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The Greenwich Maritime Bronze Cone houses the new Peter
Harrison Planetarium at the Royal Observatory. The planetarium lies below
ground, with the bronze cone rising above ground level, encompassing the dome of
the planetarium.
The cone is a pure geometric form. It is tilted with one side
pointing directly upwards, and the opposite side angled at 51.5 degrees, the
angle corresponding to the latitude at Greenwich. The length of the longest,
slanting side is aligned with the meridian (zero degrees longitude), and is
highlighted with a groove in the cone surface, providing a sighting line for the
North Star. Bennett Associates involvement included:
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Creating the CATIA model of the bronze cone and
supports, used to produce detailed drawings for the manufacture and construction
of the full cone structure. |
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Analysing the cone in its surrounding under loads from
different wind directions to accurately predict the pressure created on the cone
surface, using Ansys CFX to model the fluid movement. |
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Using Ansys Finite Element methods to create models of the
cone during the different stages of construction, and examine the stresses and
distortions under different load cases. The pressures calculated in CFX were
imported into the Ansys for wind loading cases. |
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Creating detailed models of the flexible supports at the
base of the cone. |
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Working with the client to produce a method for supporting
and positioning the thin bronze panels during the difficult construction and
welding processes. |
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