The Mission
The Eco-Column Dam—my first Capstone project at Gharbiya STEM High School—aimed to tackle Egypt’s water scarcity through a sustainable, gravity-based dam prototype.
Designed to store and manage water in arid regions, this project combined engineering rigor with recycled materials to create a low-cost solution.
Technical Specifications
We built a triangular-section dam with:
- Height: 38 cm
- Base thickness: 30 cm
- Material: M15-grade concrete (1:2:4 cement-sand-gravel ratio)
- Reinforcement: Repurposed iron bars
Results
After three iterative trials, the final prototype achieved:
| Metric | Result |
|---|---|
| Water Storage | 55 L for over 2 hours |
| Load Capacity | 10 kg |
| Flow Rate (25% capacity) | 89.74 cm³/s |
| Flow Rate (50% capacity) | 127.3 cm³/s |
Challenges Overcome
Key challenges included:
- Optimizing concrete curing to prevent cracks
- Balancing structural stability using center-of-gravity calculations
Impact
This project not only addressed water scarcity but also demonstrated how STEM principles can turn recycled materials into functional infrastructure.
Skills Developed
- Structural Engineering
- Sustainable Material Usage
- Collaborative Problem Solving
- Hydraulic Systems
- Team Leadership