Architecture Commons^™

Crash Injury Severity Prediction With Artificial Neural Networks, Rima Abisaad

Dissertations

Motor vehicle crashes are one of our nation's most serious social, economic and health issues. They are the leading cause of death among children and young adults, killing approximately 1.35 million people each year. Providing a safe and efficient transportation system is the primary goal of transportation engineering and planning. To help reduce traffic fatalities and injuries on roadways, crash prediction models are used to forecast the injury severity of potential crashes and apply precautionary countermeasures accordingly. Most of these models are reactive as they use historical crash data to categorize crash-related factors. Recently, advancements have been made in developing …

Ecological Restoration Parks In Xi’An, China: An Evolving Type, Han Yan

Dissertations

This dissertation examines four urban ecological restoration projects used as public spaces in the city of Xi'an, China. The overall goal is to understand the social and ecological implications of the site features at both design and planning scale and define what is ecological restoration in China's urban context. The result of the research shows that the top-down planning initiatives approach for establishing ecological restoration sites in urban areas that meet the need for more public open space in addition to restoring healthy urban ecological systems is very different from the definition of what is traditionally understood as "ecological restoration". …

Framework For Enhanced Applicability Of The Egyptian Public Procurement Law To International Administrative Construction Contracts, Amr Abu Helw

Theses and Dissertations

Local governments and public authorities conclude contracts for the purpose of acquisition of goods, delivery of services and construction of public facilities like bridges, infrastructures and public buildings. A public contract is an agreement to perform particular tasks financed by government funds to the benefit of the whole community. Private entities and corporations are subject to stricter standards in their dealings with the government than in private transactions. Conversely, the government must deal fairly and equitably with those who it contracted with to achieve successful implementation of the projects. On October 3, 2018, a new Egyptian public procurement law, namely, …

Mosque Architecture And Identity: A Study Of The Autochthonous Mosque In China, Yutong Ma

Graduate School of Architecture & Urban Design Theses & Dissertations

This thesis argues that an autochthonous mosque architecture exists in China, and this historical type adequately serves as a reference for contemporary mosque building in southeastern China in light of how it responded to the Chinese cultural and urban contexts. Many Hui Muslims and architects in this region refuse to consider historical mosque architecture built in traditional Chinese architectural style as their cultural references in constructing new mosques, as they believe that the traditional Chinese architectural language is insufficient to express their identity as Muslims. Instead, they prefer a collection of symbolic architectural elements to be used in mosque architecture …

Neighborhood Form And Social Cohesion: What Can We Learn Before And During Social Distancing, Wei Liu

Graduate School of Architecture & Urban Design Theses & Dissertations

Creating a more sustainable urbanism is among the most pressing issues facing the world. Social sustainability is often overlooked as a pillar of sustainable urbanism. A cohesive community, a core component of social sustainability, is an essential social resource in developing a fundamental unit of sustainable urbanism. Social cohesion has the ability to help communities navigate and overcome crisis, a quality of a cohesive neighborhood that has been brought to the forefront during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. While the urban planning and design literature provides insights into the role of physical form in social cohesion more research is still needed. …

Teaching Tools For The School Of The Built Environment, Benjamin Laurance Kaufman

Honors Projects

The goal for this honors project was to better the architecture program at Bowling Green State University. Currently, one of the challenges the program faces is a lack of knowledge/understanding about how the built environment is constructed. This project helped to fill that knowledge gap by creating learning/teaching tools that will benefit future classes of architecture students. This project was the result of an interdisciplinary study among the architecture program and the construction management program at Bowling Green State University.

Investigation Into Excessive Deflections In A Concrete Flat Slab, Matthew Frydman

Architectural Engineering

This senior project was inspired by a project experience during a summer internship in Denver, Colorado at Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. After a pipe froze and burst in the 13,000 sq. ft. basement of a two story building built in the 1990’s, an investigation was needed to determine the structural impacts of the event. A site visit was performed to collect data, and it quickly became clear that slab deflections and strength were top priorities. The slab was able to deflect in the basement due to a cardboard void form that was used to accommodate expansive soils. This project …

Makom Hillel: Slo Hillel Outdoor Event Space, Eli J. Greenberg

Architectural Engineering

This report details the design development for Makom Hillel, an outdoor event space dedicated to San Luis Obispo’s Hillel chapter. Hillel is an international organization working to connect Jewish students and community members with each other and their religion. The platform was designed as a service-learning senior project for the ARCE Department at Cal Poly SLO. The gravity and lateral systems were designed using the 2018 NDS, ASCE 7-16, and Simpson Strong Tie’s 2021 Wood Construction Connectors catalog. This project was conducted during Spring and Fall 2021 and supervised by Professor Brent Nuttall.

Growing Grounds Farm & Nursery - Serenity Shade Structure, Jack C. Radovan

Architectural Engineering

This project includes the design and construction of a shade structure over the serenity seating area at Growing Grounds Farm & Nursery. Growing Grounds is a part of TransitionsMental Health Association. It is a nonprofit wholesale nursery that provides horticulture, socialization opportunities, paid employment and soft job skills training for adults with severe and persistent mental illness. The shade structure will serve as place where staff and volunteers can gather and sit.

Rail Fixed Guideway Systems In Western U.S. Regions, Kelly A. Beavers

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This research explores the policy factors influencing the intraregional development of rail transit. For the purpose of this research, policy factors include: institutional arrangements, factors associated with governance, and factors in the policymaking process. The research questions are studied in five case study MSAs within the Pacific West and Mountain West regions of the United States: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ; Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO; Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA; and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR. The foundational problems that frame this research are the challenges of urban planning at a regional scale, specifically for transportation. The more specific challenge of transportation planning is situated within …

Piles Redesigned: A Comparison Of Concrete And Timber, Riley N. Mullen

Architectural Engineering

This project redesigned a foundation with timber piles and assesses the environmental impacts.

A Comparison Of Preferences: Testing The Correlation Between The National Register Of Historic Places And The South Carolina Picture Project, Vito Scocozzo

All Theses

Current affairs relating to the architectural stylings of federal buildings have sparked discussions regarding the preferences of the American people for different styles of architecture. Studies have identified a disconnect between the preferences of the general public and professionals who work with the built environment. This thesis seeks to continue these discussions and better understand how they relate to historic preservation by answering the following question: Do the historic resources and buildings nominated to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) by historic preservation professionals directly compare to the historic resources identified by a wider public base as represented by …

Parametric Study Of New Diaphragm Design Methods, Emily Rose Taylor

Architectural Engineering

Large retail buildings and warehouses are typically a one-story concrete or masonry walled structure with a panelized wood roof. These buildings fall under the category of “RWFD”, or “Rigid Wall Flexible Diaphragm”. There are two preexisting methods that can be utilized in designing flexible diaphragms, but there is a third being introduced in the new ASCE 7-22 code. Given this code is unreleased, there really is no guidance to the user as far as which method is the most time efficient or cost effective. The purpose of this project is to analyze the same building using each design method in …

Chinese Timber Woven Arch Bridges, Owen M. Anderson, Kaleigh G. Kant

Architectural Engineering

This is a report on the study and analysis conducted on Chinese timber woven bridges. It explores historical and cultural values behind them as well as their structural behavior. Finally, the bridge design is described in a series of equations that would make for simple design and construction.

Built For Food: The Resistance Of Chinese Immigrants From Service To Ownership, 1880-1960, Hongyan Yang

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the resistant voices of Chinese immigrants embedded in their food and food spatial practices in California from 1880 to 1960. While restrictive immigration laws in the United States generally prohibited Chinese laborers from entering the country, a sizable number of Chinese laborers navigated a culinary path to America through cooking, farming, and operating Chinese restaurants; some gradually achieved upward mobility. Although these activities have been noted broadly in Chinese food and immigration histories, few scholars have explored their spatial and material impacts. There is, however, a rich transnational history behind the everyday spaces that Chinese immigrants occupied …

Dance In Public Space, Rachel Cruzan

Architecture Undergraduate Honors Theses

Dance is a universal cultural phenomenon that provides physical, emotional, and social benefits. Public Space, when well-utilized, provides people with opportunities to meet various needs. In this way, Dance and Public Space have the potential for a mutually beneficial relationship, Public Space providing a way for people to meet certain needs through Dance, while Dance improves the quality of Public Space. This relationship is already in existence worldwide. This paper explores seven case studies globally where Dance occurs in Public Space. Written research is combined with diagrams developed to study key aspects of these spaces. The diagrams study Dance and …

Hurricanes And Housing: Highlighting The Ongoing Impact Of Hurricane Michael And The Post-Disaster Housing Problem, Mary Beth Barr

Architecture Undergraduate Honors Theses

Hurricanes impact individuals and communities on many levels - emotional, physical, mental, financial - to name a few. Every time a hurricane occurs, lives are drastically altered forever. One of the ways that hurricanes impact individuals and communities most powerfully is through the effect that they have on housing. Unleashing uncontrollable damage to infrastructure and the built environment, hurricanes exacerbate housing problems that exist and create new ones where they did not exist before. Hurricane Michael, which catastrophically impacted the Florida Panhandle in 2018, is a case study in which the impact that hurricanes have on housing is prevalent.

By …

Analysis Of Self-Consolidating Concrete In Architectural Shear Wall Applications: Case Study, Peter Finocchio

Construction Management

Architectural concrete surfaces have always been a point of focus for concrete contractors, architects, and owners, especially when consolidation poses risks due to a high density of reinforcement. Contractors have begun using self-consolidating concrete (SCC) in exposed vertical applications to combat the risk of poor consolidation. This paper investigates the characteristics of SCC and evaluates a case study of a recent project that was completed on the Central Coast of California. The study examines the cost variance between using SCC mix and a standard mix in architectural shear walls. The analysis is done by evaluating a multi-story Type 1A structure …

Modular Interior Partitions In Commercial Housing: A Case Study, Adam David Meleo

Construction Management

The ability to modify an interior space with ease and reasonable cost is beneficial to designers, owners, and end-users. Modular interiors are not a new concept. Modular interior partitions can come in the form of Japanese Shoji screens, as well as folding walls that would be found in a convention center. While not new in concept, the market for products that allow partitioning an interior space with ease appears to be growing with the introduction of innovative products and solutions. This paper will focus on two student housing projects in San Luis Obispo, California, with regards to their design and …

Development Of A Conceptual Design, Estimate, & Schedule For Cal Poly Track & Field Hurdle Shed, Jonathan Chagnon

Construction Management

This paper details the processes completed to produce the conceptual design, estimate, and schedule for a track and field hurdle shed at the Cal Poly Track facility. The main objective for this project was to create a conceptual idea for the track team that would make use of the current open space at the facility and create more storage space for current and future equipment obtained by the program. By completing this project, the track team would be able to receive a design that would allow them to push the concept forward as possible, an estimate that would give the …

City Of Guadalupe Cultural Arts & Education Center Veterans Memorial Wall, Alejandra Arroyo Perez

Construction Management

As a student in Construction Management, the importance of firsthand experience in the construction industry should not be taken lightly. The responsibility of every construction manager is to learn how to take a project from concept to reality. The primary five elements of construction management entail project programming, design development, material specifications, estimating, and scheduling. This paper documents the construction management process related to a Veterans Memorial Wall. Through coordination with the project stakeholders (i.e. property owners, engineer consultants, material fabricators, and vendors) a fully immersive construction management experience is gained. One of the stakeholder requirements was to establish a …

Reinforcement Learning Based Design Methodology For Building Performance: A Case Of Building Facades With Kinetic Elements, Sida Dai

All Dissertations

With the increasing complexity of design problems in building performance, traditional design methods are difficult to meet the growing demand of designers. For example, in building facades with kinetic elements, traditional design methods are facing many constraints due to the complex design variables and requirements. This study applied reinforcement learning(RL) to building performance optimization and proposed a novel design methodology. This design methodology consists of two parts: (1) a reinforcement learning-based design system; (2) an improved design process based on reinforcement learning.

The construction of the design methodology started from the analysis of design algorithms. Next, the design system was …

The Healing Landscapes Of Usu: Discovering Spaces Of Potential Mental Restorativeness: A Geospatial Analysis Of Usu Campus, Amelia H. Wilcken

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This project focuses on understanding an alternative resource that can be intentionally improved upon to help address the mental health crisis on university campuses. With ample research showing how nature and being outside can help improve, or be restorative for, the mental state of individuals, this project developed an analytical method for understanding the restorative potential within the campus landscape as a whole and within districts. The analysis uses nine separate elements that make up the campus landscape: (1) trees, (2) landscape plantings (grass, planters, etc.), (3) art pieces, (4) benches, (5) water features, (6) sidewalks, (7) roads, (8) parking …

Managing Summer Camps: A Study Of Culture And Practices At Environmentally Conscious Camps, Landis Wenger

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Supporting private landowners as they manage their land is essential to sustainability because sixty-one percent of land in the United States is privately owned and managed; therefore, it is crucial that we better understand the management practices implemented by private landowners and continue to development best management strategies. A significant portion of these land holders are summer camps. There are over 14,000 summer camps in America. Many summer camps already have cultures where they value their land and the ecosystems on their property; many have also sought to improve their land management practices as well. However, there is a lack …

The Race To Fifty Feet: An Effort To Determine The Benefits Of Deepening The Mississippi River, Brian Miles

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This research examined the benefits and drawbacks of deepening the Lower Mississippi River to fifty feet. It established that the deepening of the Lower Mississippi River will impact not only the local area but also the inland regions that rely on the river systems and lower river ports for product movement. The perspectives of vessel operators, maritime industry experts and charterers are provided to offer insight. The sources for the research include educational literature, maritime research and interviews of industry experts. Based on this research, it is clear that this project will benefit many parties. The beneficiaries will include both …

Gated Communities In The Uae: From A Social Sustainability Barrier To A Catalyst, Marwa Salem Al Jaberi

Theses

Gated communities are commonly defined as residential areas with restricted access, where commonly public spaces are privatized. The main characteristic of gated communities, based on the physical aspect of the development, involves gates, walls, guards, and closed-circuit surveillance. Scholarly studies have focused on the phenomenon of gated communities through covering its implications on the society and the city, where the benefits of this type of development have been frequently questioned. Gated communities have been linked with their negative impacts on the communities as socially segregated areas form the surrounding urban context. Nonetheless, several other studies advocated paradoxical theories related to …

Construction Of An Apartment Building And Parking Garage, Kirsten Wilson, Kirsten R. Wilson

Honors College Theses

Construction projects are known far and wide to all people. Buildings we need for daily survival would not exist if it were not for the construction industry. Our homes, healthcare facilities, groceries, and other necessary amenities would be gone if it were not for the structures they are housed in. This project aims to simulate the lifespan of a construction job from the design phase to the preconstruction phase and stops at the final presentation before an agreement to start construction.

To create the simulation for the students, a fake RFP, or request for proposal, was created and given to …

Empowering Artists Who Have Experienced Homelessness In The City Of Dallas, Texas Through Temporary Public Art In Urban Spaces, Angeles Marina Margarida-De Guzman

Landscape Architecture Masters & Design Theses

Homelessness is a critical social crisis impacting the United States in the 21st century. According to The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, in 2019 there were eight states that displayed a significant increase in the homeless population since 2010, with California and New York states having the most homeless. Even though homeless populations reportedly decreased in 2019 in the U.S. since 2010, most states continue to have large numbers of homeless populations, making this a persisting crisis in 2021 (United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, n.d.). In 2019 Texas was among the top seven states with the largest homeless …

3d Printed Concrete & Polymer Concrete For Infrastructure Applications, Daniel Heras Murcia

Civil Engineering ETDs

Additive manufacturing technology has been established as one of the fastest-growing building technologies worldwide. Three-dimensional concrete printing (3DCP) has developed an increasing interest in the last decade due to its prospects as a transformative technology for industries such as the concrete precast. Besides the improvements in automation technologies in construction, traditional construction has faced considerable challenges: high accident rates, labor dependency, significant potential for automation, and high costs associated with the use of traditional formwork. In this context, three-dimensional concrete, also referred to as physical prototyping, is a novel construction technique in which the concrete is extruded layer-to-layer. 3DCP is …

Rekonceptualizmi I Hapësirës Urbane Përmes Qasjes Minimalistike, Dardan Paloka

Theses and Dissertations

Zonat urbane janë një grup i ndërtimeve dhe hapësirave me aktiviteteve të ndryshme. Hapesirat e zbrazëta ndërmjet strukturave të këtyre ndërtimeve, shpesh shihen si efekt anësor, dhe mbesin te neglizhuara. Ky fenomen i gabur shfaqet si shkak i planifikimit të gabuar, menaxhimit të dobët të hapësirës ndërtimore, dhe koordinimit të dobët të ndërtesave me njëra tjetrën. Për shkak të mungesës së funksionit në këto hapësira, qytetarët tentojnë t'i përceptojnë si hapësira të vdekura dhe të pamundshme për tu shfrytëzuar¹. Duke marrur parasysh kërkesat e mëdha në qytet për hapësira të lira ku mund të mundësohet banimi, humbja e …