Engineering Commons^™

Control Charts As A Productivity Improvement Tool In Construction, Jospeh Hubert Ault

Purdue Polytechnic Masters Theses

This study examined the use of individuals control charts to facilitate the productivity improvement of repetitive construction processes. Cycles times for excavation, forming, and reinforcing processes were observed using stratified random sampling during the construction of six residential home foundations. The cycle time information was plotted on control charts followed by an intervention, with the applicable crew members and management, to analyze the charts and propose solutions to any problems identified. Following the intervention, more samples were collected for comparison to the baseline observations collected before the intervention. The mean cycle times were compared before and after the interventions using …

Opportunity Lost: Mismanagment Of The Closeout Phase Of Construction Projects, Jared Rogers

Purdue Polytechnic Masters Theses

In nearly every construction project, completing the project on time is one of the most critical things for everyone involved. Late project completion causes a wide variety of complications for the entire project team. This paper seeks to identify some of the causes for delay in the last phase of construction projects: the closeout phase.

Original research was conducted to gather input from construction industry professionals about their experiences with the closeout phase of projects. Factors perceived to cause closeout delay were identified, along with perceptions about the closeout performance of survey participant’s firms. The research validated the study’s premise …

Utilizing Technology To Increase The Recycled Content Of Asphalt Mix Designs, Nicholas Ricketts

Purdue Polytechnic Masters Theses

This directed project examined the idea that increasing the amount of recycled asphalt product in road construction will result in a comparable performance to the current levels of recycled asphalt product in today’s pavement. A critical review of literature is structured in four areas: describing the need (financial and environmental) for the increased use of recycled materials, describing how others have addressed the issue and technology needed for increasing the use of recycled content, describing how some contractors have created the technology needed, and finally describing the direction needed in order to encourage customers and government agencies to embrace the …

How Much Do U.S. University Students Know, And Want To Know, About Sustainability And Green Building? The Findings Of A Survey, And Possible Implications For General Elective Curricula., Jeremy R. Farner

Purdue Polytechnic Masters Theses

Using the survey approach, this investigation examined the attitudes and interest of college students at two universities in different geographic locations within the United States. Approximately 24,000 students from all disciplines and majors at Weber State University (WSU) in Utah, and 4,000 at Purdue University in Indiana, were invited to participate in a study to determine current knowledge, familiarity, and interest in topics within the sustainability and Green Building educational arena. The goal of this study was to determine what students already know, would like to know, and how much interest there would be in developing …

How Much Do U.S. University Students Know, And Want To Know, About Sustainability And Green Building? The Findings Of A Survey, And Possible Implications For General Elective Curriculum., Jeremy R. Farner

Purdue Polytechnic Masters Theses

Using the survey approach, this investigation examined the attitudes and interest of college students at two universities in different geographic locations within the United States. Approximately 24,000 students from all disciplines and majors at Weber State University (WSU) in Utah, and 4,000 at Purdue University in Indiana, were invited to participate in a study to determine current knowledge, familiarity, and interest in topics within the sustainability and Green Building educational arena. The goal of this study was to determine what students already know, would like to know, and how much interest there would be in developing …

Sustainable Design Optimization Of Rural Houses In North China, Mingliang Li

Purdue Polytechnic Masters Theses

With the rapid economic development of China, the living standards in rural areas have been experiencing improvement over the past two decades. One important aspect of the improved living standards is housing, which has been transformed from traditional adobe or stone structures into modern brick and concrete ones. In the meantime, active heating and cooling systems are gradually being incorporated and residents are requiring more comfortable indoor air temperatures during cold winters and hot summers. However, most rural houses have no insulation in their exterior walls and roofs. The question is whether or not it is economically viable to build …