Engineering Commons^™

Construction Industry Cluster: An Investigation Of Its Existence In Pakistan, Muhammad Yanzar Sarim

2022 REYES Proceedings

Introduction: Clusters can be defined as a geographical concentration of industries and institutes that are unified and interconnected. These industries and institutes are not just physically close to each other but also gain some advantage from being near to each other.

Connected Simulation For Work Zone Safety Application, Vahid Balali

Mineta Transportation Institute

Every year, over 60,000 work zone crashes are reported in the United States (FHWA 2016). Such work zone crashes have resulted in over 4,400 fatal and 200,000 non-fatal injuries in the last 5 years (FHWA 2016, BLS 2014). Apart from the physical and emotional trauma, the annual cost of these injuries exceeds $4 million-representing significant wasted resources. To improve work zone safety, this research developed a system architecture for unveiling high-risk behavioral patterns among highway workers, equipment operators, and drivers within dynamic highway work zones. This research implemented the use of a connected virtual environment, which is an immersive hyper-realistic …

Updating The Bridge Construction Cost Database, Rachel Catchings, Ying Li, Ryan Griffith, Sudhir Palle

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Adopting a comprehensive suite of methods to track, analyze, and maintain data on bridge construction costs can help state transportation agencies identify and implement strategies to mitigate the influence of factors which escalate project costs. This report discusses how the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) should approach updating, maintaining, and analyzing its bridge construction cost data. Based on a review of practices introduced at other agencies and interviews with public and private industry stakeholders, the report catalogues practical strategies for improving estimating procedures and tracking cost data as well as the most important cost drivers of bridge construction. Analysis of KYTC …

Sage Garden Pavilion Shade Structure, Anthony Razouk Karroum, Manuel Bermudez, Matthew Kilbride, Sarah Holt, Marisa Martineau

Architectural Engineering

Form finding, testing, and construction of funicular double-layered shells in an interdisciplinary format with a focus on designing a shade structure for the San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden Children’s Pavilion. In the process, challenges such as connection design, materiality, storage, and more are explored and refined in relation to shell structures.

Construction Of A Visitor Deck At City Farm Slo, Brett Bryan Jones

Construction Management

This paper will discuss the construction of my senior project. For my senior project, I completed the construction of an observation deck at City Farm SLO. City Farm SLO is a non-profit that provides food to local food banks and has educational gardens that allow students of all ages come to learn and volunteer their time. The deck is centrally located at the highest point on the property, making it a great lookout spot for visitors to view the entire farm. However, the location on top of the hill created challenges that we had to overcome. I completed my senior …

Journeyman International: The Well Rusororo Project, Maranda F. Maliska

Construction Management

The Well Rusororo Project is based in Kigali, Rwanda on the same property of the Light Church of Kabuga. The non-profit organization, Journeyman International has teamed up with the Africa Mission Alliance in an effort to create a community campus available to the public. This project has been broken up into two stages; the first is a renovation of two existing buildings totaling 500 square meters, and the second is a ground-up construction of a 3,000 square meter multipurpose center. For their project-based senior project, this student volunteered with Journeyman International to assist in the creation of the following deliverables …

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 …

Son Care Foundation - Shade Structure Construction, Nicole Bocanegra

Construction Management

This paper will outline the preconstruction and construction processes that took place to erect a shade structure for the Son Care Foundation. This project included the design, estimate, and construction of the 8 ft tall shade structure. The structure was composed of pressure-treated lumber, concrete, metal post bases, and corrugated metal roofing. While originally expected to be around 15 foot in length, the final structure ended up being closer to 20 feet long. Based on existing shade structure of the foundation, the roof of the shade structure is sloped one way towards the back of the structure. The construction and …

Sustainable Concrete And Its Current Stance In The Construction Industry, Morgan Hailey Gawle

Construction Management

Concrete is currently the second most consumed resource used in the world and the production of this material, mainly the production of cement, contributes to a little over 8% of carbon dioxide emissions globally. The concept of sustainable concrete is rapidly surfacing within the construction industry as environmental issues and concerns like global warming and climate change continue to worsen. Scientists have been and continue to consistently conduct studies to test if sustainable concrete is a possible solution to reducing carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions that come straight from the construction industry. But some construction companies have concerns that …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Using Extended Realities To Teach Construction Management, Ryan A. Duca

Construction Management

This project aimed to analyze the implementation of extended realities to teach construction management at the university level. Extended realities in this context are referring to augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR); these are the two for which funding was received by Cavrnus. The foundation for this project started with the pre-existing lesson for the California Polytechnic State University’s (Cal Poly) residential construction class. The original lesson was constructed with the students learning the wood framing of a house by reading. While this is a suitable learning method for some it is not the best for all. This project …

Fence And Gates For The City Farm Slo, Mackenzie E. Ramsey

Construction Management

This paper summarizes the construction of roughly 300 feet of game fence and two metal gates for the City Farm San Luis Obispo (SLO). The City Farm SLO is a nonprofit organization in San Luis Obispo, CA. They are focused on organic and sustainable agriculture. This paper will highlight the process for estimating, funding, scheduling, and constructing the fence and gates. This project aimed to provide a secure perimeter against pedestrians and wildlife. The project site is along the creek, attracting many unwanted guests. There were many obstacles to overcome throughout the project, from preconstruction to construction. Each phase had …

The Site Logistics Design Of The Shabang Slo 2022 Vip Stage, Natalie J. Hodgson

Construction Management

The objective of this project is to take some of the burden off the SHABANG Music Festival organizers and create a detailed plan on how the VIP section of the festival is going to be organized. The SHABANG music festival is an annual, local weekend event for the community of San Luis Obispo. The goal of this project is to create a plan that will be effectively utilized at this year's SHABANG festival. In working toward this goal, every aspect of the Construction Management curriculum that has been taught in our careers thus far will be utilized. For the Construction …

Estimating And Project Management For The Construction Of A Visitor Deck At City Farm Slo, Eric Cederstrom

Construction Management

This paper will outline the process of estimating and the project management of a visitor deck that was built at City Farm of San Luis Obispo, a local non-profit. The deck was built for the purpose of providing an area for visitors to observe the agricultural land where City Farm educates the community on ecology, nutrition, and sustainable farming. The construction of the deck was completed by three fourth-year Construction Management majors: Eric Cederstrom, Lane Lagomarsino, and Brett Jones. Each project team member was responsible for their own aspect of the project planning and all members collaborated throughout the entire …

Determining Student Interest For A Virtual Reality Safety Training Course, Courtney Martin

Construction Management

The purpose of Cal Poly’s Construction Management Department is to provide students with the best education they can get so they can be prepared for the challenges they may encounter in their professional careers. This research paper analyzes students' prior knowledge of virtual reality (VR) and determines the interest in creating a Construction Management (CM) technical elective covering VR and safety training which can help educate and train students about safety, hazardous jobsite situations, and accident prevention measures. This paper also examines the advantages of a VR construction training course taught on campus compared to online training without VR. VR …

An Analysis Of Construction Estimating Software, Guilianna M. Lozano

Construction Management

There are various components that go into building a construction project. And regardless of the size of the project, construction projects have become increasingly expensive with cost escalations on the rise. The cost element of each construction project is critical to the success of the overall project. In today’s current industry, numerous resources are available that strive to assist the built environment with managing construction costs. Currently, construction firms are maintaining a competitive edge by using the technology that has been made available. The basis of this research, conducted using a quantitative survey, was to provide data that indicated which …

Gauging Student Interest In A Leed Ga Exam Preparation Technical Elective Course, Hailey Lancaster

Construction Management

Being a LEED Green Associate (LEED GA) demonstrates a fundamental understanding of sustainable building principles and practices. Since green building is at the forefront of construction, there is no better way for Construction Management students to enter the industry prepared in this area than by taking the LEED General Associate exam. This paper is a case study that obtains students’ perspectives on implementing a new Construction Management technical elective course that will prepare students to successfully take and pass the LEED GA exam. A survey was conducted to gauge student familiarity with sustainability, as well as their interest in earning …

Construction Of Concrete Modular Foundations - Procurement And Quality Control, Jackson M. Runyan

Construction Management

This project details the material procurement and quality control processes throughout the construction of two concrete modular foundations. The project focused on constructing the blocks as they were designed to ensure they meet strength parameters to be used in the High Bay Lab at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) for various testing performed as part of the curriculum for the Architectural Engineering (ARCE) and Construction Management (CM) departments. The complex designs, encompassing one-hundred coupler attachments and a dense rebar cage, required extensive attention and hours of labor and quality control review. This paper will cover …

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

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 …

Design And Preconstruction Services For The Construction Of A Visitor Deck At City Farm Slo, Lane Lagomarsino

Construction Management

This paper will outline the process of designing and planning the construction of a visitor deck at City Farm of San Luis Obispo, which is a local non-profit. The deck was built for the purpose of providing an area for visitors to observe the agricultural land where City Farm educates the community on ecology, nutrition, and sustainable farming. The construction of the deck was completed by three fourth-year Construction Management majors: Lane Lagomarsino, Eric Cederstrom, and Brett Jones. Each project team member was responsible for their own aspect of the project planning and all members collaborated throughout the entire building …

Heating Lanyard To Warm Body Core, Cole Bunker, Spencer Alonge, Tyler Elsom, Matthew Hyland

Mechanical Engineering

Calculated Industries, a company that specializes in construction products headquartered in Carson City, Nevada, has sponsored the Heating Lanyard to Warm Body Core senior project. The objective of the project was to design and manufacture a body core heating device that will be used by construction workers to keep warm in cold environments. The goal is to create a device that is safe, comfortable, and temperature controllable. Our team consists of four mechanical engineering students at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Research was performed to analyze current products in the market, analyze how to best provide heat to …

Assessing The Effectiveness Of Problem-Based Learning Across Two Concrete Construction Courses, Anthony Torres, Jiong Hu, Vedaraman Sriraman, Araceli Martínez-Ortiz, Jorge Membrillo-Hernández

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

The goal of this study is to assess the effectiveness of a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) pedagogy that was implemented in two different concrete construction courses. Both courses are a part of an industry focused four-year undergraduate concrete degree program. One of the classes focused on concrete problems, diagnosis, and repair of existing concrete, while the other class focused on handling and management methods of various concrete mixtures. In both courses, a PBL pedagogy was implemented such that students were self-learning and discovering the knowledge through an action-research case study. The action-research case study was specific to the course outcomes relevant …

Sustainability In Construction Practices As Emphasis On Environmental Investing In Esg Model Grows, Maddie Heal

Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this research is to emphasize the importance of growing investment on environmental initiatives in business ESG models in regard to sustainable practices in construction. The ESG acronym is known as the environmental, social, and governance efforts that businesses strive to incorporate in their models to increase the responsibility of operations.

Investors continue to seek out responsible businesses when choosing which ventures to pursue. The analysis of the current construction crisis, current investments in the right direction of Eco-friendly design regarding construction, and the threats and benefits incentivizing those investments elucidates the need to emphasize socially responsible investment …

Estimating System And Traveler Costs Due To Lane Closures During Construction And Maintenance Operations, Ernest Tufuor, Li Zhao, Mm Haque, Laurence Rilett Ph.D., John Anderson, Eric Thompson

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

Lane closures are used to facilitate activities related to road construction and maintenance or operations. However, there are economic costs associated with lane closures and these may accrue to both the traveling public as well as to traffic agencies. The Nebraska Governor’s office has identified maximizing the effectiveness of lane closures as a priority for the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT). The goal of this project is to assist NDOT in effectively managing the operations of work zones to maximize the effectiveness of lane closures under Nebraska conditions. This report summarizes the findings of the current state of the practice …

Estimating System And Traveler Costs Due To Lane Closures During Construction And Maintenance Operations, Ernest Tufuor, Lianlin Zhao, Mm Shakiul Haque, Laurence Rilett, John Anderson, Eric Thompson

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

Lane closures are used to facilitate activities related to road construction and maintenance or operations. However, there are economic costs associated with lane closures and these may accrue to both the traveling public as well as to traffic agencies. The Nebraska Governor’s office has identified maximizing the effectiveness of lane closures as a priority for the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT). The goal of this project is to assist NDOT in effectively managing the operations of work zones to maximize the effectiveness of lane closures under Nebraska conditions. This report summarizes the findings of the current state of the practice …

Paso Robles Police Department Shooting Range Shade Structure, Evan Marshall Cogswell

Construction Management

The Paso Robles Police Department has been a partner for multiple senior projects working to develop improvements for their shooting range. The shooting range is used extensively by officers year-round, with the climate being hot in the summer and rainy in the winter. We wanted to provide a shade structure located between the two shipping containers used for storage so that the officers would have a sheltered place to provide instruction, clean their weapons, and rest in between rounds on the range. This type of project was new to all three of us in the group – Parker Smith, Kevin …

Using Flight Simulation As A Convenient Method For Uas Flight Assessment For Contractors, Colin Dees, Joseph M. Burgett

The Professional Constructor

Operating an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) for commercial purposes in the United States requires the pilot to pass the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA’s) knowledge exam to earn their UAS license. The exam does not include a practical component where flight proficiency is assessed. This represents a source of risk for contractors if flight proficiency is not evaluated in another way. The National Institute of Standards and Technology is a federal agency and has developed the Basic Maneuvering Test (BMT). It is the only nationally recognized UAS flight proficiency exam. While not required, the construction industry can benefit by using this …