Construction Engineering Commons^™

A First Model Foundation Design Of Wood Pillar In Banjarmasin Swampland, Nursyarif Agusniansyah, Gusti Novi Sarbini, Akbar Rahman, Muhammad Tharziansyah

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Banjarmasin's swampland presents distinct characteristics that make it suitable for constructing homes, but it also requires special attention, especially concerning the foundation. The soil in this area often has extremely low carrying capacity, which poses a significant challenge for construction. Mistakes in choosing construction materials, coupled with mismatched building loads and inadequate foundation functions, often result in foundation failures—a common cause of building collapses. As the complexity and functionality of buildings increase, the need for more thoughtful house design becomes more crucial. The commonly used wooden pile foundation, while popular, has limited load-bearing capacity, necessitating modifications to enhance its strength. …

Green Project Finance For Infrastructure And Building Construction: Instruments And Benchmarks, Yunping Liang

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

It is counterintuitive that both the practice and research on green project finance for infrastructure and building construction are ascendant and still have limited precedents, considering that individually, the two parts (i.e., project finance and sustainability in the built environment) are both familiar to the communities. To narrow the gap and facilitate the financing of the built environment’s sustainable transformation, this study systematically reviews the common instruments for financing green infrastructure and building projects. Benchmarking questions distinguishing the profile of green project finance from common construction project finance are developed based on the literature review and then are used for …

Business Model Evaluation Of Renewable Energy Community In Multi Unit Residential Building In Canada Net Metering, Considering The Regulatory Framework, Ownership And Organizational Structure, Zahra Keshavarz Moraveji, Yunping Liang, Ursula Eicker

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

Renewable Energy Community (REC) is an emerging concept that empowers local customers to generate decentralized renewable energy. Integrating RECs into the building industry presents a promising opportunity to support the transition toward net-zero cities. However, the viability of RECs depends on regional regulatory frameworks, permitted governance structures, and very importantly, business models. Compared to pioneering European countries, Canada lacks the regulatory support needed to fully enable REC. This paper proposes and evaluates various business models for potential REC implementations under Canada's existing regulatory constraints. The analyzed models focus on "behind-the-meter" electricity distribution, a multi-stakeholder type of REC, where generation occurs …

Developing Entrepreneurial Mindsets In Construction Management Through Experiential Projects, Dalya Ismael

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Entrepreneurial Minded Learning (EML), a framework supported by the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN), promotes critical thinking and innovation by encouraging students to explore real-world problems through the 3Cs: Curiosity, Creating Value, and Connections. In construction management education, the focus often remains on technical skills and project execution, neglecting the development of entrepreneurial skills like adaptability, value creation, and stakeholder engagement, leaving a gap in preparing students for the challenges of the industry. To bridge this gap, micro-moment activities were introduced prior to the main project to prime students for EML-based thinking. These short, focused exercises encouraged students to solve …

Understanding Roof Systems Of Metal Buildings, Michael W. Seek, Vincent E. Sagan

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

[Introduction] A metal building is a system with complex behavior that, when properly accounted for, provides an efficient structural solution. To help the engineer properly design for this behavior, the Metal Building Manufacturers (MBMA) has recently released the Roof Framing Design Guide for Metal Building Systems, 2nd Edition (Roof Framing Design Guide).

From Equitable Access To Equitable Usage: Moving Towards Data-Driven, Evidence-Based Cycling Assets Management, Kewei Ren, Yunping Liang, Chun-Hsing Ho

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

Cycling is increasingly recognized for its wide range economic, environmental, and health benefits as a mobility option. However, disparities in the provision and the quality of bicycle infrastructure persists. Ensuring fair access and usage of these benefits for all presents a significant challenge. As a result, establishing effective methodologies to evaluate cycling equity is critically important. This paper synthesizes research on infrastructure asset management with a focus on equity considerations in bicycle infrastructure. A systematic review of 19 North American studies critically examines how existing research categorizes vulnerable populations and assesses fairness. The results reveal that most existing analyses focus …

A Digital Paradigm For Shaping Smart Sustainable New Cities In Egypt, Hayam M. Omayer, Eman H. Ayad

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Shaping the future of cities is a crucial responsibility that depends on today’s developers and designers. In light of the ongoing technological advancements across all fields, cities are obliged to harness this accelerated continuous progress to rescue from global challenges facing communities. Rapid urbanization, population growth, fragile infrastructure, and many other threatening environmental issues have prompted many governments across the world to expedite the digital transformation of cities to achieve sustainable urban progression. In Egypt, planning for smart cities is still taking its first step. Various significant economic, environmental, and social challenges are confronted. This research explores the pivotal role …

Temporal Analysis Of Construction Safety Incidents In Southeastern U.S. Using Machine Learning Techniques, Mayowa O. Oladele

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Construction safety incidents remain a significant concern, particularly in the Southeastern U.S. due to the high-risk nature of the industry. Analyzing patterns in these incidents can help improve safety practices and reduce accidents. Machine learning (ML) techniques were employed in this study to identify temporal patterns in construction safety incidents, aiming to enhance proactive safety management. The machine learning methods used in this research included logistic regression, decision trees, random forest, support vector machine (SVM), and K nearest neighbors (KNN).

The objective of the study was to analyze temporal trends in safety incidents and identify the most effective machine learningtechnique …

From Concept To Design: Managing The Development Of The Avi Ari Café At Quinta Mazatlán, Jose L. Tabarez Jr.

Honors Theses

The Avi Ari Café project represents a holistic approach to sustainable architecture and civil engineering, focusing on integrating environmental stewardship, energy efficiency, and community engagement. Located within Quinta Mazatlán, a wildlife preserves in McAllen, Texas, the café is designed to blend harmoniously with the surrounding ecosystem while offering visitors a modern, functional space. This thesis explores the design, construction, and operational strategies employed to minimize the environmental impact of the café, ensuring its sustainability both during construction and throughout its long-term operation.

The project is structured around several key objectives: reducing waste generation, conserving energy, utilizing sustainable materials, and promoting …

Restoration Of The Cantilever Deck Structure, Calvin P. Vigeant, Roger G. Biddle, Calvin S. Morgan

Architectural Engineering

The Restoration of the Cantilever Deck Structure is an inter-disciplinary project seeking to provide public safety, the continuity of a historic structure, and contribute to the life of the Poly Canyon Experimental Structures Laboratory. This project brought together architectural engineering students Roger Biddle and Calvin Vigeant and construction management student Calvin Morgan for a year long journey of Learn by Doing. The structure is visually stunning and gives the impression of a ship cresting a wave, featuring two prominent steel masts and large tapered wood beams. The deck is perched on a steep hillside site over a seasonal creek that …

Sustainable And User-Driven Scope Development Framework For Engineering Design Services Of Transportation Infrastructure Projects, Ahmad Zaki Ghafari

All Dissertations

Rapid economic growth has led to a significant increase in transportation demands, exerting unprecedented pressure on infrastructure systems in the United States. State transportation agencies play a vital role in maintaining and developing transportation infrastructure networks within their regions. State transportation agencies face immense pressure from federal and state governments, elected officials, and the public to deliver projects efficiently and within budget. State transportation agencies rely on professional consultants for engineering design services. Engineering design services for transportation infrastructure projects are delayed due to incomplete inaccurate scope. For state Department of Transportation (DOTs), a streamlined scope development process is essential …

Comparative Analysis Of Design-Build And Design-Bid-Build Project Delivery Methods Through Cost, Schedule And Quality Performance For Warehousing And Storage Facilities, Vijaya Ravi Prasanth Reddi

All Theses

Storage facilities are essential for e-commerce operations, providing inventory, distribution, and delivery space. As per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of warehousing and storage businesses in the United States increased from 15,152 in 2010 to 21,287 in 2024, showing continuous growth over the decade. Given the recent surge, there is a need to understand the performance of these facilities better. This study aims to contrast the measure of quantitative performance of design-build (DB) versus traditional design-bid-build (DBB) project delivery methods (PDM) based on cost, schedule, and quality metrics for storage facilities. This research conducted a literature review to …

Unlocking Lean Construction: Decoding The Root Causes Of Initial Implementation Failures, Adam Hoots

All Theses

In recent years, the construction industry has increasingly adopted lean construction methodologies, with the aim of enhancing project efficiencies, eliminating waste, and delivering projects that exceed all project owner expectations. With this as the industry’s focus, many projects struggle with the initial implementation of lean principles, leading to disrespect of people and resources, cost overruns, schedule delays, stakeholder misalignment, and compromised quality. This research investigates the reasons behind initial failures and how they influence the broader industry's perception of lean construction.

Drawing from a comprehensive case study of a higher education dormitory and dining facility project, this research study explores …

Rethinking Human-Autonomy Teamwork In The Context Of Design And Robotic Fabrication, Iremnur Tokac Celikyay, Caja Thimm, Sigrid Brell-Cokcan

Human-Machine Communication

The integration of autonomous agents in design is challenging due to its unstructured nature. The increasing focus on human-robot interaction (HRI) is driven by its potential to address this issue, enabling human-robot teams to effectively manage creative design tasks. This paper aims to identify interactive processes among the agencies of humans, robots, and materials. We explore how HRI can shift robotic fabrication from a linear deterministic process to an iterative co-creation one. Through reflective analysis of robotic fabrication studies, we illustrated how interaction interfaces can distribute agency among humans, robots, and materials while negotiating the design intent with material and …

Towards Human-Machine Collaboration In Autonomous Material Handling On Construction Sites, Jyrki Oraskari, Lukas Kirner, Marit Zöcklein, Sigrid Brell-Cokcan

Human-Machine Communication

In the contemporary construction industry, the shortage of skilled labor has prompted the exploration of automation as a remedy and machine autonomy as a potential solution to the environmental conditions at the site. This research explores the balance between human oversight and the independent decision-making capabilities of robots for material delivery on construction sites. Using a scenario-based approach, autonomy in construction robotics is evaluated across four human-machine interaction cases with spatial and temporal dimensions. The expected outcomes revolve around improved safety through better human-machine communication and establishing an interoperable data model to enhance robot autonomy. This aims to automate tasks …

Association Between In Situ Ventilation And Human-Generated Aerosol Exposure In Meatpacking Plants During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Joshua L. Santarpia, Josephine Lau, Debayan Shom, Shanna A. Ratnesar-Shumate, Eric C. Carnes, Gearge W. Santarpia, Vicki L. Herrera, Danielle N. Rivera, Daniel N. Ackerman, Ashley R. Ravnholdt, John J. Lowe, Athena K. Ramos

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

During the COVID-19 pandemic, meatpacking workers were disproportionately affected by disease. Large outbreaks at meatpacking facilities resulted in loss of life and threatened the well-being of workers across the globe. Much work was done throughout the pandemic to understand and prevent these outbreaks. This study combined ventilation system evaluation and measurement of human-generated respiratory aerosol to investigate and identify areas of highest risk for disease transmission. These findings confirm that improved ventilation reduces exposure to human-generated aerosols in meatpacking facilities, including those that may contain infectious agents, such as SARS-CoV-2. This study suggests areas of greatest risk are likely areas …

Topography And Wildfire Jointly Mediate Postfire Ecosystem Multifunctionality In A Chinese Boreal Forest, Jianjian Kong, Zifan Ding, Wenhua Cai, Jiaxing Zu, Bo Liu, Jian Yang

Earth and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications

Both topography and wildfire can exert significant influences on ecosystem processes and functions during boreal forest successions. However, their impacts on ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF) remain unclear. A mega-fire burned an area of 8700 hectares in the Great Xing’an Mountains in 2000, creating a wide range of fire severity levels across various topographic positions. This provided a unique opportunity to explore the impacts of mixed-severity fire disturbance in boreal forests. We evaluated the effect pathways of wildfire and topography on aboveground multifunctionality (AEMF), soil multifunctionality (SEMF), and overall multifunctionality (OEMF). We found that high-severity burning resulted in lower AEMF, SEMF, and …

Building Services Engineering November/December 2024

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Innovative Integration Of Modern Facade Design With Traditional Bubungan Tinggi Facade: Towards A Sustainable Home, Nursyarif Agusniansyah, Gusti Novi Sarbini

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

This study investigates the transformation of Bubungan Tinggi, a traditional Banjar house with a high roof, into a modern home through the integration of modern facade design with traditional Bubungan Tinggi facade elements. Bubungan Tinggi is a monumental artifact in South Kalimantan representing the collective memory of the Banjar community with its distinctive typology and anatomy. With its unique typology and anatomy, this particular building has evolved into an iconic structure that symbolizes the collective memory of the Banjarese people.

This study uses a qualitative approach with design experiments to explore the integration of facade design, new form, and contemporary …

Influence Of Concrete Jacketing On The Performance Of Steel Columns Under Blast Induced Progressive Collapse, Hanan Eltobgy Prof., Mohamed Saeed Refaey Dr., Mohamed Ahmed Aboshok Dr., Ahmed Emadel-Din Abdel-Aal Eng.

Journal of Engineering Research

This study investigates the influence of concrete jacketing on the performance of steel columns subjected to blast loading, which can lead to progressive collapse. Using Finite Element Method (FEM) simulations, the research evaluates concrete-encased steel columns with different concrete cover thicknesses to measure their resistance to lateral displacements induced by blasts. Findings reveal that increasing the thickness of the concrete cover markedly improves the column's ability to withstand such loads. The study also highlights that steel has better energy dissipation properties than concrete. It examines how the combined challenges of progressive collapse and blast loading influence the overall structural response …