Architectural Engineering Commons^™

Outdoor Exercise Area Renovation, Hagan T. Jackson, Chet S. Crummett, Jesse E. Muth

Architectural Engineering

The Outdoor Exercise Area Renovation project revitalizes a well-used outdoor exercise area located near the baseball fields at Cal Poly. The existing exercise equipment, originally donated by Maino Construction, was weathered, but the area remained well-utilized and presented potential for revitalization. This project transforms the site into a functional and resilient space by replacing the pull-up and dip bar equipment, constructing a 300 square foot pavilion, and adding a concrete slab and integrated concrete benches. The new design enhances usability, providing a multifunctional area for the Cal Poly community to exercise, socialize, relax, and enjoy scenic views.

The renovated area …

Untold Stories Bench Project, Elijah Labb

Architectural Engineering

No abstract provided.

Cementing Co2 Into C-S-H: A Step Toward Carbon Neutrality, Or A Step In The Wrong Direction?, John Reilly Benn, Tahne Larson

Architectural Engineering

As greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, many in the construction industry are looking for sustainable solutions to reduce its carbon footprint. One of the biggest contributors to atmospheric CO2 comes from cement production. In 2023, researchers at MIT explored ways to enhance concrete’s natural ability to act as a carbon sink. Concrete does this unassisted through a chemical reaction called carbonation, by which atmospheric carbon bonds to key components in cement. The researchers at MIT proposed a process of early-stage forced carbonation, which can be induced by the addition of NaHCO3 into a standard concrete mix. Sodium bicarbonate, or …

Physical Construction Of 1/2 Scale Concrete Wall, Alicia Danielle Lee, Cali Jeanne Carson

Architectural Engineering

This senior project was the physical construction and material testing of the half-scale reinforced concrete wall specimens. This included all stages of the building process, from formwork and reinforcement to concrete placement and laboratory testing.

The Xenaform, Cassadie J. Golding

Architectural Engineering

The XenaForm explores how complex, expressive structures can emerge from simple, low-tech construction methods using principles of parametric design and structural geometry. By combining folded plate techniques with modular tetrahedral components, the project bridges high-tech digital modeling and hands-on physical fabrication. The result is a lightweight, buildable system that reclaims the engineer’s role as a form-finder.

C.H.I.I.P., Continuous Health Information For Infrastructure Protection, Lariel Sasha Henley

Architectural Engineering

This paper presents the development and validation of CHIIP (Continuous Health Information for Infrastructure Protection), a wireless structural health monitoring (SHM) device designed to provide accessible, real-time data on structural performance of building structures following a seismic event. The system integrates inclinometers, accelerometers, linear potentiometers, and strain gauges with ESP32 microcontrollers to create a compact and robust data collection device that can transmit synchronized sensor data via Wi-Fi to a remote server. A web-based interface enables users to access and download live data for rapid structural evaluation. The device was tested in three phases: a small-scale wired baseline test, a …

Concrete Mix Designs With Shrinkage Reducing Admixture, Beau Usry, Julio Munoz Tanaka

Architectural Engineering

The goal of this project was to explore how shrinkage-reducing admixtures (SRAs) affect the strength and overall performance of concrete. While SRAs are typically used to help reduce shrinkage and cracking, it is less common to see how they might affect compressive strength directly. To test this, three different concrete mixes were made: a control mix with no admixture, one mix with 1% SRA, and another with 3% SRA. The idea was to compare how each mix performed under the same testing conditions.

Architectural Engineering Institute: International Student Design Competition 2025, Alexandra Marie Kersting, Alec Thomas Gibbs, Haley Francesca Sousa, Kline Genevieve Nickel

Architectural Engineering

The AEI International Student Design Competition is an annual competition held by the Architectural Engineering Institute that aims to replicate an integrated building design process. The 2025 Cal Poly team consisted of 4 Architectural Engineering students, each competing in the Structural and Integration disciplines. The team was provided a set of architectural drawings and a 3D architectural Revit model of Carson Headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska. The team was tasked with the creation of a complete structural design as well as a discussion of integration of other building design disciplines.

Modal Analysis Of Cal Poly’S Kennedy Library Using Computational Modeling, Joseph Mangan

Architectural Engineering

This project determines the modal parameters of the Robert E. Kennedy Library at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo using ETABS. Similar analyses on the building have been performed in the past by other Architectural Engineering students. The recent renovation of the library which included a seismic retrofit provides the opportunity to understand how the modal response of concrete structures can be influenced by retrofit practices. This project provides insight into how computational modeling can be used to accurately represent real conditions, and how isolated changes from the retrofit affect the structure’s modal response.

The Third Annual Hasslein Caed Collaborative, Marianne Nicole Bishai

Construction Management

This paper details the planning, development, and impact of the third annual Hasslein CAED Collaborative Student Competition. The intention of the Hasslein Cup is to engage the students of the five College of Architecture and Environmental Design (CAED) majors in an industry-like scenario. The five majors, Architecture, Architectural Engineering, City and Regional Planning, Construction Management, and Landscape Architecture, make up the workforce of the construction industry, yet there has been very little opportunity for the students to work together and replicate a professional scenario. The competition began from research conducted by Greta Stout, class of 2022, which explored the benefits …

Building Ecologies: Maintaining Land, Working With Wood, Taylor Jais

Masters Theses

This thesis critiques contemporary architecture and building practices for their fundamentally unsustainable and place-less assemblies that rely on extracting finite resources that generate significant emissions while simultaneously neglecting to consider the needs and existence of humans and non-human species with in the built environment. Through experimental material research that diverts “wood” waste streams and integrates land and multispecies care, this work demonstrates how maintenance-based approaches to construction can transform built assemblies into ecological systems. By deconstructing wood to its cellular components and recombining these elements in novel ways, this research reveals possibilities for collaborative, materials-driven, place-based building practices. This thesis …

A Circular Economy Framework For Reducing Construction Waste During The Design Process In Egyptian Architectural Design Firms, Ayman Ahmed Ezzat Othman, Abeer Ahmed Kamel, Fatma Othman Alamoudy

Architectural Engineering

Purpose – Construction waste drivers, amplified by the linear economy model, contribute significantly to resource consumption and waste generation across various phases of the construction process. Recognizing the critical influence of the design process on these outcomes, this study aims to develop a framework integrating circular economy to reduce construction waste and promote sustainable practices during the design process within architectural design firms in Egypt.

Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative and quantitative research approach was used to accomplish four objectives. A comprehensive literature review explored the concepts of construction waste, the design process, the circular economy and Egypt’s Sustainable Development Strategy …

Hydroponic Green Walls As A Sustainable Solution For Thermal Comfort And Energy Efficiency In Office Buildings, Hosam Abd El-Aziz Amr, Maya Hisham Fathy

Architectural Engineering

Since Egypt is urbanizing rapidly, office buildings suffer from severe thermal comfort and energy efficiency issues. Poor insulation and high temperatures result in heavy energy consumption in cooling. This study proposes the application of hydroponic green walls to enhance thermal performance and aesthetics in urban office buildings. With these exterior walls integrated into building facades, issues of heavy energy consumption due to poor insulation and high temperatures are resolved. Hydroponic green walls not only enhance insulation and energy consumption but also render working conditions greener and more productive. Both qualitative and quantitative methods are employed by this study in evaluating …

Research On The Positioning Models And Elemental Guarantees Of Convention And Exhibition Buildings In Small And Medium-Sized Cities: Based On Empirical Case Studies, Yuchen Xie, Jianhe Luo, Peng Du

College of Architecture and the Built Environment Faculty Papers

With industrial upgrading and increasingly diversified urban functions in small and medium-sized cities in China, the demand for convention and exhibition buildings has been steadily rising. However, current research mainly focuses on the planning and operation of such buildings in large cities, with a lack of systematic and targeted studies on small and medium-sized cities that have relatively limited resources and varied development orientations. According to data collection and field surveys of convention and exhibition buildings in 148 small and medium-sized cities nationwide, this paper constructs a case database and conducts in-depth research on building types and factor guarantee mechanisms. …

Identifying Barriers, Challenges And Opportunities Of Implementing Retrofitting Strategies In Existing Buildings In The Uae, Ahmad Ghalib Masri

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

The UAE’s built environment significantly impacts sustainability due to its high energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, necessitating effective retrofitting strategies to improve the efficiency and performance of aging buildings. This research aims to identify the barriers, challenges, and opportunities associated with implementing retrofitting strategies in the UAE, providing insights to guide policymakers and stakeholders toward sustainable practices. A mixed-method approach was adopted, including comprehensive literature reviews, stakeholder surveys, and interviews. The results reveal significant barriers such as high upfront costs (reported by 68% of respondents), limited awareness among building owners (54%), and fragmented regulations, including inconsistencies in thermal insulation …

Performative Biomechanics : Evolving Buildings Into Inhabitable Organisms, Josh Lopez

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

There has always been a connection between biology and architecture. Michael Pawlyn, in Biomimicry in Architecture, coined “biomechanical designs” to describe structural techniques derived from creatures. This study investigates chitin-based creatures. Crustaceans, insects, and microscopic organisms all have exoskeletons in nature. With a focus on crabs, other crustaceans and bugs, this study examines and evaluates the formal characteristics of chitin-based organisms. The architectural creations of OXMAN, NOX, which was founded by Lars Spuybroek; and Lebbeus Woods are among those that are analyzed and studied due to their inspiration from living things. They follow functional effectiveness in nature, which is why …

Introduction To Building Energy Modeling And Analysis Using Energyplus, Jackson C. Burnett

Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Retail stores are dynamic environments where human activities significantly influence energy consumption patterns, particularly affecting heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) demands. Existing energy models, such as those developed using EnergyPlus, often rely on generalized assumptions about human occupancy and behavior, leading to discrepancies between predicted and actual energy usage. This research aimed to enhance the accuracy of energy modeling for retail stores by conducting a sensitivity analysis of occupancy using EnergyPlus simulations. The study investigated how variations in occupancy levels impact HVAC loads, cooling and heating demands, and overall energy use. Results showed that increasing occupancy leads to higher …

Crisis Response Hospital Physical Layout Considerations During Covid-19: A Framework For Surge Preparedness, Future Investigations, And Analysis, Golnoosh Abdolahzadeh

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This thesis investigates the intersection of hospital design and operational performance during health emergencies, explicitly focusing on layout modifications in emergency departments. The study is structured around four key components. First, it explores hospitals' significant challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic through data collected from interviews with Nebraska hospital leaders. Second, the research introduces a surge-based conceptual framework to guide hospital responses during crisis events. Developed from empirical data, the framework highlights the importance of flexible spatial planning and information-driven decision-making. Third, the study focuses on hospital physical layout considerations, identifying features that either supported or hindered Nebraska hospital operations during …

Dr. Eve Hinman, A Pioneer In The Protective Design Industry, Ily Michi Nelson, Ellen Elizabeth Untalan, Lani Ku'ulei Alo

Architectural Engineering

This senior project carries on prior work to develop an educational material on the notable female protective design engineer Dr. Eve Hinman, initiated by Cal Poly Architectural Engineering students Michelle Dennin and Paulina Robles in collaboration with faculty member Dr. Anahid Behrouzi. To gain a deeper understanding of Dr. Eve Hinman’s impact on the industry, the project team conducted extensive research into her career including interviews with former employees of the firm that she founded and led, Hinman Consulting Engineers (HCE), and an analysis of the recently acquired collection of library material gifted by HCE to Cal Poly. After completing …

Modeling Degradation In Li-Ion Batteries: Analyzing Single-Cell Degradation And Applying It To Customized Pack-Level, Mohannad Y. Alkhalil

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The rapid expansion of lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery applications in areas such as electric vehicles (EVs), renewable energy storage, and portable electronics has drawn attention to the need for improving their performance, safety, and longevity. As Li-ion batteries become essential across technologies, understanding degradation mechanisms is critical for optimizing design and ensuring reliable operation. This work provides a detailed overview of modeling degradation in Li-ion batteries, focusing on single-cell behavior and its implications for pack-level performance.

The PyBaMM (Python Battery Mathematical Modeling) package, an open-source battery simulation tool written in Python, is used for single-cell simulations. Liionpack, another Python-based library, is …