Engineering Commons^™

Verifying The Calcium Oxychloride Threshold In Cementitious Pastes, Fatoumata Traore

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Calcium oxychloride (CAOXY) formation is a serious deterioration mechanism known to cause joint damage in concrete pavements. CAOXY is the product of a chemical reaction between calcium chloride (CaCl2) or magnesium chloride (MgCl) deicing salts and calcium hydroxide in the cementitious matrix. Currently, the accepted CAOXY threshold at which deterioration is mitigated in cementitious paste is 15 g/100 g paste (15 oz/100 oz paste); however, this limit was developed using flexural strength testing. For this investigation, the current threshold was evaluated using compressive strength and mass change over time in paste specimens exposed to CaCl2. Fly ash is used to …

Comparing The Effectiveness Of Osha-10 Online And In-Person Safety Courses: Case Study, Timothy R. Bartolomei

Construction Management

Since 1970, the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) was designed to create a safe workplace for everyone, has increased safety awareness, and decreased occurrences of injury and death on construction-related job sites. Until 2001, construction safety education was taught through face-to-face interaction between an instructor and an employee. However, in 2001, safety courses became available through multiple online platforms with the ability to be completed virtually. Online safety courses provide an alternative from face-to-face training and allow the employee to complete the training at their own pace. However, some research indicates that online safety courses are not as effective …

Case Study: Diesel-Powered Loaders Compared To Hybrid Loaders In Heavy Civil Construction, Jesus O. Pena

Construction Management

With the construction industry constantly changing, the environmental impacts of greenhouses gases have become a huge concern. Many contractors are adapting and switching over to hybrid powered systems to allow for more energy saving methods for heavy equipment, an increase in productivity, and efficient construction equipment that comply with emission regulations. The goal for this paper is to analyze the feasibility of heavy civil construction companies switching over from conventional diesel-powered wheel loaders to hybrid wheel loaders. Due to the competitive and saturated market in roadwork construction, many contractors have already begun to invest into hybrid systems. This provides cost …

Bs News July/August

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Project Risk Management In Malaysian Oil And Gas Industry: Implementation By Epc Local Contractor, Che Rosli Zaim Aiman

Student Works (2020-2029)

The megaproject in Downstream Sector of Oil and Gas Industry only achieve 50% success rate which warrants attention by researchers. The Owners and Contractors are not fully aware on the full range of project risks and only few have demonstrated the knowledge and expertise in managing risk effectively. The common understanding had by the EPC Contractor is they are having the full flexibility and freedom in performing execution work by maximizing profit while still complying towards client’s requirement as the contract price has been fixed during award stage. However, there is a hidden risk which seldomly being placed attention by …

The Critical Success Factors Of Cloud Based Application Implementation In Construction Management, Sukiman Mohd Asfahani

Student Works (2020-2029)

Design and construction are information intensive activities, involving a great number of people collaborating to produce complex, one-off developments. Whilst historically, information may have been managed and communicated using paper-based systems and verbal instructions, the integration of the supply chain, the introduction of computer aided design (CAD) and building information modelling (BIM) and the development of cloud computing application means that information communications technology (ICT) is becoming a fundamental part, not just of the design office, but also of the construction site. Cloud computing is a relatively new phenomenon in the construction industry. It allows the delivery over the 'cloud' …

The Study On The Use Of Project Success Framework Among Project Personnel, Suring Joshua

Student Works (2020-2029)

Projects, programs and portfolios are essential for human endeavors since time immemorial. However, project success rates in various sectors are dismal and not up to expectations. This research aims to investigate the use of a multilevel project success framework among project personnel in various sectors to identify essential success levels and criteria and determine any weaknesses and gaps for enhancing the framework. This is a qualitative study during which a conceptual framework was developed and tested with data gathered using a questionnaire survey with open-ended questions which was distributed to project personnel based on snowball sampling. A total of 52 …

Improving Client-Consultant-Contractor Communication In Construction Industry Through Whatsapp Application, Muhammad Hafizul Taib

Student Works (2020-2029)

A Smooth and effective communication is very important in construction industry to prevent iteration and rework which will cause money. Since there are a lot of parties involve in construction,it is important to have a good communication platform. In the current world, people are using the technology advancement to enhance the effectiveness of communication amongst people who work in construction industry. Though there are a lot of mobile application designed for construction purpose, WhatsApp is the most commonly used by all. However, there are no studies done to identify the effectiveness of it. This thesis will gather respond from client, …

Challenges In E-Tendering Implementation In Ministry Of Youth And Sports Malaysia, Azis Ahmad Zamie

Student Works (2020-2029)

The Ministry of Youth and Sport, like most ministries in Malaysia, tenders its projects through the traditional paper-based tendering process, which has many weaknesses, including bureaucracy and lack of transparency. In 2008, e-Tender was one of government incentive under e-Government application was introduced to replace manual tendering system in public agencies to systematic procurement which using internet as platform of transaction. Like any other transition project, implementation of e-tender in Ministry of Youth and Sport, is associated with several challenges. This research aims to explore the challenges facing the implementation of the e-tender system in the Ministry of Youth and …

Engineering Properties And Microstructural Characteristics Of Cement And Geopolymer Based Mortars Using Nontraditional Supplementary Cementitious Materials, Mathialagan Sumesh

Student Works (2020-2029)

The concrete repair and rehabilitation industry grows rapidly due to deterioration, damage and defects in concrete structures. For various reasons, the concrete construction industry is not sustainable; because it consumes huge quantities of virgin materials, the usage of Portland cement as prime binder. The production of cement is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, the high cost of commercial repair material. Therefore, it is necessary to develop cost-effective alternative repair materials for concrete repairs. There have been many standard repair materials available in the market, which are costly and not affordable to common people. However, research works …

Automatic Delamination Segmentation For Bridge Deck Based On Encoder-Decoder Deep Learning Through Uav-Based Thermography, Chongsheng Cheng, Zhexiong Shang, Zhigang Shen

Department of Construction Engineering and Management: Faculty Publications

Concrete deck delamination often demonstrates strong variations in size, shape, and temperature distribution under the influences of outdoor weather conditions. The strong variations create challenges for pure analytical solutions in infrared image segmentation of delaminated areas. The recently developed supervised deep learning approach demonstrated the potentials in achieving automatic segmentation of RGB images. However, its effectiveness in segmenting thermal images remains under-explored. The main challenge lies in the development of specific models and the generation of a large range of labeled infrared images for training. To address this challenge, a customized deep learning model based on encoder-decoder architecture is proposed …

Evaluating Cracking Performance Of Polymer Enhanced And Fiber Reinforced Microsurface Mixtures Using Asphalt Laboratory Testing, George Joseph Shackil

Theses and Dissertations

This study presents a method to improve and evaluate the cracking resistance of microsurfacing mixtures using common asphalt laboratory testing. A preliminary optimal timing study and a study to evaluate improvements to cracking performance were conducted. The control mixture was based on NJDOT standard mix design specifications. Three mixtures were tested in this study: a fiber reinforced mixture using one-quarter inch glass fibers, an emulsion with increased SBR (polymer) contents, and a mixture using the one-quarter inch glass fibers combined with the increased polymer contents. Three laboratory tests were used to evaluate three different cracking resistance parameters: crack initiation (Semi-Circular …

Trades And Apprenticeship Survey 2020: Focus On Wet Trades, Roisin Murphy

Reports

CIF commissioned the Trades and Apprenticeship Survey 2020 – Focus on Wet Trades report to investigate the causes and implications of the low numbers entering wet trades (Bricklaying, floor and wall tiling, Painting and Decorating and Plastering). The objective for commissioning expert research was to fully understand whether the current model is appropriate for the sector or simply requires a new approach.

The research, carried out by Dr. Róisín Murphy, undertook a multi-stakeholder analysis, to determine the causes and challenges facing wet trades and apprenticeship in Ireland.

The report proposes six recommendations and addresses an Apprenticeship model review, Education and …

A Case Study On How Insulated Concrete Forms Can Prevent Structure Loss During Wildfires, Charles Myron Ackley

Construction Management

ICFs are a building material with unique thermal insulating and non-combustible properties that have shown great potential at protecting a structure during a wildfire. To prove the hypothesis that ICFs can effectively prevent structure damage or loss during a wildfire, an analytical case study on an ICF home that survived the Camp Fire was conducted. The goal was to understand how ICFs unique thermal insulating and non-combustible properties protect structures from wildfires and how this assembly system can be a lot more effective than a traditional frame structure. Additional objectives for the project included highlighting the growing threat of wildfires …

Contrasting Lifestyles In Commercial And Heavy Civil Construction, Michael Rios

Construction Management

The construction industry has different sectors that students can apply for when it comes to acquiring the chance for an internship or a full-time job. The two main sectors many students from the construction management department apply for are commercial construction and heavy civil construction. Information about each sector is provided in each lab, such as what type of projects each sector builds, the type of environment the project can be in and the magnitude in scale of each project. One thing that seems to be a high influence on which industry the students decide to work for is the …

Apple Homekit Application And Cost Breakdown, Nicholas E. Fifield

Construction Management

A principle part of the American dream is to own a home. The definition of an American home is constantly changing, and smart home technology gives more functionality and control over a person’s space. With devices updating constantly and with newer devices coming out every day, having an organized, well-connected smart home can define a person’s home. Apple’s HomeKit ecosystem gives users a single application interface to operate smart home technology for an entire, organized home opposed to other similar ecosystems without necessary functions run by other companies like Google or Amazon. Starting or remodeling a smart home can be …

Supply Chain Management: Fragmented Adoption In Practice, Tayler J. Yoshimura

Construction Management

Every day the construction industry develops new ideas and theories toward innovation in increased efficiency and quality for its projects. One method is supply chain management, which focuses on the relationships between partnerships along the supply chain. The theory was first developed in the manufacturing industry and this paper will highlight the reasons behind its fragmented adoption in the construction industry. The overall supply chain typically contains short supply chains that are dismissed upon project completion. Some companies have partially adopted the theory into their work practices but has been unable to fully adopt the theory as a whole. There …

The Effects Of Covid-19 On The Commercial Construction Industry In California: A Case Study, Emily G. Bohannon

Construction Management

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, construction companies across California have been forced to quickly adapt to new protocols and regulations. Since certain areas of California have been more impacted by the pandemic, construction companies in those counties have been forced to comply with stricter coronavirus guidelines. Between the regions researched in this case study, the Bay Area has been affected the most by COVID-19 shutdowns and regulations. Then, Los Angeles County and San Diego County, which faced similar restrictions. The least restrictive area to build during the pandemic is the Central Valley, where there were less reported cases. …

Wooden Bridge Demolition And Reconstruction, Josh Simon Rogers

Construction Management

The Conejo Recreation and Park District (CRPD) is a nonprofit city government organization that maintains the parks and hiking trails in Thousand Oaks, California. They were informed that one of the bridges at the Stagecoach Inn, a landmark park located in Thousand Oaks California, was old and sagging in a way that made interfered with the flow of the creek it spanned over. A plan to demolish the current bridge was created. Utilizing ArchiCAD and Microsoft Excel a design and an estimate were developed for a new bridge that would be built in its place. This bridge would be tall …

The Emma Family Backyard Deck – Thousand Oaks, Ca, Christopher Walter Farkas

Construction Management

This paper outlines the planning, design, and construction of an 80 square foot deck/outdoor patio. The main purpose of this project was to assist an elder couple fund and construct a new deck in their backyard. Due to the current world pandemic, COVID-19 the Emma Family was practicing social distancing and adhering to the State and County wide stay at home order. The project plan was to design a deck for Emma family in the design, construction it and receive funding. The deck was a rectangular 8’ x 10’ and raised 6” off the ground. In addition to the deck …

Construction Of Sustainable High-Tech Greenhouse, Ethan J. Emery

Construction Management

This project aims to create a business model and construction estimate in order to assess the viability of upgrading from conventional farming to a high-tech sustainable greenhouse. For the intended purposes this paper will make the assumption that a farmer that already owns their own land could use this as a guideline for what they could expect from a high-tech greenhouse in terms of both profits and expenses. Between my business plan, and my partners BIM model, we aim to make visualizing what a high –tech sustainable greenhouse could look like for a prospective farmer. The papers results are based …

Construction Of A Sustainable High-Tech Greenhouse, Miguel A. Sadler

Construction Management

The purpose of this project is to assess the feasibility for farmers to upgrade from conventional farming methods to using sustainable, high-tech greenhouses. For all intensive purposes, the values presented in this paper are based off the assumption that a farmer already owns their land and can use this paper as a reference to see what it would look like if they wanted to make the upgrade to high-tech greenhouses. To assess the viability of this project my partner and I set out to complete all the preconstruction activities that a project team would need to complete for a potential …

Effectiveness Of Building Information Modeling In Existing Structure Construction Compared To New Structure Construction, Anthony Aaron Bellanti

Construction Management

Over the last decade Building Information Modeling has become a crucial aspect of the construction project for larger construction firms in the United States. BIM has many different facets and can be used to effectively manage construction projects in various ways. Modeling a structure in a virtual setting in preconstruction allows for adequate preparedness for the construction process and has been shown to be effective, on a broad scale, to reduce cost, compress schedules, and allow for a more fluid construction process overall. The goal of this paper is to look more closely at BIM and its effectiveness on existing …

The Building Process Of An Affordable And Constructible Tiny House: Preconstruction Process, Alexis Canas

Construction Management

Tiny Houses have become a trend that promotes affordable and sustainable living. Although tiny houses have become a trend, there are still a lot of people who are unaware of the movement. There are people who want to create their own tiny home but do not know how to or where to begin. This paper discusses the preconstruction process of a tiny house to help the reader get a better understanding of what building a tiny home entails. The preconstruction services included are a BIM model of the design, Architectural and MEP plans, construction estimate, and a schedule. The preconstruction …

Construction Installation Guide Concrete Reinforced Shear Wall Cal Poly Arce Department, Giovanni Koelsch Dal Canto

Construction Management

California Polytechnic University prides itself on its “Learn by Doing” teaching procedures. The “Learn by Doing” atmosphere is ingrained in every student that attends the university. It is necessary for students especially in the ARCE field to obtain real life experience before entering the professional world. Ensuring that ARCE students have a means to practice and create new knowledge in the field of reinforced concrete shear wall testing is necessary to maintain Cal Poly’s education progression. Creating a reinforced concrete shear wall that can be built year after year for ARCE students to test on has been asked for by …

Feasibility Of Cross Laminated Timber Panels In Construction: A Case Study Of Carbon12, Erik John Graber

Construction Management

Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) is an extremely strong engineered wood panel intended for roof, floor, or wall applications. Currently there is little research comparing CLT to steel and concrete, materials CLT hopes to replace This research uses a detailed literary analysis on CLT and case study on Carbon12, a recently constructed CLT structure in Portland, Oregon, to compare the cost and schedule requirements of CLT with a cast-in-place concrete slab. The case study consisted of a detailed analysis of Carbon12, interview with Scott Noble, senior project manager for Carbon12, and a detailed schedule and cost analysis. Results showed that for …

Cm Member Of Bank Of America Merrill Lynch Challenge, Andrew James Jarboe

Construction Management

This interdisciplinary project consisted of a team of 9 members: 4 ARCH majors, 2 CRP majors, 2 Finance majors, and 1 CM Major. The goal of this project was to complete an entire construction plan within a city on an empty lot from start to finish. The project entailed finding an empty site, building out a building model with renderings, floor plans, and elevations, understanding the market and our target residents, the geographical condition of the site and current ownership, a construction schedule and complete breakdown of construction costs. With all this information, the team put together an initial proposal …

Fitting In: Analyzing The Fit Of Safety Vests In The Construction Industry, Lizette Galvez Puentes

Construction Management

The construction industry continues to be a male-dominated industry; however, recent decades have seen a change of demographic, including an increase of women leadership. With the changing demographics, there is a lack of awareness and proactive integration of properly fitting safety vests to accommodate different body types. A properly fitting safety vest is crucial in upholding the safety of individuals working on a construction site, where certain genders are more frequently caught on jobsite material. These circumstances hinder the purpose and functionality of the safety vest’s primary functions, which, for the wearer, is increased visibility and the comfort to carry …

The Development Of A Site Plan And Flatwork Design For Good Rest Orphanage, Philip Andrew Wolf

Construction Management

Good Rest Orphanage, located in Croix Des Bouquets, Haiti, has been supported by Children’s Heritage Foundation (CHF) for over 15 years and was in need of basic site plans and a flatwork design. Proper in field data was collected on a trip to Haiti during the summer of 2019. This material was then assembled in AutoCAD to create six pages of detailed drawings. A flatwork, or sidewalk system was then designed in AutoCAD based off the assembled model. Next an estimate for the cost to construct the sidewalks was developed and refined in excel. Various obstacles were overcome in the …

The Relationship Between Bim And Electrical Prefabrication, Donald J. Lipsey

Construction Management

Recently, with the help of Building Information Modeling, prefabrication has become popular amongst electrical subcontractors. This report dives further into the relationship of the two counterparts and analyzes what allows the relationship to be successful. Currently, little information has been published regarding how Building Information Modeling and electrical prefabrication play off of each other. This report serves to provide information to electrical subcontractors that are either looking to start prefabricating or further their prefabrication methods. Analytical methods used consist of online research combined with interviews from three different people at three different electrical subcontracting firms. All interviewees hold different job …