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Offline rooster

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Re: Solar Roadways
« Reply #320 on: June 24, 2014, 03:54:43 AM »
It depends on the drainage system. It is possible to set it up in a way that the water never has to touch the circuits.
Does the word "condensation" mean anything to you?
It does. But if they're sealed completely within glass then it wouldn't matter. However, I don't really know exactly how the panels are set up or if the circuit boards are sealed inside.

Re: Solar Roadways
« Reply #321 on: June 24, 2014, 05:06:17 AM »
Now, concrete is harder and stronger than glass.

I don't know that it's the case that concrete is harder and stronger than glass.
Really?

This calls... FOR SCIENCE!

http://www.technologyreview.com/news/512411/your-next-smartphone-screen-may-be-made-of-sapphire/

Oh snap.

After doing some "research" it looks like concrete has a hardness anywhere between 5-9, depending on what it's made of. Glass is anywhere from 6-7, so some glass is harder then some concrete. It looks like typically, concrete has a compressive strength of 5000psi, whereas for glass to be considered tempered, it would need to have a compressive strength of 10,000psi. Also, going the other way, concrete has very poor tensile strength.
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Offline Lord Dave

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Re: Solar Roadways
« Reply #322 on: June 24, 2014, 09:36:36 AM »
Now, concrete is harder and stronger than glass.

I don't know that it's the case that concrete is harder and stronger than glass.
Really?

This calls... FOR SCIENCE!

http://www.technologyreview.com/news/512411/your-next-smartphone-screen-may-be-made-of-sapphire/

Oh snap.
Is it just me, or did you just contradict your own claim?
Corrected!
If you are going to DebOOonK an expert then you have to at least provide a source with credentials of equal or greater relevance. Even then, it merely shows that some experts disagree with each other.

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Offline markjo

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Re: Solar Roadways
« Reply #323 on: June 24, 2014, 05:15:45 PM »
Over the centuries, a variety of materials have been used to make roads: dirt, gravel, cobble stones, bricks, concrete, asphalt, etc.  If glass is such a wonderful material, then why hasn't anyone used it to make roads before now?
Abandon hope all ye who press enter here.

Science is what happens when preconception meets verification.

Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge. -- Charles Darwin

If you can't demonstrate it, then you shouldn't believe it.

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Offline rooster

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Re: Solar Roadways
« Reply #324 on: June 24, 2014, 05:40:45 PM »
Over the centuries, a variety of materials have been used to make roads: dirt, gravel, cobble stones, bricks, concrete, asphalt, etc.  If glass is such a wonderful material, then why hasn't anyone used it to make roads before now?
First and foremost, we had to get to a period of time where we have tempered glass - so after 1900. Then you sort of need to wait for it to be mass produced and accessible. And then you just need someone who is tired of potholes and ready to think of something new.

Glass is definitely a wonderful material.

As this keeps going you think of more and more unimaginative arguments. It's fine if you hate the idea, but "why wasn't it ever used before" is not a good argument.

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Offline Pete Svarrior

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Re: Solar Roadways
« Reply #325 on: June 24, 2014, 06:02:37 PM »
Silicosis is the only argument I need. Please don't sentence millions of people to agonising death just because of your ignorance.
Read the FAQ before asking your question - chances are we already addressed it.
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Offline markjo

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Re: Solar Roadways
« Reply #326 on: June 24, 2014, 08:05:38 PM »
And then you just need someone who is tired of potholes and ready to think of something new.
I'm sorry, but how does glass solve the pothole problem?  ???

As this keeps going you think of more and more unimaginative arguments. It's fine if you hate the idea, but "why wasn't it ever used before" is not a good argument.
I don't hate the idea, I just think that it's overly ambitious and they need a reality check.  I think that "why wasn't it ever used before" is a very good argument, especially if you're considering a multi-trillion dollar investment. 

Then again, I don't suppose that the question a viability will really be answered until these guys actually lay down a few hundred yards of roadway for some real world testing, not the least of which being the question of actual energy production vs consumption of the system.
Abandon hope all ye who press enter here.

Science is what happens when preconception meets verification.

Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge. -- Charles Darwin

If you can't demonstrate it, then you shouldn't believe it.

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Offline Lord Dave

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Re: Solar Roadways
« Reply #327 on: June 24, 2014, 08:35:06 PM »
Silicosis is the only argument I need. Please don't sentence millions of people to agonising death just because of your ignorance.
Kinda like breathing in Car Exhaust?
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Offline Lord Dave

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Re: Solar Roadways
« Reply #328 on: June 24, 2014, 08:35:45 PM »
Over the centuries, a variety of materials have been used to make roads: dirt, gravel, cobble stones, bricks, concrete, asphalt, etc.  If glass is such a wonderful material, then why hasn't anyone used it to make roads before now?

Here's a better question:
Why did they use all those other materials?  If asphalt is so great, why didn't they just start with that and skip the other crap?
If you are going to DebOOonK an expert then you have to at least provide a source with credentials of equal or greater relevance. Even then, it merely shows that some experts disagree with each other.

Re: Solar Roadways
« Reply #329 on: June 24, 2014, 08:41:01 PM »
As this keeps going you think of more and more unimaginative arguments.

Perhaps true, but to be fair the original witty arguments were never really countered.

It's fine if you hate the idea, but "why wasn't it ever used before" is not a good argument.

Actually it is. It's the first thing an inventor should ask. It's a reality check. If it's a good invention then the answer is "because I'm the only one the see how these things can go together", or "I've discovered a new material that can do x".

I reckon tempered glass is pretty expensive. I reckon tempered glass, as currently manufactured, has a low friction coefficient.

So does the inventor have a supply of cheap tempered glass? Has he invented a way of producing tempered glass that's vastly cheaper than current means? Has he discovered a way of making tempered glass with a friction coefficient equal or greater than asphalt?

All signs indicate no.

Offline Shmeggley

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Re: Solar Roadways
« Reply #330 on: June 24, 2014, 09:04:49 PM »
Over the centuries, a variety of materials have been used to make roads: dirt, gravel, cobble stones, bricks, concrete, asphalt, etc.  If glass is such a wonderful material, then why hasn't anyone used it to make roads before now?

Here's a better question:
Why did they use all those other materials?  If asphalt is so great, why didn't they just start with that and skip the other crap?

If Xbox One is so great (I don't know if it is, I still have a 360), why did they bother with the Atari 2600?

Re: Solar Roadways
« Reply #331 on: June 24, 2014, 09:10:14 PM »
Likewise, if Xbox One is so great, why was it never created until now? It's a terrible argument.

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Offline Lord Dave

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Re: Solar Roadways
« Reply #332 on: June 24, 2014, 09:14:18 PM »
Over the centuries, a variety of materials have been used to make roads: dirt, gravel, cobble stones, bricks, concrete, asphalt, etc.  If glass is such a wonderful material, then why hasn't anyone used it to make roads before now?

Here's a better question:
Why did they use all those other materials?  If asphalt is so great, why didn't they just start with that and skip the other crap?

If Xbox One is so great (I don't know if it is, I still have a 360), why did they bother with the Atari 2600?
The components didn't exist before.
Unlike asphault and aggregate which has existed for millions of years.
If you are going to DebOOonK an expert then you have to at least provide a source with credentials of equal or greater relevance. Even then, it merely shows that some experts disagree with each other.

Ghost of V

Re: Solar Roadways
« Reply #333 on: June 24, 2014, 09:15:23 PM »
If Sega's Dreamcast was so great, why did they bother with the Master System?  ???

Re: Solar Roadways
« Reply #334 on: June 24, 2014, 09:21:06 PM »
Over the centuries, a variety of materials have been used to make roads: dirt, gravel, cobble stones, bricks, concrete, asphalt, etc.  If glass is such a wonderful material, then why hasn't anyone used it to make roads before now?

Here's a better question:
Why did they use all those other materials?  If asphalt is so great, why didn't they just start with that and skip the other crap?

If Xbox One is so great (I don't know if it is, I still have a 360), why did they bother with the Atari 2600?
The components didn't exist before.
Unlike asphault and aggregate which has existed for millions of years.

Glass has existed for billions of years.
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Offline Shmeggley

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Re: Solar Roadways
« Reply #335 on: June 24, 2014, 10:08:59 PM »
Likewise, if Xbox One is so great, why was it never created until now? It's a terrible argument.

Except Solar Roadways isn't the Xbox One. It's more like the Ford Nucleon: something we have the technology for but nobody asked for and is a potential disaster.
« Last Edit: June 24, 2014, 10:11:16 PM by Shmeggley »

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Offline markjo

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Re: Solar Roadways
« Reply #336 on: June 24, 2014, 10:23:17 PM »
Over the centuries, a variety of materials have been used to make roads: dirt, gravel, cobble stones, bricks, concrete, asphalt, etc.  If glass is such a wonderful material, then why hasn't anyone used it to make roads before now?

Here's a better question:
Why did they use all those other materials?  If asphalt is so great, why didn't they just start with that and skip the other crap?
I never said that asphalt is so great.  If anything, asphalt has some pretty significant disadvantages compared to some other materials, which is why all of those other materials are still in use today.  Then again, asphalt has some pretty significant advantages too, so it becomes a question of which material is most appropriate for the situation.

So, one the significant questions that needs to be answered is how do the pros and cons of textured, tempered glass compare to asphalt and concrete?  After all, if glass can't be made into a suitable road surface, then everything else is moot.
« Last Edit: June 24, 2014, 10:25:32 PM by markjo »
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Science is what happens when preconception meets verification.

Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge. -- Charles Darwin

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Offline rooster

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Re: Solar Roadways
« Reply #337 on: June 24, 2014, 10:59:08 PM »
Glass has existed but we're speaking of tempered glass.

Any arguments that were not countered was probably because I am not an expert on this. All I'm doing is using my imagination and facts/claims from their website.

There have been great arguments here and I'm willing to listen which is why I created this thread. However, "if Z is so great then why wasn't it invented before X and Y" is not a good argument.

Questions on the production of tempered glass are reasonable, as far as I know all of the donations are going to more R&D, wages for engineers, and tackling the production issue.

Offline Shmeggley

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Re: Solar Roadways
« Reply #338 on: June 24, 2014, 11:53:06 PM »
It depends on what you are arguing. The question "If x is so great why hasn't it been done before" is a good starting point. If taken seriously, the answers will help determine whether it's a good idea to try "x" or not.

In the case of Solar Roadways, answers like "because glass is too slippery, will get scratched, etc" and "because the solar panels don't generate nearly enough power" highlight the problems right away. It may not be an argument itself, but not asking that question at the beginning of a project would be short sighted.

Re: Solar Roadways
« Reply #339 on: June 25, 2014, 12:11:20 AM »
Why hasn't glass been used before?  Because it is brittle and likely to be shattered.  Okay, let's make it tougher and shatter resistant!  Check.
Because it is slippery, especially while wet.  Okay, lets texture the glass a bit to provide traction!  Check.
But with texture, won't it be useless as a solar cell?  As you can clearly see, light is still pretty easily able to penetrate the glass!  Check.