corey wowk - sentient city - final

8/6/2019 Corey Wowk - Sentient City - Final

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UNDERGROUND AND THE CITY


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density of the city

Adjacency of water + Cities

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Underground and the City

The Water Underground

Cities are complex entities consisting of muliple

layers of infrastructure. Often the most attributed and

recognized infrastructure typologies are those that are

above the surface. While inhabitants are often living

above-grade, connections to the subterrainean levels

happens not only via transportation, but have a direct

correlation to the citys utilities and public works. Con-

versely, the association of the city to its waterways

and its link to water - both waste and potable has a

critical impact on the vitality and lively-hood of the city

and its in habitants.

New York City, while being surrounded and di-rectly correlated to its waterways is often praised for

providing its residents with some of the highest quatl-

ity potable water of any city. However, this quality of

water, along with New Yorks waterways are often

threatened by the unexpected discharge of waste wa-

ter, causing potential environmental and health issues

to not only the residents of New York City, but the sur-rounding ecosystems.

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new yorkers and the waters edge

infiltration of water on streets

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Play and Puddles

As the emergence of a revitalized waterfront be-

comes more populated, New Yorkers are once again

creating a connection to the city and its waterways.

This re-discovered adjancency between the city and

the waters edge is providing more awareness of thisnatural beauty that surrounds the 5 boroughs.

While leisure and enjoyment near the waters

edge are often seen as the main interaction between

water and the city dwellers, the puddles that line city

sidewalks, and are meticulously traversed after a rain/

snow storm defines the direct interaction between wa-

ter and the urban fabric.These puddles, while being a collection of storm

water and ground pollutants find their way through

drains, catch basins, and man holes to the sewer sys-

tem below the city streets.




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Ice damming on Broadway and 96th st

Overflowing drains in Chinatown

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Water Overflow

Runoff from rain and melting snow, street and

sidewalk washing, and other outdoor activities flows

into catchbasins in the streets and from there into the

sewers. In some New York City neighborhoods, run-

off from the streets is carried by separate storm sew-ers directly to local streams, rivers and bays. In most

areas of the City, sanitary and industrial wastewater,

rainwater and street runoff are collected in the same

sewers and then conveyed together to the Citys treat-

ment plants. This is known as a combined sewer sys-

tem. During heavy rains or snow, combined sewers fill

to capacity and are unable to carry the combined sani-tary and storm sewage to the water filtration plants.

When this occurs the mix of excess storm water and

untreated sewage flows directly into the Citys water-

ways. This is called combined sewer overflow (CSO).

Approximately 70 percent of the City sewers are com-

bined.




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Installation of sewer tunnel

excavation of earth to create tunnel

www.nyc.gov

www.nyc.gov


Development of sewers and Water

During the 19th Century, much of New York City

became threatened with Cholora due to the lack of

proper sanitation, and inadequate disposal of sewage.

Much of the sewage from the city was tossed into the

gutter, where it would sit, and stagnate until the waterwas absorbed by the ground. However, this did not

mitigate the stench left over by these open sewers,

nor did it prevent the spread of disease throughout the

city.

With the introduction of a much needed sew-

er system, many of the public health problems were

significantly reduced, and the diplacement of sewagefrom the street could now be directed down through

to the sewer system, where it is sent to waste water

treatment plants. Currently, 14 waste water treatment

facilities are located in New York City




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Future Water supply tunnels

Development of Water supply Tunnels

www.Underc

ity.org

www.undercity.org


water supply tunnels




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Canal Street Sewer

Canal street Sewer

http://www.undercity.org

http://www.undercity.org


Canal Street

One of the earliest sewers that is still being used

today, is the Canal Street Sewer, which runs undern-

neath the road. While this this sewer was originally, a

waterway, both waste water and storm water are dis-

charged into the sewer, and its destination terminatesat the Hudson River.

Though this sewer may seem to be uncommon,

in that it connects directly into the river system, this

connection, as not as rare as it may initially sound.

Such is the case, as a sewer becomes overtaxed

during intense rain events when the sheer volume of

stormwater and wastewater entering the system fillsthem to capacity, leaving no space for excess water

to enter. In this condition, described as a sewer be-

ing surcharged, the excess stormwater remains above

ground. Unless absorbed by green spaces or chan-

neled to a body of water, this flooding can flow off the

street into below-grade areas such as driveways, pa-

tios and basements.




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axonometric section cut below grade

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/nyunderground/


Sub-terrainean Urban Fabric

This image displays the varying sub-surface

layers, and the complexity of the urban fabric below

grade.



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Seperate Sewer Areas

Combined Sewer Area

www.reno.gov

www.reno.gov


Sewer Types

Separate Sewer Areas

In some New York City neighborhoods, sani-

tary waste and stormwater runoff are channeled in

separate sewer systems: sanitary waste is carriedto wastewater treatment plants while stormwater is

channeled directly to local streams, rivers, and bays.

Combined Sewer Areas

In most areas of the City, sanitary and industrial

wastewater, rainwater and street runoff are collectedin the same sewers and then conveyed together to the

Citys treatment plants. This is known as a combined

sewer system. Approximately 70 percent of the City

sewers are combined.



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single system - street level to sewer

catch basin

www.nyc.gov

www.nyc.gov


single system diagrams

During heavy rain and snow storms, combined

sewers receive higher than normal flows. Treatment

plants are unable to handle flows that are more than

twice the design capacity. When this occurs, a mix

of excess stormwater and untreated wastewater dis-charges directly into the Citys waterways at certain

outfalls. This is called a combined sewer overflow

(CSO).CSOs are a concern because of their effect on

water quality and recreational uses.



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steam release from Sewer

maintenance crews work on sewer

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underground and the City

sewer maintenance

When problems occur within the sewer system,

public work crews are dispatched to alleviate the prob-

lems within the targeted area. However, overflow pe-

riods and dispatched responses may not overlap, as

overflowing basins and sewers may recede and thedischarge of raw sewage already taken place once

public work crews arrive.



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a device to monitor moisture and water

NYC water testing station

www.nyc.gov

www.amazon.com


Analysis

Currently, NYC analyzes the quality of drinking

water at a number of monitoring stations throughout

the city. However, no device is utilized to keep tabs

on the overflowing sewers being discharged at street

level. Due to the high potential health hazards asso-ciated with exposure to raw sewage, it is imperative

to monitor the citys catch basins and man-holes to

ensure the health of city is maintained at reasonable

levels.

There are a number of monitoring devices

available to detect water and moisture levels on the

market today. These sensors come with a price tagof approximately $10-$18, which would directly impact

the deployment and installation of such a monitoring

device. By utilizing a simple wire gauged probe, cost-

ing only a few cents each, monitoring devices can be

deployed through out the city with minimal budget im-

plications.



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sewer near capacity

Sewer overflowing at catch basins

Sewer at normal level

Sewer Beyond Capacity

underground and the city

Monitoring system

As storm drains fill, and the sewers reach their

capacity, a simple monitoriing device placed near the

top of the of catch basin and man holes can alert those

in the nearby location of a potential overflow.

With this information, residents will be able toreact accordingly to environmental and health safety

warnings within their neighborhood. This information

can either be placed online and monitored in a real-

time analysis for both the public as well as the NYC

Department of Public Works.

Shop keepers, pedestrians and planned street

events could be informed to know whether the streetsand sidewalks are considered safe, and free of sew-

age discharge. With over 70% of NYCs sewers com-

bining both storm water and waste water, the majority

of the city can benefif from this analysis system, and

inform those who utilize the street as both a thorough

fare, as well as a temporary backyard, and place of

respite.



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3d Printed model with build support

material


proof of concept models

The following pages depict three proof of con-

cept models.

1. Single sensor model

2. Multi-sensor model with Processing

Visualization3. Multi-sensor model with Google Map

Visualization


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Arduino code

Processing Code

Underground and the city

Arduino + Procecssing Code

Arduino code enables the sensor to translate

the analog signal to a digital inference. This inturn is

connected to Processing (both Javascript based cod-

ing platforms), which allows for a visual to connect to

the reaction and sensing capabilities from the arduino

sensor.To the right are both Arduino code (above) and

processing code (below) working simultaneously with

each other to exhibit the reaction of the sensors via a

visual display.



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Display of interacting sensors

Arduino connected to sensors


Visualization and Proof of concept

When Processing is connected to the code

from the Arduino platform, a visual replicadtion of the

actuated sensor is able to be displayed. The image

to the right depicts four locations on the multi sensor

system below that is recognizing an increase in water

within its resivoir.Below is an image showing the proof of con-

cept of a multi-sensor system connected to the ardui-

no board, and detecting water/moisture within its own

quadrant.



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multi sensor wiring diagram

multiple sensors - proof of concept


multi sensor proof of concept

When first wiring the sensors to the arduino

board, each sensor was connect from a digital pin

and sent through a 10k Ohm resistor. Though this did

work, the capacitance of the sensor was prematurely

setting off a signal. This gave a false reading on some

of the itterative tests.



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Multi sensor diagram

Exploded axon of model


Wire diagram and model

The image to the right depicts the connection of

nine sensors from the Arduino board through a proto-

board. By establishing a voltage divider with a resistor

between the ground and the sensing probe, the cur-

rent was able to be pulled down enough, and estab-

lish a true reading between the sensor and the water.These nine sensors connect to a different catch

basin depicted on the exploded axon diagram below.

The exploded axon is a 3D model that was uti-

lized for the production of a physical model via a 3D

printing prototype machine.



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map of NYC with locations of monitored storm drains


Arduino + processing Code

The map, depicted below, of New York Citys Manhattan shows the location of

monitoring devices of the citys storm drain catch basins. When these drains reach their

capacity, the points noted below change colors, and transform from black to red. This

screen capture demonstrates how the sensor technology can be connected to a monitor-

ing device, which displays in real time the problematic areas of potentially overflowing

catchbasins and sewers within the City.



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processing code for google map


Processing map and data

collection points

Prior to establishing the Google map in Pro-

cessing, locations denoting the sensor placement

were assigned utilizing a similiar, but parallel process-

ing code. Once the points were chosen, the Google

map of NYC is able to connect those defined points to

the series of sensors connected to Arduino.

processing code establishing sensor

locations



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Top View of Model

Integrated sensors within model


Model Assembly



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Electronic Housing

Connection of wires to model


Model Assembly

corey wowk - sentient city - final

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