Session A10
Paper #73
Disclaimer — This paper partially fulfills a writing requirement for first year (freshman) engineering students at the University
of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering. This paper is a student, not a professional, paper. This paper is based on publicly
available information and may not provide complete analyses of all relevant data. If this paper is used for any purpose other
than these authors’ partial fulfillment of a writing requirement for first year (freshman) engineering students at the University
of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering, the user does so at his or her own risk.
THE HYPERLOOP: THE FUTURE OF TRANSPORTATION WITHIN CIVIL
ENGINEERING
Daria Och, [email protected], Budny 10:00, Eric Price, [email protected], Budny 10:00
Abstract—The Hyperloop is a high-speed transportation
system proposed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX corporation in 2013.
This system consists of transportation pods encapsulated
within vacuum tubes, (similar to those currently utilized at
bank drive-throughs) and will be used to transport freight and
passengers across hundreds, and eventually thousands, of
miles. The principal technology of the Hyperloop involves
electromagnetic propulsion that moves capsules through
tubes, reaching speeds of 700 miles per hour. The objective
of this research is to investigate a specific, singular
application of the Hyperloop in order to exhibit its potential
effectiveness and sustainability as an expedient transit system
for cargo and passengers.
Key Words — Commercialization, Competition, Elon Musk,
Hyperloop, Infrastructure, Transportation
AN OVERVIEW OF THE HYPERLOOP
WITHIN CIVIL ENGINEERING
The Hyperloop’s recent emergence as a civil engineering
topic was facilitated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX corporation in
2015 when the company proposed the Hyperloop Pod
Competition [1]. SpaceX, a company specializing in rocket
and spacecraft design and manufacturing, introduced this
two-part competition to encourage teams of university
students to design, build, and test Hyperloop pods on a
physical track, with aspirations of accelerating the
Hyperloop’s prototyping and commercialization process [2].
The preliminary installment of the contest, Hyperloop Pod
Competition I, yielded Delft University of the Netherlands as
the highest scoring team, while Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT) placed third overall [3]. The second stage
of the contest, SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition II, is
currently in progress; the first week of competition recently
concluded at the end of January, 2017 [2]. Having over 1,200
initial entries with 318 teams advancing to the next round of
this second Hyperloop Pod competition illustrates an
impressive level of interest in the Hyperloop [4].
One local student team from Carnegie Mellon University
(CMU) has introduced a competitive Hyperloop prototype
which features magnetic levitation propulsion rather than air
University of Pittsburgh, Swanson School of Engineering 1
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pressure levitation [5]. CMU’s participation in this
international competition brings relevance as well as
plausibility to the Hyperloop’s initiative [5].
Overall, both stages of the SpaceX Hyperloop Pod
Competition intend to expedite the commercial development
of the Hyperloop, which expects to commence construction
by 2020 through the company Hyperloop One [6]. This paper
will address the technology and infrastructure behind the
commercialization of the Hyperloop.
THE FUNDAMENTALS OF HOW THE
HYPERLOOP OPERATES
Since its inception, the technology of the Hyperloop has
developed significantly. Amazingly, a primitive version of the
Hyperloop was conceptualized in 1799 by the British
mechanical engineer, George Medhurst, as a cast iron pipeline
atmospheric railway spanning six feet in diameter [8].
Despite the fact that Medhurst patented the system over
200 years ago, the consideration for a vacuum tube
transportation machine only gained traction roughly five
years ago. In 2012, at a convention in Santa Monica,
California, Elon Musk announced his interest of initiating a
new supersonic mode of transportation, referring to what
would become known as the Hyperloop. Beginning with
barely more than a vision, Musk appointed engineers from
SpaceX and the Tesla Motors company to commence
designing the first modern capsule transportation system [9].
On an Internal Mechanical Level
In mid-2013, around a year after Elon Musk originally
proposed the Hyperloop, he publicly released a 50-page paper
detailing all the specifics of the burgeoning project. Every
part of the Hyperloop was to be optimized for maximum
velocity and minimal cost. The tunnel is a cylindrical airtight
chamber that is seven feet, four inches in diameter. A capsule
for passengers can freely fit inside, being just four and a half
feet wide and six feet tall. The unit’s dimensions are precisely
designed to strike a balance between passenger comfort and
distinct aerodynamic specifications that keep the ratio of the
area of the capsule to the area of the tube to a minimum. This
decreases the total drag force of the air. (The tube also has
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only 0.0015 pounds per square inch (psi) of pressure to further
decrease air resistance) [10].
Each capsule, weighing 7,700 pounds, contains 14 rows
of paired seating, bottom side suspension plates, and a battery
to power the onboard compressor and compressor fan. The
compressor and fan act as another system to decrease the air
resistance in front of the capsule; at departure, the compressor
activates and rapidly draws in the air directly in front of the
capsule. The compressor then disperses it evenly across the
unit’s bottom plates, which thrusts the air downward, causing
lift. Essentially, the thrust is simply a byproduct of the
compressor; the purpose of the compressor is not to move the
capsule along the track but to minimize the amount of air
impeding the unit while levitating it [10].
At supersonic velocities, a typical wheeled vehicle would
present serious friction concerns, which in turn, would vastly
decrease efficiency. The Hyperloop’s suspension system
initially was designed to levitate the capsule 0.0020 to 0.0050
inches above the track through air pressurized pads, similar to
how an air hockey table levitates a puck with thousands of
miniature holes. Because of the large surface area on the
bottom of the pod, elevation can actually be achieved when
the plates maintain a pressure of merely 1.4 psi. As the
capsule’s velocity increases, the thrust through the panels will
require less energy to be generated from the compressor [10].
economically sensible, CMU could have a promising
opportunity to become a valuable part of the Hyperloop’s
success [5].
FIGURE 2 [12]
Depiction of the linear induction motor design
The forward motion of the capsule is not generated with
a traditional, circular motion, electric motor. Rather, it is
achieved with an avant-garde linear induction motor which is
capable of accelerating the pod to over 700 miles per hour.
The mechanism consists of two independent components that
maintain a thin air gap separating them and reducing friction.
The foundation is fashioned from an array of consecutive,
superconducting aluminum or copper segments which are
assembled into a narrow sheet that extends along the entire
length of the track. Elevated above the surface lies an
aluminum plate that draws magnetic attraction from the
superconductor, thus driving the mechanism forward [13].
Following its initial announcement in 2012, the
Hyperloop’s internal mechanism has incorporated numerous
technological innovations, revolutionizing the ongoing
project and furthering the probability of the Hyperloop
transportation system.
FIGURE 1 [11]
Hyperloop One testing a prototype on a rail system
Infrastructurally
Elon Musk’s initial Hyperloop proposition entailed an air
levitation mechanism; however, the levitation technology has
progressed due to the various Hyperloop pod competitions.
For instance, the Hyperloop team at CMU drafted a more
efficient way to elevate the capsule. The team suggested a
prototype that used magnetic levitation to repel the unit away
from the base of the tube, as opposed to Musk’s initial
method. This concept intrigued Elon Musk and has drawn
considerable attention around the nation. If this magnetic
solution is advantageous toward efficiency and is
Infrastructure constitutes the overarching framework of a
system. In civil engineering terms, infrastructure involves the
required resources and components for a public works system
[14]. When it comes to the Hyperloop, these systematic
components include its extensive tubular network which
contains transportation pods, transport capsules, and stations
interconnecting routes between cities separated by hundreds
or even thousands of miles [10].
The general concept behind the Hyperloop’s
infrastructure is similar in magnitude to the radical, inventive
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nature of the Erie Canal when it was contemplated in 1817.
To clarify, the Erie Canal (with a total distance of over 520
miles) represented a revolutionary, seemingly improbable
alternative to the traditional infrastructure of roads that
connected Albany and New York, New York [15].
Equivalently, the Hyperloop was also conjectured as a
groundbreaking form of infrastructure intended to eventually
replace trains, planes, and monorails when bridging the gap
between distant cities and metro regions [15]. The most
important constituents of this new infrastructure are the tubes
and capsules that make up the Hyperloop [10].
The fundamental attribute of the Hyperloop’s
infrastructure is the expansive physical network of tubes that
houses the technology to transport the capsules to their
destinations. On a broad level, Musk outlines that the tubes
will be produced in a parallel juxtaposition utilizing steel that
is welded together; each section of tubing is prefabricated for
the ease of a more expedient, cost effective construction
process. The entire tubular apparatus is constructed above the
ground, supported by pylons, or pillars, that are strategically
positioned every 100 feet. Likewise, solar panels line the
exterior of the tubular structure in order to provide energy for
additional power for the Hyperloop [10]. The most critical
application of these Hyperloop tubes lies within the system of
routes for interconnecting distant cities and metro regions.
Hyperloop infrastructures have been planned for at least 5
countries, with each separate tubular system containing at
least 500 miles of Hyperloop tubing [16]. Therefore, the
physical tubes provide a framework for the transport capsules
and pods to navigate at supersonic speeds to their intended
destinations.
In addition to the tubing structure, the transit capsules also
serve as an integral component of the Hyperloop’s
infrastructure. In the grand scheme of the Hyperloop’s
operation system, each capsule departs from its station
approximately every two minutes, or every thirty seconds in
peak operating hours when travel demand is particularly high.
This translates into transporting at least 28 passengers every
two minutes, or 840 passengers per hour, due to the capsules
containing a total of 28 seats [10]. Hence, multitudes of
passengers can travel significant distances over brief periods
of time.
Furthermore, the third key aspect pertaining to Hyperloop
infrastructure is the actual routes that the travel mechanism
will fulfill. Currently, the Hyperloop has prospective routes
developing within five countries: The United States, the
United Arab Emirates, Russia, India, and Germany [16].
Specifically, infrastructure within the United Arab Emirates
plans to connect the cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi [17]; here
in the United States, advances are occurring to merge
Pittsburgh and Chicago via Columbus, Ohio, while Musk
fantasizes a Hyperloop between Los Angeles and San
Francisco in his Hyperloop Alpha publication [10]. The
presence of actual infrastructural development and
delineation will further push the Hyperloop into the realm of
reality that can be achieved within the foreseeable future.
INTRODUCING THE HYPERLOOP’S
COMMERCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE
Commercialization encompasses the exploitation of a
product or service through a company for profit. The
following subsections will introduce the company
commercializing the Hyperloop — Hyperloop One — while
analyzing a specific Hyperloop application (the abovementioned route from Pittsburgh to Chicago).
Hyperloop One’s Role in Hyperloop Commercialization
Hyperloop One represents the company pioneering
Hyperloop commercialization. Formerly known as Hyperloop
Technologies, Hyperloop One originated through a
collaboration between Elon Musk and Shervin Pishevar in
response to the release of Musk’s Hyperloop Alpha document
[18]. What began in 2014 out of a garage in Los Angeles has
expanded to three major campuses in California and Nevada
with more than 200 employees [16].
The primary goal of Hyperloop One is to execute the first
fully-operational Hyperloop for commercial transportation,
rather than just for use as a prototype model [16]. This
revolutionary Hyperloop system has begun to emerge within
the United Arab Emirates; Hyperloop One’s infrastructure
consists of pods, capsules, and tubes that work in conjunction
to connect the cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi with a minimal
commute of just 12 minutes [17]. Specifically, smaller
transportation pods carry passengers from individual stops to
the main transport center, where they transfer to capsules,
which are larger than pods. Branching from the central
transport hub, known as the “portal,” is the extensive network
of vacuum tubes that actually connect the distant cities.
Likewise, it is the capsules, not pods, that travel through the
tubes at near supersonic speeds [17]. According to Hyperloop
One, these capsules will, “... glide silently for miles with no
turbulence” using an electric motor that levitates the capsule
through its tube [16].
Overall, Hyperloop One makes the seemingly futuristic
prospect of Hyperloop commercialization an attainable reality
in the near future. The company officially tested its electric
propulsion motor in May 2016, while having tested its entire
Hyperloop system earlier this year [16]. In addition to the
United Arab Emirates, Hyperloop infrastructure and routes
are currently being cultivated in four other countries,
including Russia and the United States. Ideally, commercial
Hyperloops could transport freight by the year 2020, while
passenger travel could follow closely behind in 2021 [16].
Specific Application: Pittsburgh to Chicago
The prospect of employing a Hyperloop to conjoin the two
metropolitan districts of Chicago and Pittsburgh further
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delineates the Hyperloop on a local, comprehensible level.
The concept of erecting a regional Hyperloop throughout
the mid-western United States originated as an entry in
Hyperloop One’s Global Challenge [19]. This competition,
which was organized by Hyperloop One in response to the
recent rise in Hyperloop relevance and popularity, intends to
identify new regions where Hyperloop infrastructures can
exist. These new infrastructural locations would be an
addition to the five countries where Hyperloop One already
has developments of Hyperloop framework in progress [20].
Unlike the above-mentioned SpaceX Hyperloop Pod
Competition, which judges engineering design and
advancements in Hyperloop technology, this Global
Challenge encourages regional planning commissions to
make their best case regarding why and how a Hyperloop
would be effective in that location [20].
“Hyperloop One is seeking to collaborate with applicants
who most powerfully make the case for how Hyperloop
would not only transform passenger and cargo transport in
their locations, but also how that Hyperloop transformation
will drive economic growth, generate opportunities for
development, and create radically new opportunities for
people to live anywhere, work anywhere, and be anywhere”
[20].
Specifically, the local Mid-Ohio Regional Planning
Commission (MORPC) compiled a comprehensive proposal
for submission as an entry within this Global Challenge. This
proposition, which outlines the high demand for a Hyperloop
infrastructure to improve the interconnectedness of the east
(Pittsburgh) and mid-west (Chicago) via Columbus, Ohio,
will be among the 35 semifinalists to compete in the Global
Challenge showcase events later this year [19]. Essentially,
binding Pittsburgh and Chicago with a Hyperloop reduces
travel time from 11.5 hours in a car or 90 minutes in a
commercial airline, to merely a 30 minute commute [21]. The
MORPC will continually develop and adapt this proposal
with the assistance of both public and private institutions in
preparation for the upcoming phases of the contest, which
incorporates models, maps, videos, renderings, and talks of
infrastructural design and application [19].
Ultimately, the evolution of a Hyperloop infrastructure
between Pittsburgh and Chicago would make a daily
commute between the two cities feasible to the point that
individuals could realistically live in Pittsburgh and work in
Chicago, and vice versa.
Self-Powering Capability
An impressive attribute of the Hyperloop is how it can
virtually power itself, producing more energy than what is
required to run the system. As previously stated, Elon Musk’s
Hyperloop Alpha publication illustrates the Hyperloop’s
tubular structure as being coated in solar panels. These solar
panels have the capacity to transform renewable solar energy
into either electrical energy or energy in the form of
compressed air to propel the Hyperloop [10].
According to Musk, situating solar panels along the
Hyperloop’s tube, “... takes into account storing enough
energy in battery packs to operate at night and for periods of
extended cloudy weather. The energy could also be stored in
the form of compressed air that then runs an electric fan in
reverse to generate energy” [10].
Built-in rechargeable battery arrays further enable the
Hyperloop to generate and store its own energy. Each
passenger capsule is equipped with over 5,000 pounds of
batteries. These extensive arrays allow the compressor motor,
capsule systems, and coolant to operate at levels so efficient
that, “… launching one capsule only uses 0.1% of the total
energy” [10]. The battery power is contained within each
capsule, as opposed to in the tubing, which prevents external
electricity (which requires an additional DC/DC converter) or
nonrenewable energy (such as gasoline) to be utilized as a
power source. Therefore, avoiding the use of detrimental
forms of inefficient energy solidifies the Hyperloop as being
sustainable and environmentally friendly.
Essentially, the ability of these solar panels and batteries
to generate renewable energy and store it allows the
Hyperloop to produce a significantly greater magnitude of
energy than what it requires to function; this classifies the
Hyperloop as exceptionally energy efficient [10].
Lowest Energy Output Among Several Types of
Transportation
The Hyperloop also demonstrates remarkable energy
efficiency by having the lowest energy output when compared
to numerous types of public transportation. Both the
Passenger and Vehicle Hyperloops exhibit lower rates of
energy per passenger than any other form of public
transportation (the Passenger-plus-Vehicle Hyperloop not
only carries people, but also their cars). More specifically, the
Passenger-plus-Vehicle Hyperloop expends just under 250
mega Joules (MJ) of energy per passenger per trip, while the
Passenger-only Hyperloop consumes only 50 MJ per
passenger per trip. The next closest transportation system with
regard to energy efficiency is the Tesla Model S automobile,
also devised by Elon Musk, which uses almost 300 MJ in
energy. This exceeds both the Passenger Hyperloop, by 250
MJ, and the Passenger-plus-Vehicle Hyperloop by 50 MJ of
energy [10].
ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF THE
HYPERLOOP
Both the Hyperloop’s energy efficiency and minimal
environmental disturbance contribute to the transportation
system’s effective infrastructure. The Hyperloop plans to
demonstrate self-powering capabilities, while potentially
having the lowest energy consumption rate, making it one of
the most sustainable transit apparatuses to ever exist.
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FIGURE 4 [10]
Elon Musk’s proposed Hyperloop route from San
Francisco to Los Angeles
For instance, the map of Elon Musk’s hypothetical
Hyperloop route between Los Angeles and San Francisco, as
shown above in Figure 4, illustrates the generally straight
direction of the Hyperloop’s infrastructure. Typically, the
Hyperloop’s track cannot contain any sharp turns or steep
inclines due to the dangers of high gravitational forces (gforces) that are induced by the sudden changes in trajectory at
these high speeds. Elon Musk and his engineers precisely
designed the tunnel system to never incline or curve at angles
which would exceed one g-force on the capsule. This ensures
that the g-force remains negligible to passengers, allowing for
the safest, most comfortable ride experience.
The Hyperloop sustains this direct pathway by closely
paralleling the route of the highway with slight deviations that
can marginally interfere with farmlands. However, Musk
asserts that the Hyperloop’s disruption to farmland when this
deviation arises will be minimal [10].
The columns will be similar in diameter to that of a tree
and will occur every 100 feet. In comparison to that of
protruding railroad tracks, which divide the terrain in half, the
Hyperloop’s modest contact with the ground will have a
minor impact on the environment. Likewise, the Hyperloop’s
physical infrastructure of tubes and pylons are strategically
designed to keep cost and material usage to a minimum [10].
FIGURE 3 [10]
Graph comparing energy uses of common types of
transportation
To put this high degree of energy efficiency into
perspective, the energy output of a train, the most comparable
transportation system to the Hyperloop within Musk’s
Hyperloop Alpha document, exceeds 850 MJ of power per
passenger. This energy output is approximately three and a
half times greater than that of the Passenger-plus-Vehicle
Hyperloop, while being 17 times greater than the Passengeronly Hyperloop. Therefore, the Hyperloop’s minimal rate of
energy dissipation is superior to other types of transportation,
thus differentiating it as the most sustainable, efficient transit
mechanism of the modern world [10].
Minimal Environmental Disturbance
The Hyperloop also creates minimal environmental
disruption, which reinforces its energy efficient
infrastructure. Although the infrastructural design of the
Hyperloop tends to align with existing highway routes, the
transportation system occasionally needs to stray from the
highway in order to maintain a relatively straight path that
avoids sharp turns at high speeds.
ECONOMIC PROPOSAL OF THE
HYPERLOOP
Domestically, the greatest obstacle that the Hyperloop
project must overcome before any construction can begin is
fulfilling the enormous demand for funding. Elon Musk has
devoted a considerable amount of time and funding to this
venture through his two leading-edge businesses, SpaceX and
Tesla Motors. Recognition for the Hyperloop has increased,
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and new investors have jumped onto the bandwagon - in the
past year, over 100,000,000 dollars has been allocated to the
Hyperloop budget. With this respectable allocation of money,
a sufficient foundation of research and testing can be
accomplished; although this is miniscule compared to the
funding that will be exhausted in the entire project. The
ultimate budget, six billion dollars, is 60 times more than the
current financing [10].
The infrastructure of the extensive, vacuum sealed tube is
undoubtedly the most expensive component of the
Hyperloop, costing 5.4 of the 6 billion-dollar budget.
Unfortunately, this figure cannot be reduced due to the vast
expansiveness of the tubing that must be constructed [10].
because solar panels located above the tubes would generate
more electricity than would be required to run the Hyperloop,
the system would essentially operate using free electricity
[10].
Barring the unforeseen, the Hyperloop is expected to
return profits within 20 years.
EVALUATING THE HYPERLOOP’S
SIGNIFICANCE IN CIVIL ENGINEERING
The Hyperloop would undeniably be one of the largest
man-made structures of this century, leading critics to doubt
its plausibility. A project of this magnitude will certainly
produce numerous concerns, though Elon Musk is confident
that his prestigious engineers will resolve these issues before
construction is launched.
Safety of the Hyperloop
The success of any publicly accessible transportation
system is fully dependent on the mechanism’s reliability and
the requisite safety precautions to protect passengers from
injury or death. The Hyperloop will feature an array of stateof-the-art systems to provide the customer with a sound,
untroubled experience.
The most daunting scenario on which skeptics primarily
focus is the hazard of a hole materializing on the external tube,
assuming it would be catastrophic [24]. This simply is not
true. Because the Hyperloop is an airtight tube with a vacuum
pressure of less than a hundredth of that of the atmosphere, a
puncture in the solid steel tube would exert a force into the
tunnel, increasing the air pressure until it was identical to the
atmosphere. The autonomous system’s sensors in place along
the tube would recognize the sudden inflation of pressure and
respond promptly. The only consequence the passengers
might suffer would be inconvenience as the vehicle gradually
decelerates. It will then continue its route to the Hyperloop
One station at a prolonged rate (to prevent errors from the
additional rise in air pressure) [10].
A subsequent dispute, although the inverse of the
previous dilemma, would be the capsule developing a rupture
by an unknown mean [24]. Despite the impossibility of this
occurring, skeptics revert to this debacle in pursuit of refuting
the Hyperloop’s viability. However, engineers have designed
provisions for this incident as well. The pod will consist of
two lithium ion batteries that power a compressed air
reservoir that will maintain the air pressure for the remainder
of the commute. Oxygen masks will also deploy similar to
those on an airplane. This will ensure the passengers receive
a sustainable oxygen supply [10].
According to Elon Musk, “capsules travel in a carefully
controlled and maintained tube environment. The system is
immune to wind, ice, fog, and rain. The propulsion system is
integrated into the tube and can only accelerate the capsule to
speeds that are safe in each section. With human control error
FIGURE 5 [10]
Estimated costs of manufacturing and development
Regarding ticket prices for a Hyperloop from San
Francisco to Los Angeles, a one-way, 350 mile commute
ticket would cost 20 dollars [22]. This price suggests that the
Hyperloop would be a premium commuting service;
however, when calculating the cost per mile, a bus ticket is
the equivalent of a 25 to 30 dollar fare [23]. Additionally, a
bus would take eight grueling hours to travel this distance and
remarkably, it would only take a traveler 35 minutes to take
the same trip in the Hyperloop. Contrasting the two
transportation systems side by side yields an undeniable
winner, the faster and more economical Hyperloop. Not only
is the ticket price reasonable, rapid commute times also
increase the Hyperloop’s appeal when compared to other
modes of transportation [22].
Elon Musk’s proposed mechanism to maximize efficiency
at the Hyperloop station could support a rate of one train
departing every 30 seconds, with each capsule having the
ability to hold 28 passengers. This suggests a prospective
total of approximately 15 million people per year. With each
customer paying 20 dollars per one way trip, the Hyperloop
would annually gross 300 million dollars. In addition,
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connecting Pittsburgh and Chicago — arose as a competitive
proposal for Hyperloop One, the company commercializing
the Hyperloop for profitable ends.
Ecological and environmental issues regarding the
Hyperloop will be overcome by the Hyperloop’s sustainable
ability to produce excessive energy to virtually power itself.
The Hyperloop also imposes minimal disruption to farmlands
and natural landscapes when its path deviates from the main
highway. Likewise, economical concerns are addressed
through Musk’s method to optimize Hyperloop construction
output by minimizing cost.
Most importantly, the Hyperloop’s ability to refute
skeptics and their counter arguments about its safety,
economic feasibility, and environmental concerns solidifies
its tremendous capability to come to fruition promptly.
Therefore, we will hopefully see a Hyperloop in the near
future.
and unpredictable weather removed from the system, very
few safety concerns remain” [10].
Environmental Concerns
An even more complicated issue frequently brought up has
been the compensation for thermal expansion in the tubing.
Thermal expansion transpires from the steel expanding and
contracting on a microscopic level as the climate surrounding
the Hyperloop shifts seasonally. Although microscopic on a
small-scale prototype, this distortion of the steel creates a
serious issue over several hundreds of miles, generating an
estimated shift in 500 feet of steel tubing. To account for this,
the end points of the Hyperloop would collapse or telescope
outward, resembling that of an accordion, in order to
accommodate the fluctuation in length [10].
Furthermore, the tubing will not be fastened to the pylons,
allowing it to deviate slightly from its regular positioning to
accommodate the dimensional variation. The unconstrained
joints’ free motion also prevents earthquakes from damaging
or fracturing the tube or pylons [10].
SOURCES
[1] A. Hawkings. “MIT Wins SpaceX’s Hyperloop
Competition, and Elon Musk Makes a Cameo.” The Verge.
1.30.2016.
Accessed
2.23.2017.
http://www.theverge.com/2016/1/30/10877442/elon-muskspacex-hyperloop-competition-awards.
[2] “SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition II Rules and
Requirements.” SpaceX. 8.31.2016. Accessed 2.23.2017.
http://www.spacex.com/sites/spacex/files/2016_0831_hyperl
oop_competition_ii_rules.pdf.
[3] D. Muoio. “Here Are the Big Winners of Elon Musk’s
Hyperloop Pod Competition.” Business Insider. 1.30.2017.
Accessed 2.23.2017.
http://nordic.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-spacexhyperloop-results-first-phase-2017-1/.
[4] D. Muoio. “Elon Musk’s Hyperloop Contest is Happening
This Weekend - Here’s a Look at All the Competing Pods.”
Business Insider. 1.27.2017. Accessed 2.23.2017.
http://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-hyperloopcompetitions-teams-2017-1.
[5] D. Templeton. “CMU Team’s High-Speed Transit Idea to
Get a Test In SpaceX Competition.” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
1.23.2017.
Accessed
2.23.2017.
http://www.postgazette.com/news/science/2017/01/23/CMU-team-s-highspeed-transit-idea-to-get-a-test-in-SpaceXcompetition/stories/201701160132.
[6] Z. Alkhalisi. “Hyperloop’s First Track Could be Built in
Dubai.” CNN Tech. 11.8.2016. Accessed 2.23.2017.
http://money.cnn.com/2016/11/08/technology/hyperloopdubai-abu-dhabi/.
[7] “Travel from Pittsburgh to Columbus, Ohio, in 15
Minutes.” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 1.11.2017. Accessed
2.24.2017.
http://www.postgazette.com/news/transportation/2017/01/11/Travel-fromPittsburgh-to-Columbus-Ohio-in-15-
Hyperloop Funding
The most futile assertion critics gravitate toward is Elon
Musk’s 6.5 billion-dollar assessment of the Hyperloop.
Pessimists postulate the overall cost will be well over the
estimate Elon Musk delivered in his Hyperloop Alpha paper
[24]. The reviewers fabricating these blatant claims without
having any tangible evidence tend to have limited knowledge
of the subject and make objections for publicity purposes.
Furthermore, the Hyperloop Alpha proposal consists of an
extra half billion dollars to justify the budget with an
incorporated margin of error [10].
Solutions to Remaining Issues
The Hyperloop, being an open source, independent project
to which anyone can contribute suggestions, is constantly
progressing into a safer, cheaper, and more energy efficient
mode of transportation. Additionally, because Hyperloop One
has not settled on a final design, any unexplored problem that
is encountered during experimentation can be corrected.
REAFFIRMING THE HYPERLOOP’S
VIABILITY
Essentially, the Hyperloop signifies a seemingly futuristic
form of transportation that remarkably demonstrates a
realistic probability of existing within the near future. The
transit system’s complex technological mechanics and
innerworkings contribute to its overall infrastructural layout,
consisting of extensive networks of capsules within tubes.
One particular instance of this infrastructure — a Hyperloop
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CA from $17.50.” Greyhound. Accessed 2.23.2017.
http://locations.greyhound.com/bus-routes/destination/losangeles-ca/san-francisco-ca#searchResultsContainer.
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Musk’s Hyperloop.” The Daily Caller. 7.26.2016. Accessed
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We have immense gratitude toward our parents for
providing us the opportunity to attend college and get an
education. When it comes to this paper, we would like to
thank Sandra Och and Linda Price for carefully proofreading
our writing while offering constructive suggestions to ensure
the best possible paper. We would also like to extend thanks
to our friends for their support and understanding throughout
this entire writing process.
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