materials are compared for interior and exterior applications. Factors considered for material use are resistance against corrosion, scratches, impact and vandalism. Maintenance requirements, service life of the material, recyclable content should be considered when choosing sustainable material for construction. Another important issue is the materials capability of releasing volatile organic compounds (VOCS) in the indoor environment. Public safety issues like sip resistance floor, security, fire and high wind resistance and seismic performance are important in design of current stations. Access for the elderly and disabled has become an important factor. Through analyses of sustainable materials, stainless steel has proved quality and long design life for structures. Other materials used are glasses and concrete. Stainless steel Proper selection, fabrication and maintenance of steel guarantee it long life in structures of approximately 80 years. Maintenance costs for stainless steel structures are lower than other materials. Type 316 stainless steel is preferred for structural components; tread plate flooring, ticket and information booths, turnstiles and security barriers. Type 304 stainless steel is best for interior applications like; entrance canopies, doors, column covers, curved stainless steel staircases and retail store entrances. Other areas that this type of steel are suited are; planters, food service areas and tables, elevators and baggage carousels. Type 316 stainless steel is cold worked to increase strength and combined with galvanized steel cables. Through improved resistance, it withstands corrosion, cracking and stress from chloride. It contains molybdenum and equivalent amounts of chromium and nickel. This makes it more corrosive resistant than Type 304. It is less expensive than coated steel design because it does not need painting. It is best suited for exterior applications. When Type 316 has a coined linen finish, it suits wall panels that improve visibility to passengers offering a homogenous appearance. Stainless steel offer design flexibility because of several range of finishes that resist scratching and impact damage associated to it. Type 304 can be embossed, bead blasted with non directional scratch patterns. Polishing of the material in interior applications like phone banks and column covers is possible. Flexibility in finishing of stainless steel surfaces adds beauty to the structure. They also offer support for glass curtain walls. Maintenance costs of stainless steel are relatively low and preferred for public bathroom partitions, dispensers and sinks. In contrast to painted and plastic surfaces, stainless steel surfaces are quickly and effectively sanitized by chemical free steam cleaning. Its ductility and impact resistance makes it better placed than porcelain or enameled steel. Type 316 is suited for these purposes. Public safety against fire is a necessity in stations. Stainless steel is suited for acoustical panels because of superior resistance to fire and thermal radiation. Other materials like aluminum are vulnerable to low fire temperatures and easily collapse. Many finish specifications for stainless steel must be considered fewer than two factors; smoother surface finishes (Ra 20 micro inches or less) which accumulate few deposits, improving corrosion performance and appearance, and ideal finishes in transit applications. These hide accidental scratching and impact damage. In sustainability, stainless steel has limited negative impacts on the environment. Steel structures are easily recycled and reduce energy requirements (Houska, n.d. P.8-12). Glass Glass as a building material fits best in today’s green building environment because it has high embodied energy and mineral material that ads beauty from its transparency. This material is used in windows, skylights, glazing systems and in-fill panels of doors and windows since it allows light into the interior space. It is capable of controlling light, allowing good rays while barring the bad ones. Glass provides natural day lighting, saving energy as well as harmonizing the structure with environment. Design components for glass consider energy costs, heat conservation and solar. Functional uses of glazing and facades are; supply natural light, protection from harsh environmental conditions, transparency that enhances communication and supply of fresh air. Secondary purposes include protection from heat, solar and sound and object and personal protection. Glass is also a preferred means of design for comfort ability, electromagnetic dampening and enhance the use of solar energy. Structural glazing offer harmonic facade appearance since the mountings on glass are only visible from inside. Glass curtain walls add beauty to the structure. In sustainability, recycling of waste glass saves 26% of energy used in obtaining, transporting and processing of raw materials (Energy and Resources Institute 2004, p. 105). Concrete Slabs Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) or reactive powder concrete (RPC) is best suited for roofing. UHPC is a combination of Portland cement, silica fume, quartz flour, fine silica sand, water, high-range water reducer and steel or organic fiber. These combinations make concrete attain compressive strength of 29000 psi and flexural strength of 7000 psi. It is a combination of superior technical qualities like ductility, strength and durability. UHPC provides high moldable products and essential for struts, columns and beams. Cement slabs have low dead weight and good in impact resistance and strength. This quality facilitates hoisting and transportation. They also offer good technical effects and economic benefits. It is ideal for curved surfaces and easily meets design requirements. Molding of the slab is achieved through high pressure spraying with a close and smooth surface. It has several advantages over other concrete design mix. These are low dead weight, high load bearing capability, high strength, self waterproof and fire proof. It is economically cheaper because of long lifespan and saves quantity of steel (Swamy 1992, p. 705). Accessibility in a train station for disabled Platform and platform design in rail stations should consider the disabled so that all sections are accessible. From the design, tactile and danger areas must be marked with the width of the platform being variable to length. A portable ramp should be made available to the disabled to assist them board the train from the platform. New dining carriages designed to provide wheel chair access and accommodation. Guide and assistive dogs are used to guide the disabled to their point of need. A space of 1500 mm is required between the edge of auxiliary facilities on board trains or platform and wheelchair to allow movement. This is important for all trains that stop at the platform. Area considered being of danger starts from rail edge side of the platform. This is the area that subjects passengers to slipstream effect of moving trains (Department for Transport 2011, P. 276). Bibliography Department for Transport (2011). Accessible Train Station for Disabled People: A Code of Practice. TSO; UK. P. 276. Energy and Resources Institute (2004). Sustainable Building Design Manual: Sustainable building design practices, Vol. 2. TERI Press. p. 105. Houska, C. (nd). Sustainable Stainless Steel Transit Station Design. Web: http://www.stainlessindia.org/UploadPdf/Sustainable-Stainless.pdf. Accessed on 01st May 2012. Ross, J. (2005). Railway Stations: planning, design and management. Architectural Press, UK. Swamy, R.N. (1992). Fibre Reinforced Cement and Concrete: Proceedings of the Fourth International Symposium Held by RILEM (Tha International Union of Testing and Research Laboratories for Materials and Structures); Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, University of Sheffield, UK. p. 705. Read More