Construction Engineering and Management Commons^™

From Concept To Construction: A Carport For The Slo Botanical Garden, Trent A. Denholm

Construction Management

This paper documents the design, budgeting, procurement and construction of a timber framed carport with architectural shingle roofing at the San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden (SLOBG). The Botanical Garden, a nonprofit organization dependent on community support and volunteer labor, identified the need for covered storage and a dedicated charging station for its golf cart, a vehicle central to daily operations across the property. Without permanent shelter, the cart was exposed to the elements year-round, which contributed to equipment wear and reduced operational efficiency. Working simultaneously as project manager and lead builder, Trent coordinated stakeholder relationships, developed a project budget, secured …

Impact Of Regional Heat Differences On Construction Productivity: A Comparative Study Of California’S Central Valley And Central Coast, Berthalidia Acosta

Construction Management

Construction productivity is influenced by many environmental conditions, particularly extremely high temperatures. In regions where high temperatures are normal, workers experience increased fatigue, require additional safety controls, and can even lead to scheduling conflicts. This senior project evaluates how heat differences in two parts of California affect productivity by comparing two projects managed by the same general contractor: one located in California’s Central Valley (Sacramento) and one located on the Central Coast (San Luis Obispo). Throughout the study, there will be two data sources seen: weekly labor recap reports focusing on a particular task (Concrete) and semi-structured interviews with industry …

Evaluating The Feasibility Of Recycled Asphalt Pavement And Warm Mix Asphalt In California Highway Construction, Ryan A. Milanesa

Construction Management

California’s highway infrastructure faces increasing material costs, limited aggregate availability, and aggressive greenhouse gas reduction mandates. Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) offers a practical solution to reduce virgin binder demand and improve sustainability. However, Caltrans maintains conservative RAP limits due to concerns regarding stiffness related cracking and long term durability. This research evaluates the feasibility of increasing RAP content to approximately 40% when combined with Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA) technologies under California performance standards. A performance based framework was developed by reviewing federal guidance, peer-reviewed fatigue studies, life cycle cost analysis, and environmental assessment literature. Findings indicate that high RAP mixtures …

Developing And Commercializing Large Language Model Applications For Automated Construction Submittal Review Requirements, Ryan Cracolice

Construction Management

The construction industry faces persistent challenges in document management, quality assurance, and project coordination. Despite advances in project management software, critical workflows such as submittal review, drawing interpretation, and specification compliance remain predominantly manual processes that consume significant project management resources and introduce risk through human error. Point Construction is an entrepreneurial venture that applies artificial intelligence and advanced imaging technologies to automate and enhance construction document intelligence. The platform integrates directly with industry-standard project management systems to provide AI-driven submittal review, automated drawing analysis, intelligent specification cross-referencing, and natural language querying of project documents. This paper details the conception, …

Life Cycle Assessment And Cost Analysis Of Exterior, Electrical, And Appliance Systems In A Prefabricated Mass Timber Residential Unit, Ella Rohrbough

Construction Management

This study presents a detailed process-based life cycle assessment and life cycle cost analysis of selected building systems within a prefabricated mass timber residential unit constructed through an interdisciplinary design build project at California Polytechnic State University. The research focuses specifically on exterior envelope systems electrical infrastructure and major appliances. Material quantities were derived from a comprehensive construction material takeoff and modeled in OpenLCA using the ecoinvent database. A cradle to site system boundary including modules A1 through A5 was applied to quantify embodied environmental impacts such as global warming potential acidification fossil fuel depletion and human toxicity. Results indicate …

A Comparison Of Waste Management Practices In Residential And Commercial Construction, Jayce S. Ford

Construction Management

Construction Waste continues to be a major issue within the construction industry, affecting project costs, schedules, and environmental performance. A large portion of construction and demolition materials/ waste ends up in landfills. This is due to poor planning, limited worker training, and inefficient jobsite practices. This research-based senior project examines waste management efficiency on construction jobsites, while comparing and contrasting residential and commercial construction practices. The study evaluates how contractors manage material separation, recycling, reuse, and disposal of common construction waste. These include wood, drywall, concrete, metals, and packaging. A mixed-methods approach is used combining a review of academic and …

Case Study: The Benefits Implementing Azure 3d Printed Homes Onto Dignitymoves Project In San Luis Obispo, Lucy E. Heimer

Construction Management

California is actively addressing the challenges of housing shortages and climate change. These challenges have shifted the construction industry, steering the market into finding more sustainable means of construction. This case study evaluates the sustainable benefits of modular construction fabricated by Azure Homes. The focused project is a DignityMoves project in San Luis Obispo where modular units are factory built in El Segundo, CA and set on site. DignityMoves is a nonprofit organization that aims to provide housing for unhoused individuals throughout California. Thus far, DignityMoves has opted to use prefabricated modular units as their primary means of construction on …

Drainage And Pedestrian Access Improvements At City Farms Slo, Benjamin Marc Kocher, Jacob Anthony Booker

Construction Management

This senior project focused on planning, designing, and constructing drainage and pedestrian access improvements at City Farms SLO, a nonprofit in San Luis Obispo that promotes sustainable agriculture and youth education. Prior to construction, the site experienced significant stormwater pooling and erosion in a central area of the farm, making daily operations and visitor access difficult during wet weather. The team excavated an 80-foot trench drain with appropriate slopes, installed a 15-foot corrugated HDPE culvert with proper bedding and backfill, built a seven-foot pedestrian bridge over the trench, and created a 17-foot gravel pathway connecting the bridge to an existing …

Thousand Hills Pet Resort Ada Compliant Access Ramp And Connecting Deck: Preconstruction Activities, Sonya Nahama Wijoyo

Construction Management

This paper presents the design and preconstruction of an ADA-compliant access ramp and connecting deck system for two mobile homes located at Thousand Hills Pet Resort. The primary objective was to enhance accessibility and safety for residents by providing code-compliant, durable, and functional access to the mobile homes on site. This project is interdisciplinary between construction management and architectural engineering. The project began with a site evaluation to assess existing conditions. Field measurements and site observation guided planning decisions and helped identify potential challenges. Following the site evaluation, the project proceeded into the design phase, where the ramp and deck …

Assessing The Current Experiences With Electrically- Powered Construction Vehicles Within The Heavy Civil Industry, Matthew Joseph Beauchesne

Construction Management

Heavy machinery, such as cranes, trucks, dozers, and more, are a necessity to build dams, bridges, highways, and all the other types of projects within the Heavy Civil Construction industry. Traditionally, such machinery is powered using fossil fuels - gas or diesel - which in turn affects both the efficiency and emissions of these vehicles. This study focuses on the prospects of using alternative energy - namely electricity - to power such vehicles, and these electric variants differ from their fossil fuel using versions. The methodology of this paper involved seeking out construction contractors within the Heavy Civil sector who …

Family Christian Center Storage Shed, Jacob Nehemiah Zuniga

Construction Management

This project focused on the planning and construction of a storage shed for my church to address growing space limitations. As classrooms and other functional areas were being used for storage, the goal was to create a dedicated storage solution that would free up interior space for ministry use. After receiving approval from church leadership, I developed a full project plan including a scope of work, cost estimate, quantity takeoff, schedule using Microsoft Project, site logistics plan, safety plan, and construction drawings. I also coordinated with the City of Patterson Planning Department to ensure compliance with local requirements. The project …

Skip The Grid 25-26: A Safety-Driven Solar Installation Project In The Navajo And Hopi Nations, James R. Wall

Construction Management

Skip the Grid is an interdisciplinary service-learning project that provides sustainable energy solutions to families with school-aged children living in the Navajo and Hopi Nations. In March 2026, a team of 23 students from five academic disciplines at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) partnered with Heart of America, SOLV Energy, and NextPower to complete the fifth year of the program. The project's purpose was to improve quality of life and support educational success by providing reliable access to electricity, lighting, and refrigeration in underserved communities. Participants were organized into five installation teams consisting of Cal Poly students, faculty, industry …

Analysis Of Construction Trends On California’S Central Coast, Erik G. Asplund

Construction Management

The California Central Coast experiences sustained housing demand and infrastructure pressure, yet it lacks the visible concentration of construction firms found in larger markets. This study examines why construction activity in the region appears limited despite a strong demand. Using a qualitative, interview-based approach, four construction companies who operate across Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura Counties were interviewed to identify recurring themes related to labor, environmental regulation, housing feasibility, technology adoption, and future outlooks. The study concludes that structural constraints rather than lack of opportunity limit the scalability of construction on the Central Coast.

The Impact Of Bilingual Superintendents On A Multilingual Job Site, Cesar Barajas

Construction Management

Language barriers are frequently encountered on construction job sites. Construction crews can often be limited in their proficiency when speaking English and in states like California, construction superintendents oversee a lot of Spanish-speaking crews. This study aims to identify if bilingual superintendents lead to better performing projects. Communication impacts major metrics of project performance including schedule, rework costs, safety performance, and coordination across trades. This qualitative study includes superintendents, project managers, and field crew semi structured interviews backed by survey answers. Interview participants discuss specific examples of how communication can affect jobsite performance both negatively and positively. Subjects are asked …

Impact Of Femalized Kinesthetic Learning Model On African American Middle School Girls’ Career Interest, Mercy F. Fash, Andrea Ofori-Boadu

Journal of Global Education and Research

Engaging African American middle school girls in out-of-school-time (OST) Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) programs can boost interest in male-dominated AEC careers. This study adopts Lent’s Social Cognitive Career Theory to evaluate the impact of an OST feminized AEC kinesthetic learning model (fAEC-KLM) on the career interests of this demographic. Through a qualitative research approach, fourteen (14) African American middle school girls from Guilford County, NC, completed pre- and post-interviews on how fAEC-KLM interactions influenced their AEC career interests. Inductive thematic analysis was carried out on transcribed interviews. Results show that effective components, such as lectures on AEC, bridge construction …

Post-Fire Inspection, Material Testing, Repair, And Field Load Testing Of A Full-Scale Concrete Box Girder Bridge: Delta Bridge Case Study, Ahmed S. Eisa, Hilal Hassan, Mohamed A. Badran, Ayman El-Zohairy

Faculty Publications

Bridges are critical components of transportation networks, and fire accidents can significantly impair their structural integrity, leading to safety risks and major economic losses. This study presents a comprehensive inspection, materials testing, repair, and field load testing program for a full-scale concrete box girder bridge (Delta Bridge, Alexandria, Egypt) following a fire exposure on two spans. A total of 28 concrete core samples were extracted and tested, revealing average compressive strengths of 48.50 MPa (slab), 53.90 MPa (web), and 45.88 MPa (columns), representing moderate reductions of approximately 8.5%, 7.9%, and 10.8%, respectively, relative to the original in situ concrete strength …

Enhancing Workforce Development In Construction Management Through Collaborative Teaching (Co-Teaching) Models, John Annor, Francois Jacobs

Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a collaborative co-teaching initiative implemented across three educational institutions—the University of State, Community College, and High School—through two key construction courses: Construction Materials and Methods and Construction Safety. Designed to bridge gaps across educational levels, the initiative adopted a mixed-methods research approach to assess student learning outcomes, instructional effectiveness, and stakeholder perceptions. Quantitative data were collected from standardized assessments, including quizzes, a safety plan project, and exams administered across multiple years. Analytical techniques such as Welch's two-sample t-tests and Welch ANOVA were employed to compare student performance between and within institutions, adjusting for unequal …

A Longitudinal Study Of Workforce Trends And Challenges In The Construction Industry Of A Rural State: A Case Study Of Wyoming, John Annor, Francois Jacobs

Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development

Wyoming’s construction sector, while often eclipsed by extractive industries, plays a vital role in supporting statewide economic activity and infrastructure development. This study investigates key labor force trends in the sector from 2010 to 2024, focusing on employment patterns, age-based workforce composition, and wage trajectories. Drawing on monthly data from the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, the analysis employs descriptive statistics, time series modeling, and cross-variable analysis to explore sectoral vulnerabilities. Findings reveal a cyclical employment structure marked by seasonal peaks and troughs, with a notable disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The workforce is aging rapidly, with workers …

Development Of A Novel Innovative Umbrella Falsework System For Concrete Slabs, Abdelazem Hashim

Theses and Dissertations

Formwork is one of the major elements that contribute to the cost and duration of concrete building projects. This is why optimizing such an element can lead to huge savings to all parties involved in the construction projects. With contractors facing huge challenges in such a competitive industry and employers seeking the least price and least duration for their projects, contractors are constantly under the obligations of finding the best alternatives to deliver their projects in terms of both time and money. Therefore, the main aim of this research project is to develop a falsework system, where the falsework system …

Inspect: Intelligent Node-Based System For Ifc Processing And Evaluation, With Conversational Tool Support —Llmassisted Natural Language Ifc Querying, Basel Abdelshaheid

Theses and Dissertations

Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) enables the open exchange of Building Information Models, yet effective validation of real-world IFC deliveries remains challenging. Project models frequently contain incomplete, inconsistent, or incorrectly exported metadata, and explicit IFC relationships are often missing or degraded during conversion from proprietary formats. Many validation questions are inherently spatial, including connectivity, containment, proximity, and clashes, and therefore cannot be answered reliably from properties alone. As a result, federated model validation is often slow, fragmented across tools, and dependent on specialized IFC expertise.

This challenge is increasingly important for coordination, quality assurance, and information management across disciplines and lifecycle …