Architecture Commons^™

Performance-Based Analysis Of A Reinforced Concrete Shear Wall Building, Garrett Richard Hagen

Master's Theses

PERFORMANCE-BASED ANALYSIS OF A REINFORCED CONCRETE SHEAR WALL BUILDING

Garrett Richard Hagen

In this thesis, a special reinforced concrete shear wall building was designed per ASCE 7-05, and then the performance was investigated using the four analysis procedures outlined in ASCE 41-06. The proposed building was planned as a 6-story office building in San Francisco, CA. The structural system consisted of a two-way flat plate and reinforced concrete columns for gravity loads and slender structural walls for seismic loads. The mathematical building models utilized recommendations from ASCE 41-06 and first-principle mechanics. Moment-curvature analysis and fiber cross-section elements were used in …

A Conservation Plan For Reservoir Canyon Natural Reserve, San Luis Obispo, Ca, Brian M. Provenzale

Master's Theses

My thesis project is to create a conservation plan for the Reservoir Canyon Natural Reserve (RCNR) in San Luis Obispo, California. It is a professional project for the City of San Luis Obispo with the goal of eventual adoption by the City Council. The plan was motivated by City policy, which advises creating conservation plans for open spaces, and by a particular need to address management issues in RCNR that include plant and wildlife conservation, trail access, erosion, electrical utility easements, and other legal matters. The project consists of two main components: the conservation plan and a companion paper. The …

The Future Of Red Hook, Brooklyn: Learning From Evolving New York City Neighborhoods, Robin Lynne Wachen

Master's Theses

This master’s thesis identifies the potential impacts of planning policies and key stakeholder groups on Red Hook, Brooklyn given current development trends and the neighborhood changes such as gentrification. The premise of this thesis is that through understanding the catalysts and impacts of social and economic change in similar neighborhoods, together with the analysis of current zoning, planning policies, and neighborhood culture and demographics in Red Hook, it is possible to identify how future changes may generate positive outcomes for the neighborhood. A review of planning literature provides a perspective on the disinvestment to reinvestment process seen in many New …

Permitting And Interconnection Of Solar Pv Generators For The Marin Energy Authority Feed-In Tariff Program, Stephen Daniel Rogers

Master's Theses

Lack of access to information on the cost and timeframe for the permitting and interconnection of distributed renewable energy generation facilities may hinder renewable energy capacity development. This issue is examined within the specific context of solar photovoltaic systems developed for participation in the Feed-in Tariff (FIT) program hosted by the Marin Energy Authority (MEA). A guide on the permitting and interconnection of solar PV generators for participation in the program was produced for the host agency. This guide seeks to assist property owners and solar developers in overcoming existing informational challenges. By providing an overview of the procedural requirements …

Mid-Twentieth Century Residential Development In San Luis Obispo, Allison Dean Zike

Master's Theses

San Luis Obispo’s mid-century spanned the years beginning in the Great Depression and ending during the post-World War II housing boom. During this time the City grew in population and in size, adding several acres of land and thousands of single-family residential parcels. This research presents a chronological representation of the City’s growth, as well as key events in the City’s history. Residential development in the mid-century brought several new styles of architecture to the City including Mid-century Modern and Prairie homes among others. These architectural styles are detailed and presented in order to identify and guide the preservation of …

Form-Based Codes, Design Guidelines And Placemaking: The Case Of Hayward, Ca., Cindy Ma

Master's Theses

Throughout history planning codes and standards have been used to regulate the built environment for health, power, order, and economic reasons. More recently, in the urban design and planning field, planning codes and standards have emerged to become tools in the process of “placemaking”. The concept of placemaking builds from the desire of humans to create places, not spaces, which are unique, attractive, identifiable, and memorable. It is a concept that is comprised of visual and social components, recognizing the need for both in the creation of successful places. In the field of urban design and planning, form-based codes (FBCs) …

Policy And Practice Audit And Ghg Reduction Strategy Recommendations For The City Of Arroyo Grande, Cheryl Lynn Cochran

Master's Theses

In preparation for a Climate Action Plan, this policy and practice audit provides an overview of current city policies and practices with the potential to impact greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goals. The audit builds upon information previously collected in a GHG emissions inventory report to identify policies that are consistent or inconsistent with emissions reductions goals. Preliminary GHG emissions reductions recommendations address policy gaps and opportunity areas in suggesting strategies to achieve GHG emissions reductions.

Political Feasibility Of Implementing Smart Growth Development Strategies In The Monterey Bay Area, Kristin Mckee

Master's Theses

Development over the past sixty years has created patterned growth and expansion outward from city centers, separating residences from commercial areas and employment centers. This separation of land uses has increased automobile dependency, which increases vehicle miles traveled and associated greenhouse gas emissions. California Senate Bill 375 mandates the development and implementation of a “Sustainable Communities Strategy” in order to plan regional land use and transportation in a coordinated fashion. In coordination with this effort, the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments (AMBAG) is developing the Regional Implementation Plan for Smart Growth Development Strategies, which entails the identification of smart …

Hungry No More: A Food System Study & Hunger-Free Community Plan For San Luis Obispo County, Jenny Cadigan

Master's Theses

This project examines food systems and hunger in relation to city planning, and results in a draft strategic plan to address the food security and nutritional needs of San Luis Obispo County’s most vulnerable residents. This Draft Plan is submitted to the Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County as part of the Hunger-Free Community Project.

The Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County was the lead agency of a USDA Hunger-Free Communities planning grant awarded in 2011. With this grant, the Food Bank convened a group of stakeholders to form the San Luis Obispo County Food System …

City Of San Luis Obispo Monitoring Program And Procedures For Inclusionary Housing, Shannon Marie Blomst

Master's Theses

The Monitoring Program for all Inclusionary housing units in the City of San Luis Obispo is a needed component to the Affordable Housing Program. It ensures eligible households are occupying the affordable units and those that are renting are being charged according to the Affordable Housing Standards. Within the City’s Municipal Code it specifies monitoring and management of inclusionary units shall be done, however this hasn’t happened until now.

This professional project provides a needed analysis of the current affordable housing stock. It examines multiple case studies that look at exemplary designed affordable housing units as well as implemented monitoring …

A Spectacle Of Great Beauty: The Changing Faces Of Hagia Sophia, Victoria M. Villano

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Quantifying The Life Cycle Benefits Of Performance-Based Design In Sustainable Design, David Isaac Carmona

Master's Theses

ABSTRACT

Quantifying the Life Cycle Benefits of Performance-Based Design in Sustainable Design

David Carmona

For this thesis, a method is developed and tested for use with performance based design to quantify the sustainable and financial benefits of designing buildings to a structural performance level higher than Life-Safety. This paper starts to answer the question, “which would be a better investment: build structures to a performance level of Immediate Occupancy (IO) with the likelihood of less damage and downtime after an earthquake or continue to build to the building code’s implied minimum performance level of Life-Safety (LS)?”

An ASCE 7-05 designed …

Public Space Planning As A Catalyst For Dweller Initiated Slum Upgrading: Ahmedabad, India, Christopher Bystedt

Master's Theses

This research observes how public space planning can improve slum upgrading projects, focusing on two case study slums in Ahmedabad, India.

The inclusion of formal public space planning into slum upgrading schemes can act as a catalyst for dweller-initiated housing improvements. While municipalities that choose to upgrade their slums are primarily concerned with supplying bare necessity infrastructure—such as water, sewage, and paving—most upgrading schemes ignore the reality that slum communities are complex, integral components of the urbanization process. These settlements deserve and necessitate comprehensive design and planning services which will integrate the community into the larger urban fabric.

This thesis …

Developing Dendrifrom Facades Using Flow Nets As A Design Aid, Jonas H. Houston

Master's Theses

This thesis highlights a method of arriving at form that minimizes the need for high end technology and complex mathematical models, yet has structural principles of load flow at the highlighted methods core. Similar to how graphical statics assisted earlier architects and engineers to arrive at form by relating form and forces, this thesis suggests a method of form finding that relates the flow of stresses within solid masses to possible load-bearing façades. Looking to nature, where an abundance of efficient structural solutions can be found, this thesis focuses on a tree-like structural form called the dendriform. In doing so, …

Residential Water Conservation: A Cross Comparative Analysis, Jeffrey M. Cook

Master's Theses

This thesis will explore different water conservation strategies and systems in the residential home, using the city of Irvine as a basis. The thesis will compare the financial implications between the different systems and as a return on investment. The analysis will also account for ecological and social implications on the occupants, in particular their standard of living and lifestyle changes. The thesis will explore the ability to conserve water in new residential construction and will provide a sustainable and conscientious schematic water design for the particular area of concern.

This thesis will act as a preliminary case study for …

Wind- Chimney (Integrating The Principles Of A Wind-Catcher And A Solar-Chimney To Provide Natural Ventilation), Fereshteh Tavakolinia

Master's Theses

WIND-CHIMNEY

Integrating the principles of a wind-catcher and a solar chimney to provide natural ventilation

Fereshteh Tavakolinia

Abstract

This paper suggests using a wind-catcher integrated with a solar-chimney in a single story building so that the resident might benefit from natural ventilation, a passive cooling system, and heating strategies; it would also help to decrease energy use, CO2 emissions, and pollution. This system is able to remove undesirable interior heat pollution from a building and provide thermal comfort for the occupant.
The present study introduces the use of a solar-chimney with an underground air channel combined with a wind-catcher, all …

Downtown Revitalization Strategy Report For Glenrock, Wy, Mary Phillips

Master's Theses

ABSTRACT

Downtown Revitalization Strategy Report for Glenrock, WY

Mary E. Phillips

The following project submitted for the Master of City and Regional Planning Professional Project is the Downtown Revitalization Strategy Report for Glenrock, WY completed November 25, 2009.

At the onset of the project, the Town of Glenrock, WY was recognized as an Aspiring Main Street Community, and sought guidance to become a Certified Main Street Community. This Strategy Report was prepared to provide an implementation plan for revitalization of the downtown following the Main Street Approach, as well as for achievement of a Certified Main Street Community status by …

Verification And Expansion Of Single-Degree-Of-Freedom Transformation Factors For Beams Using A Multi-Degree-Of-Freedom Non-Linear Numerical Analysis Method, Takayuki Yokoyama

Master's Theses

The single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) transformation factors as tabulated in John Biggs’ textbook (Biggs 1964) are accepted as the equivalent factors for simplifying and analyzing a component's response to blast. The study validates the stiffness and mass transformation factors through multi-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) numerical methods. After validating the transformation factors, the MDOF numerical method is used to create new stiffness and mass transformation factors for loading cases not already included in Biggs’ textbook.

The validated factors, as well as the newly developed factors are used in SDOF analyses. The deflections from the SDOF responses accurately predict the MDOF responses as long as the …

Upper Salinas Headwaters Conservation Plan, Justin T. Saydell

Master's Theses

The Upper Salinas Headwaters Conservation Plan is an effort to understand the cultural and ecosystem resources in the region, develop tools for conservation planning, and suggest a strategy and plan of action for implementation of those strategies. The plan covers a 218 square mile area between the Santa Lucia and the La Panza mountain ranges, south of Atascadero and east of the City of San Luis Obispo. The Conservation Area consists of rugged terrain made up of vast-relatively untouched open space. The area consists of several different vegetative communities including oak savannah grasslands, mixed hardwood and oak stands, shrubland, wetland …

Racetrack Engineered Surface Project Initial Study And Mitigated Negative Declaration, Christina M. Keller

Master's Theses

The Professional Project addressed here is an Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration for a project proposed by the staff of the Del Mar Fairgrounds pursuant to legal mandate by the State of California Horse Racing Board.

The “Project” subject to documentation under CEQA consisted of removal of the top seven inches of the existing dirt surface on the Del Mar Fairgrounds horse racing track and temporary storage of the material on the practice track infield; installation of a new drainage system, rock filtration system, permeable asphalt layers, and seven inches of engineered surface material; widening of the track in the northeast …

The Historical Influence Of Railroads On Urban Development And Future Economic Potential In San Luis Obispo, Adrianna L. Jordan

Master's Theses

Abstract

The Historical Influence of Railroads on Urban Development and Future Economic Potential in San Luis Obispo

Adrianna L. Jordan

Today the sound of a train passing through San Luis Obispo may be intermittent and faint, but persistent nonetheless, a reminder that the railroad (displaced eventually by the automobile and accompanying expansion of highways and road systems, and later by air connectivity) was a significant force in the development of the City of San Luis Obispo. The sound of railroads evokes a sentimental reminder of the past, but the railroad’s continued presence in the city, cutting through its urban fabric, …

Open Space Planning; Utilizing Green Infrastructure To Preserve Community, Cynthia V. Reynolds

Master's Theses

Current sprawl development patterns typical of contemporary development in the United States are unsustainable. The uniform development guidelines prevent context sensitive community design, degrading our communities and consuming large amounts of natural and cultural resources. Significant progress has been made in reorganizing community planning towards sustainable development practices. However, these alternatives still work under the misconception that there is a disconnect between planning open space networks and planning development. Through a comprehensive land use planning approach, this project explores combining concepts of landscape ecology, green infrastructure planning and conservation subdivision patterns to design an integrative open space/community network.

In-Plane Cyclic Shear Performance Of Interlocking Compressed Earth Block Walls, David William Bland

Master's Theses

This thesis presents results from testing of interlocking compressed earth block (CEB) masonry shear walls.  CEBs are low strength earth masonry units sometimes stabilized with cement or lime.  The interlocking compressed earth blocks (ICEBs) used in this experiment are dry stacked interlocking hollow units, which can be reinforced and grouted after they are laid.  Although significant research has been undertaken to optimize the material properties of CEBs, little has been done to investigate the performance of structural systems currently being built using this technology.

Test results are reported for three 1800 mm x 1800 mm wall specimens constructed with cement …

Forced Vibration Testing And Analysis Of Pre- And Post- Retrofit Buildings, Erica Dawn Jacobsen

Master's Theses

ABSTRACT

Forced Vibration Testing and Analysis of Pre- and Post- Retrofit Buildings

Erica Dawn Jacobsen

The primary goal of the thesis was to detect the retrofit through vibration testing of both buildings.  The secondary goal focused on correctly identifying the behavior of the building through FVT, comparing that behavior to computational model predictions, and determining the necessary level of detail to include in the computational modeling.  Forced vibration testing (FVT) of two stiff-wall/flexible-diaphragm buildings yielded natural frequencies and mode shapes for the two buildings.  The buildings were nearly identical with the exception that one had been retrofitted.  Both buildings were …

Sustainable Waterfront Revitalization: Baltimore, San Francisco, And Seattle, Lindsey L.M. Miller

Master's Theses

The urban waterfront areas of the United States have grown increasingly neglected and derelict due to changes in traditional industrial uses and their physical severance from the downtown core. A revived interest in urban living has brought downtown property values up, including waterfront areas, and has jump-started a movement towards waterfront revitalization. In an effort to understand the specific characteristics that make some waterfront revitalization projects more sustainable over time than others, this paper employed a case study approach. Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, San Francisco, and Seattle’s Central Waterfront were selected for analysis based on three specific perspectives: recreation; development; and …

A Case Of Reclaming Ruin: Beyond The Hype & Hyperbole Of New York's High Line, Bryan D. Eck

Master's Theses

As a result of economic, social, and cultural changes, cities across the country are looking to outdated and abandoned infrastructure for use as public space. The primary objective of this study is to comprehensively examine one such project, the High Line in New York City, to contribute to the body of literature related to urban transformation, reuse, and analogous projects. In this thesis, the High Line was analyzed as a case study and examined in-depth, through an array of data gathering methods. A historical study of the site was conducted through archival research. A typology, and subsequent description, of the …

Planning Connected: Using Online Social Networks To Improve Knowledge About Places And Communities, Aaron Parker Ray

Master's Theses

The advent of Social Networking Systems (SNS) has introduced new possibilities for planners to refine and extend conventional engagement and data-gathering techniques by leveraging user-contributed, spatially-referenced content freely available online. This study examines the use of SNS content as community input, complementing input gathered through traditional participatory processes such as workshops, public comment hearings, and charrettes. Four case studies of recent community planning projects in the United States are analyzed, comparing the data gathered from traditional participatory processes with available SNS content related to each project study area, to determine to what extent the inclusion of SNS data would improve …

Mirages Solidified: Myth, Beautification, And Tourism In The Creation Of Santa Barbara's El Pueblo Viejo Landmark District, Michael D. Orth

Master's Theses

A number of books and articles have been written on the social movement to reimagine Southern California’s past in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. While many of the pageants, parades, and public displays that defined this regional movement now reside in the pages of history, some architectural examples from this period are still visible today. In many cities, these examples are scattered throughout the community; while in others like Santa Barbara, they represent the centerpiece of the city’s architectural distinctiveness.

Santa Barbara’s architecture challenges urban scholars to successfully garner an accurate sense of the past. More importantly, such historic …

Go Farm, Goleta: Urban Agriculture Protection For Eastern Goleta Valley, Eli M. Krispi

Master's Theses

This paper explores two potential land use planning strategies that can be used to preserve and enhance the economic viability of agricultural operations surrounded by suburban development in Santa Barbara County’s Eastern Goleta Valley: buffers between agriculture and other land uses, and agritourism. In the case of buffers, academic literature is examined to determine how effective buffers are at various tasks (filtering runoff, mitigating dust and wind, providing habitat, etc.) and how to construct buffers to maximize their effectiveness. Land use plans and codes from several California jurisdictions are studied to see how buffers are put to use. Academic literature …

City Of King West Broadway Master Plan, Christopher Anderson Read

Master's Theses

This document is a professional project and academic companion piece

completed to partially fulfill requirements for the attainment of a Masters in City

and Regional Planning at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis

Obispo. The project is the City of King West Broadway Master Plan (Plan). The

Plan was completed over the course of a year for a real-world client (The City of

King) and provides new form-based code recommendations in the Plan Area.

The Plan is included as Appendix A. The companion piece is intended to provide

additional background research that was conducted during the planning process,

but omitted …