Architecture Commons^™

Reciprocal Frames: The Flat Beam Grillage, Cesar Noe Jimenez Ramirez, Nicholas Sowatzke

Architectural Engineering

This report follows the pursuit of attaining information and researching academic resources regarding the elusive reciprocal frame structures throughout history, in particular the flat beam grillage. In the following pages, the reader should expect to learn about reciprocal frames in a historical context throughout the globe, as well as, gain insight on how to potentially analyze these frames when they span two-dimensionally. As seen in Figure 1 (Pugnale 2011) and Figure 2 (Godthelp 2019), reciprocal frame structures consist of multiple groups of three or more members that are mutually supported. Along the perimeter of the structure, the members are supported …

Use Of Precious Plastic Method Of Bricks For The Construction Of Tiny Homes, Haylie E. Tallon

Architectural Engineering

Precious Plastics, a Netherlands based company, created an open source project that can be used to create different objects from recycled plastics. The San Luis Obispo area has a large amount of recyclable plastic that is being treated as trash, adding to the pollution of the ocean and the air. This project is to determine the necessary steps to create plastic building blocks, using the Precious Plastic process, as a construction material for low-income, temporary housing. This report covers the process that was used to build two of the machines that will be used to create the bricks. This requires …

Timber Buckling Restrained Brace, Faith Sharp, Armando Castaneda Jr

Architectural Engineering

The timber buckling-restrained brace (TBRB) experiment at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly), began in 2018 with the goal of finding whether timber may provide proper restraint against buckling of a steel brace. The TBRB was motivated by the limited lateral force resisting systems (LFRS) available for low-to-mid-rise, type V construction; this system would provide strength and ductility at a scale and level of cost appropriate to timber construction.

Early research consisted of uniaxial component testing, where researchers played with the balance between the core brace design and utilization of timber casings for buckling restraint, with minimal …

Sage Garden Pavilion Shade Structure, Anthony Razouk Karroum, Manuel Bermudez, Matthew Kilbride, Sarah Holt, Marisa Martineau

Architectural Engineering

Form finding, testing, and construction of funicular double-layered shells in an interdisciplinary format with a focus on designing a shade structure for the San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden Children’s Pavilion. In the process, challenges such as connection design, materiality, storage, and more are explored and refined in relation to shell structures.

Guidelines For The Eeri Seismic Design Competition, Kate Robinson

Architectural Engineering

The Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI) has been dedicated to exposing undergraduate students to the wide range of interdisciplinary subjects related to earthquake engineering through the Seismic Design Competition. In 2022, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) sent 14 students to Salt Lake City, Utah for the competition – to compete with 31 other teams who all tackled the competition problem statement uniquely. The 2022 team was tasked with the research, design, analysis, and construction of a new structure to be built in downtown Salt Lake City, with the goal of replicating the design sequence of real-world …

Structural Design Of A New Reaction Frame For High Bay Laboratory, Cassidy A. Sutton, Adelaide Albro

Architectural Engineering

The Cal Poly High Bay Testing Lab recently acquired hydraulic actuators for structural testing. The actuators are used for performing force and displacement tests on structural specimens designed and built by students and faculty. The existing frame that the old actuators mount to did not have enough capacity to accommodate the amount of force that the new actuators are capable of. New reaction frames were needed to be designed and constructed so the new actuators could be used to their full potential. The following report explores two different options for possible reaction frames in the lab. Both options have a …

Center For Centering: Analysis Of A Modular Timber Dome, Lucas J. Brown

Architectural Engineering

Analysis of a modular timber dome with focus on inductive, sensory, social, and environmental aspects.

Same Polytechnic College Tanzania Build 2022, Paulina Robles, Anna Yamauchi, Surina Marwaha, Tia Kelly, Dillon Schneider, Audrey Hoang, Connor Gilligan, Jennifer Viveros, Jenna Beutelschies, Robert Hardwick

Architectural Engineering

In collaboration with The Mbesese Initiative for Sustainable Design, the Cal Poly senior project team has designed, engineered, and prepared construction documents for a new vocational training college in Same, Tanzania, a rural area in the Mt. Kilimanjaro region. Upon its completion, the college will offer quality and practical educational opportunities for up to 1,200 students; in the interim, individual structures will be occupied immediately, adding value to the community throughout the construction process. The campus will house continuing educational programs, sports and agriculture fields, as well as hotels and other community-facing structures.

Population Growth Vs. Landfill Capacity Vs. Recycling Mandates In California Counties, Thomas Soares

Architectural Engineering

As population growth increases in Monterey, Fresno, Kern, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties, so does waste production. More waste is a cause for concern because landfills have limited capacities. In order to combat the increase in waste, cities, counties, and the state are creating recycling mandates to ensure waste is being handled appropriately. More specifically, the trash generated by residents and construction and demolition (C&D) materials are being recycled and reused instead of thrown into landfills. This report indicates that increases in recycling mandates in California cannot withstand the increase in waste generation from population growth. Another …

Guastavino: Learn By Doweling, Audrey Luu, Gabrielle Favro, Robert Pulido, Cameron Grant

Architectural Engineering

We embarked on a journey into the world of shells this quarter! We began the process with form finding using rhino and grasshopper. Then made a study model using laser cutters to brainstorm ways to construct the real-life model. As a class, we completed two shell structures.

Development Of The Human Scale Twelve-Node Model, Tebrez W. Khan

Architectural Engineering

The attempted creation of a full-scale twelve-node model made of PVC pipe and golf balls. Intended use of the structure was for students to tactically learn from the model.

Funicular Shell Exploration: Form Finding And Fabrication, Alexis Truong, Adria Burton, Ethan Mach

Architectural Engineering

Analysis and evaluation of interdisciplinary challenges associated with integrating the design and construction processes to deliver innovative thin shell structures.

Arce 415 Portfolio, Jay Skaff, Audrey Williams, Sarah Tom

Architectural Engineering

The purpose of this studio is to design a sun shelter for children at the SLO Botanical Gardens. It will be used for outdoor presentations and learning experiences. When coming up with the initial design of the shell structure for the SLO Botanical Gardens, the team needed to consider the material being used, the constructability of the structure, the people who would be using the structure, and the overall lifespan of the shell.

Team Torroja, Justine Teoh, Lindsey Brophy, Brandon Watrin

Architectural Engineering

For this project, we were tasked with designing a sun shelter by SLO Botanical Gardens for their Children's Garden. It was requested that the form by derived from structural shells. The structure is to serve as a multi-purpose space to host a variety of activities on the 30 foot by 60 foot site.