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Evaluating Smartrock Temperature Sensor Performance In Measuring Concrete Strength, Jack Dasch Nov 2022

Evaluating Smartrock Temperature Sensor Performance In Measuring Concrete Strength, Jack Dasch

Construction Management

Concrete testing is one of the most important parts of the concrete placement process. Traditionally, this is done through the use of 6x12 cylinders cured in a lab that are broken at various stages of the curing process. These cylinders are not necessarily representative of the in-situ concrete because of their differing curing conditions- indoors versus exposed to the elements. Wireless temperature sensors, like Giatec’s SmartRock, have the potential to determine concrete strength based off the temperature of the placed concrete over time, thus eliminating the need for cylinder breaks. Once calibrated to the specific mix design, these wireless sensors …


Construction Of Modular Concrete Footings For Use In Cal Poly’S High Bay Laboratory, Tyler W. Giddens Sep 2022

Construction Of Modular Concrete Footings For Use In Cal Poly’S High Bay Laboratory, Tyler W. Giddens

Construction Management

This project-based senior project had the end goal of creating two concrete modular foundations that can be used in the High Bay Laboratory for testing procedures. The concrete modular blocks are 6’ long by 3’ wide, and 1.5’ tall. The foundations each held 100 embeds. Each embed serves as an anchor point for various attachments for testing purposes. This was an interdisciplinary project amongst two CM students and one ARCE student. The ARCE student was responsible for the design of the blocks, encompassing the formwork and the rebar. The CM students were responsible for estimating, scheduling, and the construction of …


Differing Moisture Content In Concrete And Mitigation Methods: Research Of Sacramento, Taylor S. Tonda Sep 2022

Differing Moisture Content In Concrete And Mitigation Methods: Research Of Sacramento, Taylor S. Tonda

Construction Management

The city of Sacramento and its concrete foundations face one of the most challenging conditions in the flooring industry, high RH Moisture. RH Moisture or Relative Humidity Moisture is one of the main causes for flooring systems to fail. The source of High RH Moisture consists of surrounding geographic features like rivers, flood plains, and elevation, as well as improper or nonexistent use of a vapor barrier beneath the concrete foundation. Mapping and other data is used to support these claims. If a flooring system is not properly prepared for high RH Moisture levels, issues such as bubbling, delamination, and …


Utilizing Prefabrication In Order To Achieve Leed Credits, Phillip E. Waldman Aug 2022

Utilizing Prefabrication In Order To Achieve Leed Credits, Phillip E. Waldman

Construction Management

This paper is a dissertation on the concept and benefits of utilizing panelization in construction to achieve LEED credits. Panelization is the process of prefabricating construction framing materials, such as walls, floors, and roof systems, to streamline and improve the construction process. This dissertation aims to examine: (1) how prefabrication can optimize construction through effective waste management (2) how prefabrication manufacturing plants are more efficient, cost-effective, and better for the environment with regard to material use and recycling than traditional construction methods (3) how prefabrication can be used to obtain LEED credit points for the Construction and Demolition Waste Management …


Prefabrication And Modular Construction: Cm 214 Residential Construction Learning Module, Matthew V. Keeth Jul 2022

Prefabrication And Modular Construction: Cm 214 Residential Construction Learning Module, Matthew V. Keeth

Construction Management

The residential construction industry in the United States has certainly stuck to the conventional methods of stick-built construction nationwide. What if there was a better way? This project seeks to educate future Construction Management students about a smarter, more efficient, and sustainable method of homebuilding: Modular Construction. Distinguishing the difference between prefabrication and modularization is a necessary standard. Prefabrication is defined as the process of manufacturing the essential structural components of a home at a factory off-site. The large scale structural components of a home are then transported to the jobsite for easy installation. In addition, Modular Construction is defined …


Zoom Or Doom? The Cm Curriculum At A Glance During Covid, Alissa Rogers Jun 2022

Zoom Or Doom? The Cm Curriculum At A Glance During Covid, Alissa Rogers

Construction Management

Over the course of nearly three years, the Covid-19 pandemic changed the ways in which education is taught across the globe. Specifically looking towards the Construction Management (CM) department at California State University San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) and its curriculum, this paper surveys and analyzes the shifts made to the major-based course load. The basis of this study is the research of the potential modification of the CM curriculum classes in order to accommodate past covid restrictions. Studies have shown that individuals have suffered under the new online-based learning standard. In an age of altering restrictions, the study conducted …


Optimizing Heavy Civil Internships Based On Student Interest, Nicole Nguyen Jun 2022

Optimizing Heavy Civil Internships Based On Student Interest, Nicole Nguyen

Construction Management

Many Cal Poly Construction Management students are expected to have at least one internship prior to graduating. With that being said, the construction industry has many sectors of work that one may enter. Internships are a good way for students to determine what kind of work they would like to go into whether it is commercial, heavy civil, residential, etc. The purpose of this research paper is to analyze what can be done to optimize a heavy civil internship based off student interest and experiences. Research was conducted via survey that was sent out to all Cal Poly Construction Management …


Skip The Grid: Installation Of Solar Powered Refrigeration In The Navajo Nation, Connor T. Avrit Jun 2022

Skip The Grid: Installation Of Solar Powered Refrigeration In The Navajo Nation, Connor T. Avrit

Construction Management

The Skip the Grid project was a project completed with the joint efforts of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) and many other company sponsors including Solv Energy, Dometic, Goal Zero and Heart of America a nonprofit. Skip the Grid’s project goal and outcomes was to improve the quality of life and provide clean sustainable off grid energy to families within the Navajo Nation. The Navajo Nation is located in the Four Corners region of the United States with approximately a third of its residents without the means or circumstances to be tied into grid level power. …


Use Of Industrialized Construction Within Mechanical Contractors Association Of America, Nathan M. Yi Jun 2022

Use Of Industrialized Construction Within Mechanical Contractors Association Of America, Nathan M. Yi

Construction Management

It is a constant battle in the construction industry to improve productivity and efficiency while keeping the cost and schedule as low as possible. This can be made possible through the use of industrialized construction strategies such as, prefabrication, building information modeling (BIM), and automation. In this study, the main purpose of this survey was to collect information about MCAA firms’ knowledge of industrialized construction strategies, their use of them in the past, and their willingness to use them in the future. It also aims to explore the use of industrialized construction and its viability as a path for mechanical …


Paso Robles Police Department Shooting Range Shade Structure, Kevin Jaggers Jun 2022

Paso Robles Police Department Shooting Range Shade Structure, Kevin Jaggers

Construction Management

The Paso Robles Police Department uses a private shooting range about 15 minutes from their station and nearby the Paso Regional Airfield. This range is used for training and certifications and the California Highway Patrol and other local law enforcement organizations have access to do the same. The Paso Police department received a grant from the state to make improvements to the range and they have decided to allow Cal Poly students to use much of the grant to complete senior projects at the range. With the climate in Paso Robles being quite hot, with summer temperatures frequently in the …


Paso Robles Pd Roof Extension And Gun Cleaning Counter, Lucas Decasper Jun 2022

Paso Robles Pd Roof Extension And Gun Cleaning Counter, Lucas Decasper

Construction Management

Over the past few years the Paso Robles Police Department and the Cal Poly Construction Management Department have developed a professional relationship. Paso PD, looking for a cost-efficient solution to upgrading their shooting range decided to partner with Cal Poly students looking to gain field experience and complete their senior project. This shooting range, starting as just a few targets in an open area, has been developed into a 24-hour usable training facility equipped with storage, water, and electricity. As part of the department’s requested scope, two gun cleaning counters as well as a roof extension to protect these counters …


Cvaf: Service Dog Kennel Construction, Luke A. Terrio, Spencer Allen Jun 2022

Cvaf: Service Dog Kennel Construction, Luke A. Terrio, Spencer Allen

Construction Management

The California Veterans Assistance Foundation Service Dog Kennel Construction project gave back to our country’s veterans by constructing new kennels for their service dogs. The previous kennel on the veteran residential site needed an upgrade due to the increased number of service dogs at the shelter. A team of two Cal Poly Construction Management students consisting of Spencer Allen and Luke Terrio worked to design, estimate, coordinate, and construct a new kennel structure for the site. The roles were divided in the project between the preconstruction and construction phases. During pre-construction Spencer’s role was to schedule the job and create …


Paso Robles Police Department Shooting Range Shade Structure, Parker Greves Smith Jun 2022

Paso Robles Police Department Shooting Range Shade Structure, Parker Greves Smith

Construction Management

The Paso Robles Police Department has a shooting range about ten minutes from their station next to the Paso Robles Regional Airfield. They have owned the property for years, making numerous improvements to the land and infrastructure to make it more conducive to shooting, much of the work has been done by other past Cal Poly students as well. With Paso Robles geographical location, it is regularly a windy place where the average high during the summer months is almost 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Naturally when spending hours shooting, shade breaks are needed which is where the necessity of a shade …


Re-Assessing The Granite Heavy Civil Minor, Natalie H. Holnes Jun 2022

Re-Assessing The Granite Heavy Civil Minor, Natalie H. Holnes

Construction Management

This research-based project analyzes issues within the Granite Heavy Civil Minor that contribute to declining student retention. This document specifically focuses on the program’s course curriculum and graduation date extensions as major drivers of student withdrawals from the minor. Two separate surveys were conducted from students within the minor and students who had dropped out of the minor, to gauge the specific issues students have with the program. The results concluded that many students dislike certain courses in the curriculum, such as CE 222 and CE 321, and felt that these required courses were unessential and unhelpful in preparing them …


Shabang Music Festival Seating, Carter L. Norton Jun 2022

Shabang Music Festival Seating, Carter L. Norton

Construction Management

This outlines the process of the building and installation of four shaded seating areas at the SHABANG Music Festival located at Laguna Lake Park in San Luis Obispo. This paper places an emphasis on the pre-construction elements of the building stage. SHABANG Music Group rented out a section of Laguna Lake Park to host a music festival designed to bring the San Luis Obispo community together. The goal of the project discussed was to build a raised VIP seating area facing the main stage on which music lovers could relax while still being able to enjoy an unobstructed view of …


Can The In-House Installation Of Solar Panels Increase Residential Builder’S Profits?, Garrison M. O'Marr Jun 2022

Can The In-House Installation Of Solar Panels Increase Residential Builder’S Profits?, Garrison M. O'Marr

Construction Management

The purpose of this paper is to analyze and determine if the In-house installation of solar panels by Residential Builders will lead to increased profits. Specifically, this pertains to Large Residential Developers that are focused on building single-family home developments with greater than 25 homes. With the demand for solar power in new homes continuously rising year after year, it is smart to find more profitable ways to install these systems, one of which is self-installation performed by the General Contractor. The Methodology of research I used is a combination of primary and secondary research, as well as interviews with …


The Construction Of Elevated Decks And Safari-Style Glamping Tents For Zoo To You, Conner W. Schmutte Jun 2022

The Construction Of Elevated Decks And Safari-Style Glamping Tents For Zoo To You, Conner W. Schmutte

Construction Management

This paper will outline and discuss the construction process of two elevated decks accompanied by the assembly of two safari-style glamping tents, built for the non-profit organization Zoo to You located in Paso Robles. Zoo to You provides rehabilitation and housing for endangered, injured, or otherwise illegal animals. The goal of the project was to create a new housing facility for guests to stay overnight on zoo grounds, in an immersive wildlife encounter experience. The housing facility was created using concrete and lumber construction followed by the assembly of premanufactured tents. Concrete was used to build the strong foundations required …


Leed In Residential Construction, Harley Maria Holbrook Jun 2022

Leed In Residential Construction, Harley Maria Holbrook

Construction Management

Sustainable building has been an aspect of the construction industry for over 30 years and over the past decade has been a major emphasis in Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industries. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) leads the push in creating a standard for building sustainably with a certification system that tracks the achievements. A point system has been created that gives builders criteria to follow to receive a LEED certification. This certification has been used widely in commercial construction but not as commonly in residential construction. This study aims to look at LEED in the residential building …


3d Virtual Learning Spaces, Carter Melick Jun 2022

3d Virtual Learning Spaces, Carter Melick

Construction Management

Learning within the construction industry is challenging due to the complexity, size and variety of construction projects. This project aims to tackle these challenges through the use of 3D modeling and VR technologies. The project focuses on the teaching of structural steel framing with an emphasis on the stages/phases of construction. The first steps involved taking structural steel plans and using them to create a 3D model in Revit. The model is broken up into stages from foundation to roof framing to highlight the stages of construction. Once each model stage was finalized, it was imported into a 3D program …


How To Manage Material Costing For Future Projects During Shortages And Inflationary Times, John Chauncy Langton Jun 2022

How To Manage Material Costing For Future Projects During Shortages And Inflationary Times, John Chauncy Langton

Construction Management

No one knows precisely when a significant shortage or inflation of material will come. In the construction industry, the cost of materials changes daily. However, when Covid-19 arrived, the material price increased dramatically. Suppliers ran out of material, small companies couldn’t afford the material, and large companies had to compete with other larger companies more than ever. I had the opportunity to interview five well-informed construction owners and senior executives about their companies and what they did to survive unforeseen shortages and inflations in construction material. Inventory and pre-buying materials were vital in helping companies not have to pay a …


Girls Build Summer Academy Leadership Summit, Itzell Ruiz Jun 2022

Girls Build Summer Academy Leadership Summit, Itzell Ruiz

Construction Management

This paper highlights the activities and presentations that will take place during the women in construction leadership summit prior to the Girls Build Summer Academy for high school girls. The leadership summit is a two-day event that will consist of presentations on important leadership and construction topics. The presentations will cover topics such as confidence, safety, leadership assessment activity, tool shop training, emerging trends, career paths, jobsite visit, and a women’s panel. This leadership summit will be implemented in the summer of 2023 and will take place at Cal Poly’s campus in the Construction Innovations Center. The scope of this …


Landscape Storage Shed For Transitions-Mental Health Association, Jennifer Casey Knickerbocker Jun 2022

Landscape Storage Shed For Transitions-Mental Health Association, Jennifer Casey Knickerbocker

Construction Management

The purpose of this paper is to outline the process of planning, designing, and constructing a storage shed for the non-profit organization, Transitions-Mental Health Association (T-MHA). This project was developed through a Cal Poly Construction Management course, CM 420, Service and Experiential Learning. The goal of this class is to gain experience through physical construction by building a service project for an organization or person who needs it. For this project, T-MHA asked that a storage chest be built for their landscaper who maintains the on-site garden. Due to multiple change orders by the owner, what was originally going to …


Firstfruits Farm Tractor Shed, Gerardo Martinez, Kiana Dehpanah Jun 2022

Firstfruits Farm Tractor Shed, Gerardo Martinez, Kiana Dehpanah

Construction Management

Preconstruction lays the foundation for the overall outcome of a construction project. This project phase includes a detailed schedule, outlines the scope of work, and provides an overall estimate for the project. Devoting a sufficient amount of time and effort into the preconstruction phase is crucial. Preconstruction is an important component of what makes the entirety of a construction project successful. Preconstruction work also includes finding funders to cover the costs of material. Preconstruction and the construction for a tractor shed were completed for FirstFruits Farm in San Luis Obispo. The construction portion of this project relied on the successful …


The Effect Of Inflation And The Pandemic On A Southern California Solar Company: A Case Study, Adrian Avila Jun 2022

The Effect Of Inflation And The Pandemic On A Southern California Solar Company: A Case Study, Adrian Avila

Construction Management

Supply chain issues are causing panic in certain sectors of the economy particularly the solar sector. Solar energy already has problems that can affect its growth in the long term such as lack of government incentives, high cost, and energy curtailment. These problems are becoming more pronounced as the pandemic is prolonged. California is a state that has been encouraging the use of solar energy and has introduced incentives for its citizens to install solar. Because of this, solar companies in California may be able to more adequately circumvent issues and better excel economically than companies in other states. In …


San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden Alternative Learning Space- Preconstruction, Jonah Kirmse Jun 2022

San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden Alternative Learning Space- Preconstruction, Jonah Kirmse

Construction Management

This paper will review the process behind the preconstruction efforts for the creation of an alternative learning space within the San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden. The SLO Botanical Garden is a nonprofit that serves the local community by supporting public interest in the natural environment. The project sought to aid in the garden’s aforementioned mission by building upon their ability to provide outdoor education spaces. The project’s eventual completion was a collective effort that spanned across multiple disciplines, representing the building industry. The original intention of the project group was to complete the project from concept to construction, but delays …


Impact Of Cell Phone Usage On Jobsite Productivity, Nathan C. Saedi Jun 2022

Impact Of Cell Phone Usage On Jobsite Productivity, Nathan C. Saedi

Construction Management

Technological advances in cell phones have led to a change in the way contractors are able to complete project management tasks. When utilized while upholding safety standards, smartphones possess the capabilities to successfully function as a supervision, reporting, and communication tool. This paper examines some of the daily time spent on cell phones and impacts safe cell phone usage can yield. This paper further presents an exploration into an effective usage of cell phone applications to support construction field activities and promote productivity on the jobsite. The primary objective of this research is to highlight cell phone applications that can …


Oceanside Angler’S Club David Pine Memorial Weight Board, Tanner Joseph Pine Jun 2022

Oceanside Angler’S Club David Pine Memorial Weight Board, Tanner Joseph Pine

Construction Management

The David Pine Memorial Weight Board was constructed for the Oceanside Angler’s Club. I was contacted by this organization, to create a weigh board in founding member David Pine’s memory. The club had a previous weight board that was destroyed due to the harsh conditions of the coast. The process of building this board incorporated many of the facets taught in the Cal Poly curriculum. I had to work with the owners in order to create a suitable design, materials had to be acquired using alternative methods, subcontractors were worked with to create components of the board, and a schedule …


Analyzing Industrialized Construction Methods In Neca Contractors, Frank Lucey Jun 2022

Analyzing Industrialized Construction Methods In Neca Contractors, Frank Lucey

Construction Management

Construction is constantly changing and evolving. Companies are always looking to improve their skills, provide a better finished product, and satisfy their client all while working in a safe environment. Industrialized Construction is an increasing trend in all sectors of construction over the past couple of years, due to the success of creating a more efficient project. Projects that utilized Industrial Construction saved more time and therefore money, while also exceeding the quality of work expected. Industrialized Construction is a very broad term with a lot of subcategories of what goes into it. These methods of increasing efficiency on the …


Use Of Industrialized Construction Strategies Among Associated General Contractors Of America, Matthew Mackenzie Jun 2022

Use Of Industrialized Construction Strategies Among Associated General Contractors Of America, Matthew Mackenzie

Construction Management

Industrialized construction (IC) strategies are techniques used on a construction project that allows for significant time and schedule savings. The goal of this study is to analyze trends among general contractors and their experience with these strategies. Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) firms were asked various survey questions including size of firm, experience with several types of IC strategies, and their willingness to use similar strategies in the future. By answering questions about their percentage of use of prefabrication, automation, and BIM for various contract types, delivery methods, and payment methods, trends relating to the use of IC emerge. …


Analysis Of The Retention Rate Of Students In The Granite Heavy Civil Minor, Sophie Harrington Jun 2022

Analysis Of The Retention Rate Of Students In The Granite Heavy Civil Minor, Sophie Harrington

Construction Management

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the retention rate of the Cal Poly Granite Heavy Civil Minor program. This program began in 2020, with the first cohort graduating in Spring of 2022. Throughout the past two years, there have been several students who have joined the program, however they have decided to no longer pursue the minor. Through personal conversations, personal experience, as well as a survey directed to both construction management and civil engineering students, it was identified that scheduling concerns seemed to be a primary factor that was creating apprehensiveness in students. The survey showed that …