Engineering Commons^™

Discovering The Benefits Of Integrating Bim Workflows Into Residential Construction Estimating, Trey R. Garcia

Construction Management

As Building Information Modeling tools become increasingly more prevalent within the construction industry, primarily the commercial sector, it is important to recognize how it can impact and/or improve other sectors of the industry. This paper will focus primarily on residential construction and the potential cost benefits that could be achieved with the implementation of model-based estimating. Other benefits that the commercial sector currently thrive on will also be noted and explained for potential implementation for residential construction. The project explained in this paper has a dual purpose; which is to discover if both cost and time benefits can be developed …

The Setty Family Foundation 2018 Ashrae Applied Engineering Competition, Joshua Heath

Construction Management

The Setty Family Applied Engineering Challenge tasked my project group with designing a temporary shelter specifically for refugees in Eastern Europe to be used by governments, municipalities, and humanitarian agencies that is cost effective, portable, sustainable, and provides all necessary domestic needs. After months of research and design, we have developed the PolyShelter ; an eight-person structure erected to provide comfortability and safety to those in need. PolyShelter is designed to withstand the harshest of climates, provide exceptional insulation, and incorporate a rainwater collection system sufficient enough to support each unit. PolyShelter proves itself to be an economically viable solution …

Alternate Reinforcement For Structural Concrete, Barrett Lowe

Construction Management

Concrete has been utilized on construction projects for thousands of years, ranging from the Pyramids to the foundation your home is built on. Innovated upon, concrete and its properties have changed over the years, one of the greatest being the discovery of tensile reinforcement. Rebar, commonly known as reinforcing steel or reinforcement bars, have been used in the construction industry for decades. Ranging in size and application, rebar’s unmatched tensile strength and anti-corrosive properties make it the champion of reinforcing structural concrete. Though the advancement in technology has created a new era where other materials may take its place. Attempting …

Rail Transportation Of Aggregate Material, Mario Ghilotti

Construction Management

Sand, gravel and crushed stone, known as construction aggregates, are the main ingredient in materials to maintaining and building new infrastructure. Construction aggregate has a low cost per ton, but because mass quantities are typically required, if a local source is not available then the cost of transportation quickly exceed the value of the material. The North Bay Area has an estimated 50-year demand of 521 Million Tons (MT) and a current permitted supply of 110 MT. This North Bay Area region has a supply to demand ratio of 21% and is estimated to last 11-20 years (from 2012). This …

High School Student Perceptions Of Women In Construction And How Increasing Awareness Changes Perceptions, Garber Ashley, Kaelyn Mollé

Construction Management

Diversity is a one of the biggest struggles within the construction industry. Specifically regarding gender, women make up a distinct minority of just over 8% for construction managers according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In comparison, women comprise 47% of the overall U.S. labor force. This shows that the construction industry is behind because of certain barriers including perception of women’s capabilities, socio-cultural issues, male dominance and more.This paper researches high school students’ perceptions of women in construction as well as their prior knowledge and beliefs about construction management. This research also includes a brief presentation on what …

Augmented Reality Applied To Tenant Improvement Projects, Alex Feizbakhsh

Construction Management

Technology keeps on advancing and expanding into different markets, the Construction Industry has adapted these new breakthroughs. The industry has already adapted the concept of 3D Modeling, however with Augmented Reality this takes BIM to the next level. Augmented Reality can assist in numerous attributes within the construction process to help manage the project more efficiently. Given these words, this paper helps to highlight the key factors of Augmented Reality and how it enhances the Tenant Improvement process. This case study helps to highlight the positive returns of this tech, as well as solutions for any challenges that may come …

Developing A Scheduling Module For Construction Management Labs, Brittney Lerdahl

Construction Management

The Cal Poly Construction Management Department is renowned as one of the best programs in the nation. From holding one of the highest competition success rates to almost 100% job placement right out of school for graduates, Cal Poly undoubtedly lives up to that reputation. With that, in order to ensure that the department continues to produce well rounded graduates, it is crucial to regularly assess any potential shortcomings that the construction management curriculum may possess. As one of the three sides of the construction management triangle, the ability to read and create a construction schedule is a crucial skill …

Construction Industry Today, Brooke Deporto

Construction Management

This project assesses career opportunities, typical career paths, educational levels, gender demographics, and salary range within today’s construction industry with information collected from surveyed industry professionals. This report focuses on specific information extracted from this survey, including gender, work location, starting and current salary, years of experience, education level, and overall happiness in their career choice. The survey and its results will serve to establish a broad outline of the current state of professionals in the workforce. This information will provide a baseline data for future studies to analyze trends over time as well as provide current students additional insight …

Case Study: Expectation And Perspective In The Punch List Process, Carlye L. Cunningham

Construction Management

The punch list process is a crucial phase of construction that is performed on every project. The punch list is a document generated near the end of the project that includes unfinished items and/or work that is not conforming to specifications or expectations. It requires immense coordination and communication between the owner, general contractor, and subcontractors in order for it to be executed efficiently. How the punch list is performed can be very instrumental or detrimental as all parties work together to close out the project. This paper will examine the punch list procedures that took place during the closeout …

Legal Issues And Feasibility Of Construction Under Railroad Tracks At Cedar Creek Apartments, Brendan Donovan

Construction Management

This paper describes the impediments of initiating construction of a local tunnel underneath the railroad tracks approximately 50 yards South-West of the Foothill Blvd and California Blvd intersection. This tunnel is used by hundreds of students every day and acts as the primary route for these students to get to and from the Cal Poly campus. This tunnel has no lighting, is constantly flooded with water, and has multiple safety hazards. The author discusses the feasibility of starting construction to make this pathway a safe accessible route for all students. Throughout the paper, the author introduces the multiple parties with …

Community Service Project For Senior Citizen, Adam J. Bloomer

Construction Management

This community service project for a local senior citizen consisted of a complete construction package including: obtaining funding, purchasing necessary materials, schedule planning, design, development and construction of a mid-sized concrete staircase. Using the knowledge and prior practices I acquired while studying Construction Management at California Polytechnic University San Luis Obispo I was able to fulfill every aspect the client had requested. This staircase not only served as an easier walkway into the backyard of the home but also as a stormwater accessway allowing for minimal puddle and mud accumulation outside the clients front door. The projects material cost of …

Case Study: Proven Benefits Of Insurance Backed Stretch And Flex Programs With Cdm Smith, Colin Dzubnar

Construction Management

Safety is the most important aspect of the construction industry. Due to daily strenuous physical activities that occur on a construction jobsite, having your body warmed up, pain-free and ready to perform labor intensive tasks is critical. This case study will examine the correlation between the past and present daily stretching format at the construction jobsite with CDM Smith and Insurance Company. For continuity, it will include an interview with the same CDM Smith Region H&S Manager as well as similar surveys to find out the construction workers thoughts and reactions to stretching prior to work. Although IO to 20 …

A Case Study Of The Construction Labor Market And Impact Of Retiring Baby Boom Generation, Grant Bettisworth

Construction Management

Construction firms often analyze the impacts of schedule, cost, and quality when reviewing the risk associated with a project. An important aspect of the project execution effort; available skilled labor resources, can have a significant impact on the success of the project but may not always be considered as part of the risk analysis effort. The intent of this paper is to discuss the contribution of the baby boom generation, how the retirement of baby boomers will impact the labor market, what this means for the construction industry and how construction firms can mitigate risks associated with this phenomenon. Since …

Case Study: Analyzing The Benefits Of Using 3d Printing On The Mexican Museum Renovation Project In San Francisco, California, Benjamin Jodis

Construction Management

The use of three-dimensional (3D) printing is not yet prevalent throughout the construction industry. Although there have been some uses, each has been small and relatively experimental, however, a current renovation project to the Mexican Museum in downtown San Francisco utilized 3D printing to aid in design coordination. The decision came after the General Contractor, Webcor Builders, noticed a possible constraint in pouring a section of the foundation; a pair of nine-foot vertical concrete walls surrounding the elevator shaft. The walls posed a serious threat to the schedule and budget of the project, raising concerns with shoring, waterproofing, and constructability. …

Ferroresonance In The High Voltage Powerline Industry, Joe Granger

Construction Management

Ferroresonance is an issue often overlooked in the high voltage powerline industry. Ferroresonance is a complex nonlinear electrical phenomenon that can cause dielectric and thermal problems to transformers. It is a very complex topic that is not completely understood and requires a large amount of work in order to comprehend. It can cause injury to Lineman that work around it and damage equipment. The proper training and a safety device could make the industry safer and save money. Through interviews and research I have studied the need for a safety device that applies load to a transformer during installation in …

Implementation Of Industry Technology Into The Construction Management Department, Kristen D. Forster

Construction Management

With technology being one of the fastest growing items in the construction industry it is important to keep on top of what is utilized most commonly. To fully prepare graduates for the work force, the Construction Management Department at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo needs to focus efforts on supplying students with the most commonly used industry technologies. Utilizing these programs in the current curriculum will ensure that graduates from the Construction Management Department are prepared to take on the work force with the most relevant software under their belts. Students who understand how to use these industry sanctioned technologies …

Completion Of Hope's Village Tiny Homes, Jimmy P. Fewell

Construction Management

In Fall, 2018 the Cal Poly Construction Management Department teamed up with the non-profit, Hope’s Village, to create two tiny homes that are to be used for homeless shelters. The Residential Construction class built the structures, and I finish the siding for this plan. In finishing the siding I was incharge of the designing, planning and execution of the project.

Investigation Of Cardiovascular Tissue Following 56fe-Radiation And Potential Countermeasure Effectiveness., Alexandra R Decarlo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Exposure to ionizing radiation is an important medical concern because it can lead to health problems including cancer and cardiovascular issues. In space, astronauts are exposed to ionizing radiation that is not experienced by those who remain on Earth. This radiation can cause health problems such as cardiovascular disease. One way this can happen is through the creation of reactive oxygen species, which can activate TGF-β1, contributing to fibrosis or other cardiovascular problems. Antioxidants can be a potential pharmacological mitigator of these excess reactive oxygen species because of their ability to neutralize reactive oxygen species. One such antioxidant with potential …

Plga-Modified Nanoparticles For The Treatment Of Hypo-Vascularized Hpv-Related Cervical Cancers., Lee B. Sims

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A major challenge associated with delivery of active agents in the female reproductive tract (FRT) is the ability of agents to efficiently diffuse through the cervicovaginal mucosa (CVM) and reach the underlying sub-epithelial immune cell layer and vasculature. A variety of drug delivery vehicles have been employed to improve the delivery of agents across the CVM and offer the capability to increase the longevity and retention of active agents to treat infections of the female reproductive tract. Nanoparticles (NPs) have been shown to improve retention, diffusion, and cell-specific targeting via specific surface modifications, relative to other delivery platforms. In particular, …

Phase Unwrapping Of 4d-Flow Mri Data With Graph Cuts., Andrew Justice

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A common issue when measuring velocity utilizing 4D flow magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is aliasing that occurs because of a low velocity encoding parameter (VENC). Aliasing can be avoided if the velocity encoding parameter is set above the largest velocity quantity. However, when this is done the velocity to noise ratio is lowered less detail is acquired in the image. Thusly, it is sometimes desirable to have a below the maximum velocity to acquire higher quality data.

Consequently, an efficient and robust algorithm is needed to unwrap the aliased data. This paper proposes an iterative graph cuts algorithm to perform …

Addition Of Exothermic Reaction Scale-Up Lab To Unit Operations Curriculum., Lisa A Anderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

According to the Chemical Safety Board’s 2002 report entitled "Improving Reactive Hazard Management,” the CSB identified 167 serious accidents involving uncontrolled chemical reactions in the United States between 1980 and 2001 causing 108 deaths and hundreds of millions of dollars in property damage. Of the 167 accidents, 35% involved runaway reactions. One noteworthy incident from recent history is the fatal explosion that occurred at T2 Laboratories in Jacksonville, FL as a result of improper scale-up and an insufficient cooling design for the system.

One recommendation resulting from the CSB investigation of the incident was that the Accreditation Board for Engineering …

A Novel Design For A Silicon And Cadmium Telluride Tandem Solar Cell., Jacob A Vittitow

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Reactive Lamination Of Perovskite Solar Cells., Lyndie Burns

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Due to the growing demand for energy internationally and the environmental impact of other conventional energy technologies, solar power has been a growing area in the energy landscape. Perovskite research has increased substantially because of the high power conversion efficiencies, up to 22%, with many recent advances in the use of these organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites for photovoltaic cells. However, to bring perovskite solar cells into the industrial world, the overall cost of the manufacturing of the solar cell must be improved to compete with other well-developed photovoltaic technologies. Here is presented an alternative perovskite deposition method for methylammonium lead halide …

Investigating The Likelihood Of Pediatric Femur Fracture Due To Falls Through Finite Element Analysis., Keyonna Mckinsey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Bone fracture is the second most common injury of child abuse. Studies have generally reported that femur fractures are more likely due to abuse than accidental causes in cases where the child is non-ambulatory. They have also found that household falls are commonly offered as the cause of injury in cases of abuse. In this study, a finite element (FE) pediatric femur model will be developed and used to evaluate likelihood of fracture in common household fall scenarios (bed falls and feet first falls). This will provide greater biomechanical evidence as to the likelihood of femur fracture due to common …

Enhancing Performance Of Ionic Liquid Property Prediction With Molecular Dynamics., Trisha H. Patel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Molecular dynamics have been used to predict thermodynamic and transport properties of eight room-temperature ionic liquids. Simulation parameters including box size and van der Waals cutoffs were varied. The density, heat capacity, and self-diffusion coefficients of the ionic liquids were computed and compared to experimental data and to previously published simulations. Predicted properties were generally close to their experimentally observed values. It was determined that the prediction of ionic liquid properties via molecular dynamics simulations could be accelerated several-fold by using less stringent integration parameters and smaller simulation sizes. The properties of density and heat capacity did not change significantly …

Comparing Stenotic Blood Flow In Three- And Two-Dimensional Arterial Renderings Using Computational Fluid Dynamics And Multiphase Mean Age Theory., Jacob S. Garza

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Over one million invasive coronary angiography procedures are performed annually in patients who experience chest pain or are known to have coronary artery disease. The procedure is carried out to ascertain the degree of arterial blockage (stenosis) that hinders blood flow to the heart. A cardiologist performing the procedure determines the physiological degree of a stenosis by either visual estimation, which is routine practice, or by invasively measuring fractional flow reserve (FFR), which is the current gold standard that has been demonstrated to improve patient outcomes and temper the cost of healthcare. Nevertheless, FFR is performed in only 10–20% of …

Software Defined Radio For Cubesat Communication, Sarah Watkins

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Cube satellites, more commonly referred to as CubeSats, are small satellites that have become increasingly popular for academic, amateur, commercial, and scientific applications over the past five to ten years. These satellites provide a fairly inexpensive and compact platform for deploying many different types of equipment. While CubeSats do not allow for housing large, complex instruments, some organizations have begun to explore the possibility of deploying networks, or clusters, of CubeSats. Satellites in these clusters could theoretically be tied together via radio frequency communications to accomplish more than a single CubeSat could alone.

This report summarizes the preliminary design and …

Hscr: High Speed Cubesat Radio, Colton Lindstrom

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Software Defined Radios (SOR) are limited by their usable bandwidth, which restricts how quickly they can transmit or receive data. The High Speed Cubesat Radio (HSCR) is capable of transmitting and receiving higher bandwidth signals by combining the bandwidths of several individual SOR transceivers. The HSCR performs phase correction to seamlessly stitch the bandwidths of each individual SOR into a single larger bandwidth.

By increasing the number of SDRs inside the HSCR, the bandwidth of the overall system will increase. This increase in bandwidth is limited only by the speed of the processing unit in working with received or transmitting …

Assisted Switched Reluctance Machines, Amy Robinson

Honors Scholar Theses

Switched reluctance machine (SRM) modifications in both control schemes and physical design have been steadily increasing in academia to improve machine performance. Assisted switched reluctance machines (ASRMs) are a type of design modification for SRMs. Permanent magnets (PMs) and electromagnetic DC coils (DCC) are being added to the SRM to improve its torque output and overall efficiency. The choice for the design modification has been evolving throughout the decades. The focus has shifted from adding DCC to ASRM to adding PMs to ASRMs. This paper reviews the research trends of ASRMs and includes an analysis of the modified stator yoke …

Effect Of Silk-Based Hydrogel Topography On Intestinal Epithelial Cell Morphology And Wound Healing In Vitro, Marisa E. Boch

Honors Scholar Theses

Recent advances in the field of biomaterials have suggested that cells cultured on substrates resembling the native tissue mechanical properties, matrix and growth factor composition, and topography can adopt phenotypes that more closely resemble the in vivo tissue compared to cells cultured on non-mimetic constructs. Understanding the effect of culture substrate on in vitro tissue formation is important for bioengineering applications that include mechanistic studies of healthy tissue function and development of disease models. In this work, Caco-2 adenocarcinoma cells were seeded on flat and crypt-like topographies of 3D-printed cytocompatible hydrogels derived from silk fibroin protein. Silk hydrogels were selected …