This thesis presents a comprehensive investigation into the design of roller coasters. The study includes an overview of various roller coaster types, cart design, brake design, lift hill and launch design, support design, and roller coaster safety. Utilizing No Limits 2 to design the layout and CAD software for component design, a scale model roller coaster was designed. The physics of the roller coaster and its structures were analyzed and a scale model was produced. Afterward, an accelerometer was used to collect G force data as the cart moved along the track. However, the collected data differed from the expected results, as the launch speed was higher than predicted due to more friction than anticipated. As a result, further optimization of the design and models used to design the scale model roller coasters is necessary.

This thesis presents a comprehensive investigation into the design of roller coasters. The study includes an overview of various roller coaster types, cart design, brake design, lift hill and launch design, support design, and roller coaster safety. Utilizing No Limits 2 to design the layout and CAD software for component design, a scale model roller coaster was designed. The physics of the roller coaster and its structures were analyzed and a scale model was produced. Afterward, an accelerometer was used to collect G force data as the cart moved along the track. However, the collected data differed from the expected results, as the launch speed was higher than predicted due to more friction than anticipated. As a result, further optimization of the design and models used to design the scale model roller coasters is necessary.

As a result of the increase of pollution related to industrialization in Vietnam, acid rain has become a prevalent issue for Vietnamese farmers who are forced to rinse their crops – risking damage due to overwatering and poor harvest. Thus, the team was motivated to develop a solution to harmful impacts of acidic rainwater by creating a system with the ability to capture rainwater and determine its level of acidity in order to optimize the crop watering process, and promote productive crops. By conducting preliminary research on rainfall and tropical climate in Vietnam, existing products on the market, and pH sensors for monitoring and device material, the team was able to design a number of devices to collect, store, and measure the pH of rainwater. After developing a number of initial design requirements based on the needs of the farmers, a final prototype was developed using the best aspects of each initial design. Tests were conducted with varying structural and aqueous materials to represent a broad range of environmental conditions. While the scope of the project was ultimately limited to prototyping purposes, the principles explored throughout this thesis project can successfully be applied to a fully-functioning production model available for commercial use on Vietnamese farms. Given more time for development, improvements would be made in the extent of materials tested, and the configuration of electronics and data acquisition, in order to further optimize the process of determining rainwater acidity.