Manufacturing Water Slide Equipment for Amusement Parks
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Water slide equipment can be broadly categorised into two types: one is the large-scale water slides found in water parks, stretching tens to hundreds of metres for thrilling enjoyment; the other is the smaller slides commonly used in kindergartens, designed for playful water interaction.
The first type of water slide equipment is intended for tourists to experience exhilarating slides. Safety and stability are paramount, given the substantial scale of these slides. Such amusement park facilities are classified as Class B special equipment. Each piece must undergo inspection and approval by the China Special Equipment Inspection Institute before it can be operational. Most slides are installed outdoors, where environmental factors significantly impact their structural integrity.
Design and Safety Considerations
During the design phase of water slides, it is crucial to evaluate and ensure the strength, rigidity, fatigue resistance, stability, and anti-overturning and anti-sliding capabilities of the structure. These factors must meet the safety standards outlined in the relevant specifications. Formal calculations must be prepared, and qualified engineers from the China Special Equipment Inspection Institute must review and approve these before production begins. The initial batch of equipment must be manufactured under the supervision of the Institute, which is responsible for issuing the type test report, allowing qualified engineers to proceed.
Load Calculations and Environmental Factors
When analysing the structure of water slide equipment, various loads must be considered, including dead load, live load, wind load, snow load, earthquake load, and impact load. Wind load is categorised into working and non-working loads. In amusement park design, the working wind load is calculated based on an operational wind speed of 15m/s, while the non-working load is assessed based on a 50-year wind load occurrence.
Snow load is similarly calculated for a 50-year occurrence post-installation, and seismic load is determined using an 8-degree fortification intensity, equivalent to a design basic acceleration of 0.2g. Collision load, which may occur during motion, is often not precisely calculated in design. Therefore, in strength calculations, both dead and live loads are multiplied by an impact coefficient, selected according to the slide’s speed.
Structural Analysis and Optimisation
The structure of water slides in water parks comprises FRP slides, steel frameworks, and concrete foundations. Given the unique, significant, and complex nature of slide structures, the finite element method is employed for analysis. This method is well-suited to the intricate mechanisms within Lanchao water slide equipment and has become a vital analytical tool. Its introduction has revolutionised traditional analysis methods, providing more precise and comprehensive stress analysis, thereby enhancing the verification and design optimisation of water slide structures.
