Skylon pier

[clive milne]

Just thought I would share some pictures of a recent project.
A custom pier for an AP1600, and a design for a removable and easy to install substitute for a concrete plinth.

The pins are simply driven in to the ground to secure it.
I have done something similar for a shipping container and it worked like a charm.

best
~c

http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/a...Milne/pier.jpg

http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/a...ype%2002_1.jpg

http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/a...ase%2001_1.jpg

http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/a...ase%2002_1.jpg

http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/a...ase%2003_1.jpg

[gregbradley]

That looks beautiful, Clive.

Greg.

[clive milne]

Cheers Greg...
Yep, there certainly was some time put in to it...

Next one I build will probably be along the lines of the old classic designs

ie) Something like this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas...ory_(2007).jpg

Incidentally... I just had a look at the AP web page... holy smoke!
$2k US for a basic aluminium pipe pier.. I wonder if Roland would be up for a trade... a couple of dozen piers for a Honders...

[Paul Haese]

That looks very well made Clive. What is your wall thickness?

I think the idea of pedestal is a good one. The traditional piers were so elegant.

[clive milne]

Originally Posted by Paul Haese

That looks very well made Clive. What is
your wall thickness?

Cheers Paul,
I worked on the principle that the stiffness of a beam is
proportional to the cube of its height. (Height, as in equivalent diameter)
So, by putting the skin on the outside of the bolt pattern, the wall thickness
can be reduced significantly (to 3mm) whilst actually improving stiffness
over the traditional pier design. It's equivalent to a solid steel rod 6 or 7
inches in diameter, or something like that.

The laminated top flange, viewed from the underside:
http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/a...006_160605.jpg
shows how close the pilot holes are to the walls of the pier. By
minimising this distance, the bolts holding down the equatorial head
become directly coupled to the pier (skin) via tensile load.... so the
need for thick steel here becomes completely redundant.

Also... you can see the inside of the pier here:
http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/a...021_141848.jpg


best
~c

[lazjen (Chris)]

That's impressively done. Great work.