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Full-Text Articles in Engineering

Atascadero Little League - Snack Shack Window Renovation, Anthony J. Catania May 2024

Atascadero Little League - Snack Shack Window Renovation, Anthony J. Catania

Construction Management

Atascadero Little League is an essential part of the local community. It brings families together and provides youth with a place to develop their social skills, sportsmanship, and discipline all while getting outside and exercising. Little leagues are non-profit organizations, managed and operated by volunteers, who sacrifice personal time to give back to their local community. Paloma Creek Park is where Atascadero Little League hosts most of their games. The snack shack’s service window does not face the baseball field, forcing volunteers to rely on a small window in the side of the structure to view their child’s game. The …


Cal Poly's Old Powerhouse Analysis Assessing Stakeholder Preferences, Marissa D. Burns Apr 2024

Cal Poly's Old Powerhouse Analysis Assessing Stakeholder Preferences, Marissa D. Burns

Construction Management

This research paper delves into the historical and cultural relevance of Cal Poly’s Old Powerhouse, the college’s oldest architectural landmark, which has remained in a state of disuse since the 1990s. Employing meticulous survey methodology; perspectives from faculty, staff, alumni, students, and community members are gathered to illustrate the significance of the Old Powerhouse within the various stakeholders. The study refrains from imposing interpretation but rather seeks to capture the sentiments expressed by stakeholders, providing valuable insights into the building’s perceived value. By centering on the community opinions, the research will underscore the building’s potential and expand on the collected …


Efficacy Of Passive Ventilation With High Exhaust Demands: A Case Study Of Cal Poly Sst, Siddarth Bokka Mar 2024

Efficacy Of Passive Ventilation With High Exhaust Demands: A Case Study Of Cal Poly Sst, Siddarth Bokka

Construction Management

The Simpson Strong Tie Demonstration Laboratory serves as a multipurpose space allowing students at the College of Architecture and Environmental Design at California Polytechnic State University to build full scale construction projects. The building features a material storage area, a high bay for construction of full-scale projects, and a mezzanine level that houses digital fabrication equipment. However, the building was never designed to house the specific equipment currently installed on the mezzanine and ventilate the exhaust fumes from them. Rather, the building relies on passive natural ventilation that is likely ineffective at properly exhausting hazardous fumes, resulting in complaints from …


Designing A Chicken Coop For The San Luis Obispo High School Ffa Farm, Zoe King Mar 2024

Designing A Chicken Coop For The San Luis Obispo High School Ffa Farm, Zoe King

Construction Management

This paper covers the design process by a team of students from Cal Poly to provide a chicken coop for the San Luis Obispo High School FFA Farm. The project, initiated in Summer of 2023, aimed to replace their existing temporary chicken coops with a larger, better functioning structure that could house their 10+ chickens comfortably. The paper focuses primarily on the design phase but touches briefly on material procurement and construction. Through meetings with the client, the team developed a design that met the school’s design criteria and educational needs. The design process involved collaboration and many iterations of …


Case Study: Diesel Powered Loaders Compared To Electric Loaders In Heavy Civil Construction, Jayson Downs Mar 2024

Case Study: Diesel Powered Loaders Compared To Electric Loaders In Heavy Civil Construction, Jayson Downs

Construction Management

As the construction sector evolves, the environmental consequences of greenhouse gasses have become a significant issue. Numerous contractors are transitioning to electric-powered systems, which offer more energy-efficient methods for heavy machinery, enhanced productivity, and construction equipment that meets new and improved emission standards. This paper aims to examine the viability of heavy civil construction firms transitioning from traditional diesel-powered wheel loaders to electric wheel loaders. Given the competitive and saturated market in road construction, many contractors have already started investing in electric systems. This results in cost savings in terms of fuel efficiency and operating expenses compared to conventionally fueled …


The Impact Of Culture On Construction, Vatulele Uluakiotonga Finau Mar 2024

The Impact Of Culture On Construction, Vatulele Uluakiotonga Finau

Construction Management

The aim of this comprehensive exploration is to identify elements within Japanese, Islamic/Arabic, and Tongan cultures that can be implemented into construction practices in California, leveraging their unique values to enhance home design and construction. The study reveals that culture plays a pivotal role in shaping the design and construction of homes, reflecting deeply held values, traditions, and societal norms. Through qualitative research, expert interviews, and a detailed literature review, key elements defining each cultural approach to housing are elucidated. From the emphasis on privacy and natural ventilation in Japanese homes to the integration of modesty and hospitality in Islamic/Arabic …


Lemur Enclosure, Joshua Mancio, Justin Krietzberg Mar 2024

Lemur Enclosure, Joshua Mancio, Justin Krietzberg

Construction Management

Zoo-to-You, a local wildlife conservation zoo, proposed a project to construct a new shelter for their lemurs due to the inadequacy of protection for extreme heat or cold weather of their previous enclosure. With three lemurs in residence, the zoo sought to create a spacious and insulated shelter that would provide protection from the elements while allowing connectivity to the adjacent enclosures. Situated amidst two existing circular cages with a gap in between, the project presented unique site conditions on a concrete slab. The scope of the project encompassed estimating, design, material procurement, build-out, and owner turnover, with the objective …


Effects Of The 2022 California Building Energy Efficiency Standards On New Construction In San Luis Obispo County, Christopher Hoefer Mar 2024

Effects Of The 2022 California Building Energy Efficiency Standards On New Construction In San Luis Obispo County, Christopher Hoefer

Construction Management

California released the first Building Efficiency Standards, or Energy Code, in 1976 and has updated them every three years. These standards aim at limiting the amount of energy use and greenhouse gas emissions by buildings in the state. California claims that these standards have saved consumers billions on utility bills, but there is limited information on the upfront impact the Efficiency Standards have had on new construction. This study sought to evaluate the impact that the 2022 California Building Energy Efficiency Standards had on new construction in San Luis Obispo County. Interviews were conducted with local specialty contractors in order …


Design And Construction Of A Buddy Bench For An Elementary School Play Yard, Remy N. Hickle Mar 2024

Design And Construction Of A Buddy Bench For An Elementary School Play Yard, Remy N. Hickle

Construction Management

A buddy bench was designed, constructed, and installed at the Shasta Meadows Elementary School in Redding, California. A response to loneliness and bullying in schools, the buddy bench is a physical and nonverbal way students can identify the need for companionship on a school playground. By sitting on the bench, students, teachers or school administrators will see them and can come over to spend time with them. Grounded in personal connections and a deep understanding of the school's ethos, the buddy bench aims to foster empathy, inclusion, and support within the student community. Through collaborative efforts with school staff, students, …


Student Solutions For Leaf Drying: A Collaborative Approach To Enhance Moringa Production In Ghana, Daniel Desoto Mar 2024

Student Solutions For Leaf Drying: A Collaborative Approach To Enhance Moringa Production In Ghana, Daniel Desoto

Construction Management

This paper expands on a project that seeks to address the need for an updated mechanical leaf drying system for local farmers in Ghana, Africa. Working with the local organization, Moringa Connect, we were able to connect and identify potential areas of improvement within the current existing system. This project involved aspects of design, fundraising, and the construction of a rotating metal hopper. This hopper was identified as a solution for a crucial pinch point currently seen in the processing of the leaves from a wet stage to the final dry product. The design and construction process had a multidisciplinary …


Creating Content For Prison Design Course: Nordic Countries Vs. United States, Calvin Steven Clauson Mar 2024

Creating Content For Prison Design Course: Nordic Countries Vs. United States, Calvin Steven Clauson

Construction Management

Since 2010, prisons in Nordic countries have begun to take a very progressive approach to rehabilitating prisoners, addressing prisoners more humanely than is traditionally done in the United States. This project aims to develop course content that looks at the design elements of prisons in the United States and performs a comparative analysis with more progressive Nordic prison designs. Cal Poly’s construction management department will incorporate the developed content into one module of a co-taught course with sociology. The course will examine the ways social changes impact the construction of prisons and the social impacts of design and construction on …


Construction Software: Use, Selection, And Performance In Low-Bid Contracting, David R. Cazares Feb 2024

Construction Software: Use, Selection, And Performance In Low-Bid Contracting, David R. Cazares

Construction Management

The qualitative research included in this study evaluates the use, selection, and perceived gaps of current construction software suits in low-bid contracting. In addition, the data aims to provide merit to the correlation between construction software use and company performance. The intended stakeholders of this study include entrepreneurs in software development and construction, along with researchers looking to gather knowledge pertaining to this niche industry. Through a Google Forms questionnaire distributed via email, participants provide insight on the current status quo. The study’s responses show clear trends in the types of software currently in use and the subsequent reasons for …


Reinstatement Of The Poly Canyon Caretaker Program Through The Development Of A Tiny Home Community, Leily Martin Jan 2024

Reinstatement Of The Poly Canyon Caretaker Program Through The Development Of A Tiny Home Community, Leily Martin

Construction Management

The Poly Canyon Experimental Structures Laboratory, through its Design/Build program, is unique in the educational opportunity it provides Cal Poly College of Architecture and Environmental Design (CAED) students. However, since the conclusion of the Caretaker Program in 2011, the facility’s structures have deteriorated due to vandalism, purposeful destruction, and weathering. This study examines the perspectives of CAED students, the interim CAED Dean, Kevin Dong, and Cal Poly Risk Manager, Mike Morgan, on the effectiveness in reinstating the Caretaker Program through the development of a tiny home community. Results indicated educational value in this facility, so addressing these issues must occur …