Architecture Commons^™

Going Green With Concrete Masonry Grout, James Mwangi, Craig Baltimore

Architectural Engineering

Concrete, which is a product containing Portland cement, is the second most used building material (after water) worldwide. Masonry grout is similar to concrete except that grout has a high water content and smaller size aggregates. The excess water is immediately absorbed into the masonry units during placement, which lowers the water/cement ratio and allows for a normal hydration process. During the process of making Portland cement, more than 1/5 ton of carbon dioxide is produced for every ton of cement with 60% of the carbon dioxide production due to a chemical reaction. There is currently no viable remedy to …

Teaching Architects And Engineers: Up And Down The Taxonomy, Edmond P. Saliklis, Robert Arens, Joseph Hanus

Architectural Engineering

Engineering faculty and Architecture faculty both address student learning through the prism of Bloom’s taxonomy of the cognitive domain, but do so in diametrically opposite manners. Engineering faculty tend to assess student learning starting at the lowest taxonomy level, Acquisition of Knowledge, and progress in their curriculum and courses to the higher levels of Synthesis and Evaluation. Compare this to a studio environment in an undergraduate Architecture curriculum, where the faculty often begin with the highest levels, such as Evaluation in applying value judgments about the adequacy of the design and Synthesis, by putting disparate pieces of …

Project Managers, Architects, And Engineers--Oh My! An Interdisciplinary Collaboration, David Lambert, Allen Estes, Craig Baltimore

Architectural Engineering

The Architectural Engineering (ARCE) Program at the California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo is creating a unique and novel interdisciplinary course where architecture, architectural engineering and construction management students collaborate to design and plan the construction of a building structure. The current plan is to develop a default interdisciplinary experience that can be taken by every student and then allow course substitutions for other options as they are created. This paper reports on one of those other options, specifically a unique real world, global, multi-disciplinary experience in East Africa that has resulted from a master’s degree project that …

Applying Environmental Policy Instruments To Used Oil, W. David Conn

City and Regional Planning

A comprehensive assessment was conducted of California's Used Oil Program, which was established in 1992 to reduce the illegal disposal, and promote the reuse, of used lubricating oil. This paper summarises selected key findings of the assessment and discusses them in the context of designing and implementing policy instruments for promoting environmentally responsible waste management. The approach known as 'community-based social marketing' is identified as a promising option.

Solar Power For Deployment In Populated Areas, Nathan Andrew Hicks

Master's Theses

The thesis presents background on solar thermal energy and addresses the structural challenges associated with the deployment of concentrating solar power fields in urban areas. Two potential structural systems and urban locales of deployment are proposed and investigated to determine whether they have the potential to be a cost-effective renewable energy solution for urban areas. The structural issues explored in the thesis include flutter, the wind loading of open frame structures, performance-based design, and the design of flexibly mounted equipment on a building.

Japanese Cultural Transition: Meiji Architecture And The Effect Of Cross-Cultural Exchange With The West, Christine M. Visita

The Forum: Journal of History

No abstract provided.

City Of Patterson Sustainability Plan, Colin Brian Clarke

Master's Theses

This Master’s Thesis / Professional Project is a Sustainability Plan developed for the City of Patterson, California. The Patterson Sustainability Plan (PSP) was developed concurrently with the General Plan Update, and will be presented to the City for adoption within a year. The Sustainability Plan will help inform decision-making by way of its Goals and Actions for implementation to improve community sustainability. Before the plan was developed, background research was conducted that included a Best Practices Review to assess what other cities are doing to address sustainability, a Needs Assessment to evaluate existing conditions in Patterson and determine its unique …

North Ventura Avenue Area Plan (Draft Update), Rick A. Casswell

Master's Theses

This professional project provides a much needed draft update to the existing Area Plan for North Ventura Avenue (last amended in 1990), an unincorporated area of the County that falls under the City of Ventura’s sphere of influence. New goals, policies and programs have been provided to supplement the goals, policies and programs of the current countywide General Plan for Ventura County (adopted in 2005). The supplemental goals, policies and programs proposed in this draft update apply specifically to North Ventura Avenue, and account for a pending annexation of the area by the City of Ventura.

The overall aim of …

Substituting Residential Rainwater Harvesting And Greywater Reuse For Public Water Supply: Tools For Evaluating The Public Cost, Jennifer L. Ferguson

Master's Theses

The intent of this project is to provide tools for public administrators to implement and evaluate the cost of an alternative on-site residential water supply using rainwater harvesting and greywater reuse in their jurisdiction. These tools are then applied to the city of San Luis Obispo (SLO), California as a case study to demonstrate how rainwater harvesting and greywater reuse could be implemented to supply all residential potable and non-potable water needs, completely replacing the current centralized publicly-managed water system. Further, energy and direct fiscal costs of the alternative system are compared with the current system. A cost analysis is …

Specific Plans: An Implementation Tool For Downtown Revitalization. A Specific Plan Proposal For Downtown Delano, California, Emily Suzanne Henderson

Master's Theses

ABSTRACT

Specific Plans: An Implementation Tool for Downtown Revitalization A Specific Plan Proposal for Downtown Delano, California

Emily Suzanne Henderson

This study builds off the assumption that downtowns are socially and economically important to cities and the people who live, work, and visit them. For these reasons, many suffering downtowns are pursuing revitalization strategies. The strategies summarized in this paper represent mainstream revitalization techniques currently practiced by cities, planners, and developers. The strategies and techniques presented in this paper are supported by two case study specific plans. The case studies serve as model specific plans that were able to successfully …

The Influence Of Incentives Offered By Local Governments To Private Developers Or Land Owners On The Rate Of Brownfield Redevelopment, Erik Benjamin Simon

Master's Theses

Redevelopment of brownfield sites has become increasingly popular since the inception of voluntary cleanup programs in the early to mid 1990’s. Local governments have begun to offer incentives to private developers or land owners to offset costs associated with contamination and encourage the redevelopment of properties that are typically underutilized. Incentives may take several forms including, but not limited to, fast-tracked project approval, risk based cleanup standards, liability relief, tax breaks, and direct funding assistance.

This study investigates how incentives that are offered by local governments to private developers or land owners influence the rate of redevelopment in their sphere …

Santa Barbara Tea Fire Multi-Hazard Mitigation Benefit Cost Analysis, David S. Flamm

Master's Theses

ABSTRACT

Santa Barbara Tea Fire Multi-Hazard Mitigation Benefit Cost Analysis

David S Flamm

This study examines the benefits and costs associated with the outright purchase of properties for hazard mitigation (“property acquisition mitigation”) in Santa Barbara, California which reduced four properties’ exposure to multiple hazards. The results indicate that the estimated overall benefit-cost ratio for property acquisition mitigation projects is 1.75:1 when the exposed properties meet a threshold of eminent threat for total loss. This study further suggests that when property acquisitions are performed in an area threatened by multiple hazards the mitigation becomes two to three times more beneficial …

Application Of Pv Panels In Large Multi-Story Buildings, Sara Kayal

Master's Theses

Application of PV Panels in Large Multi-Story Buildings Feasibility Study Sara Kayal

The awareness of global warming along with an ever increasing demand for a new source of energy has brought a strong interest in harnessing natural resources such as solar energy. This thesis evaluates the viability of applying photovoltaic (PV) panels in high-rise commercial buildings of around 20 stories. Specifically, the thesis is intended to provide a pre-planning tool during the early design stage for architects and designers who are considering the deployment of PV panels in new multi-story construction.

The first three chapters cover a comprehensive literature review …

Seismic Performance Of Unreinforced Masonry Walls Retrofitted With Post-Tensioning Tendons, Daniel Louis Lazzarini

Master's Theses

Unreinforced masonry (URM) structures have historically been regarded as structurally unsound in response to seismic events. The tendency for URM walls to collapse out-of-plane in a brittle manner is continually cause for concern. Retrofit of these walls is necessary in order to prevent severe damage and injury to occupants.

This paper is concerned with the retrofit of unreinforced masonry (URM) walls in response to out-of-plane loading. A retrofit design was developed and verified through structural testing. The selected retrofit technique incorporates vertical coring of URM walls to allow for the insertion of a single post-tensioning (PT) tendon. Tendons are spaced …

City Of Guadalupe: Housing Element, Cornelius Nuworsoo, Jeffrey W. Hook, Cal Poly Graduate Planning Studio

City and Regional Planning

The City of Guadalupe’s Housing Element is a major component of the General Plan that addresses adequate housing opportunities for Guadalupe residents through 2014. It serves as the primary policy document guiding local decision‐making related to housing. As one of the seven mandatory General Plan elements required by the State of California, the Housing Element is unique in that it is required to be updated every five years and its content is subject to detailed statutory requirements. The 2009 Housing Element Update provides a comprehensive analysis of Guadalupe’s demographic, economic, and housing characteristics as required by State Law. The Element …

City Of Guadalupe: Community Plan, Cornelius Nuworsoo, Jeffrey W. Hook, Cal Poly Graduate Planning Studio

City and Regional Planning

The Guadalupe Community Plan contains long‐term goals, objectives, policies, and programs to provide a basis for decision‐making and guide development. Designed to create optimum levels of services, economic activity, and quality of life for residents and visitors, these statements are based on comprehensive research into existing community characteristics, anticipated opportunities, and public input. Guadalupe must be prepared to respond to the challenges and changes that projected population growth will bring, and this Plan can help guide that response. This Plan is both a statement of purpose and a decision‐making tool. As a statement of purpose, the Plan consists of the …

City Of Guadalupe: Background Report, Cornelius Nuworsoo, Jeffrey W. Hook, Cal Poly Graduate Planning Studio

City and Regional Planning

This Background Report is an integral part of the City of Guadalupe Community Plan. It summarizes of the existing (2009) conditions of Guadalupe, California and describes issues relevant to the update of the General Plan. Thus, it provides a starting point for the Community Plan and a context for examining the constraints and opportunities for meeting the community’s needs over the next twenty years. In this way, it serves as the informational basis on which the goals, policies, and programs of the Plan are based. This information was gathered by students in the City and Regional Planning Department at California …

Los Vecinos: A Map Showing Site Boundaries In East L.A.: Windows Of Opportunity Defined, Crp 341 Urban Design Studio

CRP 341 Urban Design Studio III

No abstract provided.

Bamboo: An Alternative Building Material For Urban Ethiopia, Bewketu Z. Kassa

Master's Theses

This project explores the potential of bamboo as an alternative building material for low cost housing units suitable for urban Ethiopia. The rational for the application of bamboo comes from its abundance throughout the country, and its proven physical properties that equate it to other building material like timber, steel and concrete. The proposed bamboo based design solution concentrates on simplification of construction methods, prefabrication of structural components and vertical densification of housing units, addressing the lack of skilled labor, cost of construction time and urban land respectively. An understanding of the design solution was established by constructing a full-scale …

Studia | Studio, Marc J. Neveu

Architecture

This paper sets out to propose that the use of history in a design studio may help to overcome some latent difficulties of the studio as a model of education. I will first discuss the role and nature of studio within the education of the architect and will reference my analysis to the findings of the Boyer Report and the research into “reflective practice” by the educator Donald Schön. While I do support the studio as described by the Boyer Report and Schön’s research, it is a model that has disadvantages. As an alternate proposal, I will then describe the …

A Multiuniversity Planning Studio At The World Planning Congress: An Opportunity For International Planning Education, Hemalata C. Dandekar

City and Regional Planning

The need to internationalize planning education is increasingly apparent, but planning programs in the United States have varying capabilities and resources to incorporate an international dimension in their curriculum. Offering a multiuniversity studio and study abroad course in Mexico, in conjunction with the World Congress in 2006, provided an opportunity to collaboratively address this need. The synergies that accrued are worth considering. An argument is made for adopting similar studio efforts as an integral component of future World Planning Congresses.

Transforming High-Speed Rail Stations To Major Activity Hubs: Lessons For California, Cornelius Nuworsoo, Elizabeth Deakin

City and Regional Planning

This paper presents findings from domestic and international case studies of developments around high-speed rail stations and derives from these findings some lessons for station area development for California’s high-speed rail system. The paper reviews the case for high-speed rail as a complement to air and highway systems in addressing congestion and providing needed additional services as the population of the State continues to grow. Review of domestic and international experiences reveals that well-planned station-area developments can result in desirable impacts on the communities served including: a) good intermodal connections – convenient access and ease of transferring between local and …

A Benefit-Cost Evaluation Of Smart Transit Features At Small Scale Transit Operations, Cornelius Nuworsoo, Edward Sullivan, Xudong Jia, Neil Hockaday, Bruce Chapman

City and Regional Planning

This study evaluates the benefits and costs of smart transit technologies at San Luis Obispo Transit, a small transit operation. In 2001, the California Department of Transportation test-deployed its new program entitled “Efficient Deployment of Advanced Public Transportation Systems (EDAPTS)”. The purpose of the field study was to make low-cost, Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) technologies readily available to small and medium size transit properties. The system developed applies digital communications links, open source designs, solar powered real-time arrival signs, and innovative data links to improve transit service and safety at a total investment of $150,000 (2007 dollars). An evaluation was …

Vehicle Emissions And Level Of Service Standards: Exploratory Analysis Of The Effects Of Traffic Flow On Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Rafael Cobina, Tony Henderson, Sudeshna Mitra, Cornelius Nuworsoo, Edward Sullivan

City and Regional Planning

Many local jurisdictions seek to preserve adequate infrastructure by enacting level of service (LOS) policies for proposed new development. Understanding the relationship between roadway LOS policies and greenhouse gas emissions is an important step towards reducing the emissions related to global climate change. By influencing the evolution of urban infrastructure, these LOS standards can have a significant impact on the type and character of vehicle trips made and the subsequent emissions released. Currently, most jurisdictions establish LOS threshold policies based solely on operational standards and rarely consider the impacts of greenhouse gas emissions. Using a travel demand forecasting model for …

Delano Strategic Plan, Fall 2008/ Winter 2009, Crp 410/ 411 Community Planning Lab

City and Regional Planning Studios and Projects

From September 2008 through March 2009, the City and Regional Planning Department of California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) worked with the City of Delano and its residents to create a strategic plan for the City’s future. The Delano Strategic Plan (DSP) was developed to address the input received from the community during an extensive public outreach process. The chapters included in this strategic plan include Community Outreach, Fundamental Strategies, Land Use, Economic Development, Housing, Health and Safety, and Youth issues.

Internet-Based Surveys And Urban Design Education: A Community Outreach Graduate Project In Redding, Ca, Vincente Del Rio, Daniel Levi

City and Regional Planning

This paper is a contribution to the discussion on how to incorporate community participation into the urban design process within a pedagogical context. It is based on an outreach project by a class in the city planning graduate program at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. The project included an Internet survey to gather community input for a contentious riverfront site in Redding, CA. The responses permitted a study of perceptions, attitudes and expectations about the city and the project area, and an examination of design alternatives. The Internet survey provided 864 responses and generated a rich amount of …

The Costs Of Hurricane Emergency Management Services: A Risk-Based Method For Calculating Property Owners' Fair Share, Robert E. Deyle, Richard A. Smith, Michael R. Boswell, E. Jay Baker, Mary Kay Falconer, Joseph A. Macdonald

City and Regional Planning

No abstract provided.

Crisis In Landscape Representation, Cesar Torres Bustamante

Landscape Architecture

No abstract provided.

Incorporating Constructability In The Design Of Masonry Structures, James Mwangi, Craig Baltimore

Architectural Engineering

The International Building Code (IBC) has now been adopted as the model design code for most states and territories of the United States of America. For Masonry design, the IBC references the Building Code Requirements and Specification for Masonry Structures (MSJC) for material properties, design procedures, specifications and quality control. Individual state codes then amend the two documents (IBC and MSJC) appropriately.

In high seismic regions of the United States, hollow block of concrete masonry units (CMU) are the material of choice in masonry construction. The CMU’s are built using sand, pea gravel, cement and water. CMU is typically delivered …

Life Size: Environmental Knowing Through Full-Scale Installations, Mark Cabrinha

Architecture

No abstract provided.