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Full-Text Articles in Engineering

Heavy Civil Estimating Utilizing Hcss Heavybid, Quintan Matthew Davis Jun 2024

Heavy Civil Estimating Utilizing Hcss Heavybid, Quintan Matthew Davis

Construction Management

The estimate process is an essential aspect of the construction industry. Understanding how bids are formed and being able to create one for yourself is critical in being able to really understand cost breakdown of a construction process. This paper will focus around the process in creating a presentation for Cal Poly students, breaking down HCSS HeavyBid and its functions. This project was created to address this idea of attempting to teach HeavyBid to Cal Poly future young engineers. This was particularly important because young students learn how to be a great young engineer in the construction field, however not …

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Slo Newman Catholic Center - Holy Monument, Luka Kosor Jun 2024

Slo Newman Catholic Center - Holy Monument, Luka Kosor

Construction Management

The SLO Newman Catholic Center is a Catholic Church that serves the students of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Cuesta College. Around 300 students attend Catholic Mass every Sunday here. While searching for a Senior Project, I approached the Priest and Admin staff of this organization and asked if there was anything I could build for them. They informed me they were gifted this tile mosaic of the Lady of Guadalupe they wanted to showcase in their backyard. They asked me to design and build a holy monument that could exhibit this beautiful tile mosaic. After 6 months of …

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Construction Wellness: Analyzing Mental Health Issues And Solutions For Construction Workers, Joshua Franks Jun 2024

Construction Wellness: Analyzing Mental Health Issues And Solutions For Construction Workers, Joshua Franks

Construction Management

The construction industry is known for its demanding nature, often leading to significant mental health challenges among its workforces. This study investigates mental health issues prevalent in construction, focusing on identifying key stressors and potential protective factors. A mixed-method approach was employed, combining a systematic literature review with a survey distributed to construction professionals. The survey gathered data on job satisfaction, stress, coping mechanisms, and the availability and utilization of mental health resources. Results indicated high levels of job dissatisfaction and stress, with respondents citing poor communication, excessive work hours, and lack of control over their roles as primary stressors. …

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Superintendent Skill Sets In Both Heavy Civil Construction And Commercial Construction, Tyler Hill Jun 2024

Superintendent Skill Sets In Both Heavy Civil Construction And Commercial Construction, Tyler Hill

Construction Management

This paper investigates the distinct skill sets required for superintendents in both heavy civil and commercial construction industries through qualitative research, focusing on interviews with industry professionals. It identifies key differences in the roles, such as the emphasis on field experience for heavy civil superintendents, who often advance through the trades, versus the necessity for broader technical skills and higher education for commercial superintendents. This paper gathers insights from interviews with superintendents, conducted through personal and professional connections, focusing on their experiences and key industry differences. Despite these distinctions, the research reveals commonalities across both sectors, including the importance of …

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Effect Of Pismo Clams As Partial Fine And Coarse Aggregate Replacement On Workability And Compressive Strength Of Concrete, Alan Munoz Pille Jun 2024

Effect Of Pismo Clams As Partial Fine And Coarse Aggregate Replacement On Workability And Compressive Strength Of Concrete, Alan Munoz Pille

Construction Management

Concrete has been utilized for ages. Unfortunately, over the hundreds of years there has been little development in the applications of new aggregate materials. The world is moving towards a sustainable way of living and as a result seashells have come into the mix. Pismo Clams are a native species to San Luis Obispo County. This marine species has the possibility of becoming a partial aggregate replacement for fine and coarse aggregates in concrete. The results of prior studies indicate a possible application of seashell use in concrete. This paper evaluates the workability and compressive strength of concrete containing fine …

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Electrical Design For Moringa Leaf Dryer, Jake Weiss Jun 2024

Electrical Design For Moringa Leaf Dryer, Jake Weiss

Construction Management

The objective of this project is to provide a methodology to the electrical scope of mechanical leaf dryers. This dryer was particularly designed for an off-grid farm in New Longoro, Ghana in which resources and materials are limited. The electrical system must be designed so that it works with motors, variable frequency drives, worm gears, and other materials that could be sourced in Ghana. The system should also draw minimal power so that remaining photovoltaic energy could be utilized on the farm. The system should be simplistic and repeatable for other farmers to utilize. By using both a numerical analysis …

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Exploring California Residents’ Perspectives On Solar Panel Viability For Residential Properties, Alecsander Gregg Jun 2024

Exploring California Residents’ Perspectives On Solar Panel Viability For Residential Properties, Alecsander Gregg

Construction Management

The qualitative research conducted in this study aims to analyze the overall consensus of feelings and attitudes from California residents towards photovoltaic systems being installed on to their properties. The intended audience for this study are for stakeholders in the renewable energy markets, and more specifically in California’s solar panel market. Additional audiences for this study may be for additional or other research regarding solar panel or photovoltaic technology specifically within the state of California. Through a Google Forms questionnaire distributed via email, participants provide insight on their thoughts and feelings regarding certain aspects of solar panels on properties that …

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Cal Poly Sustainability Course Impacts On Students Work Choice & Thinking, Jesus Rojas Jun 2024

Cal Poly Sustainability Course Impacts On Students Work Choice & Thinking, Jesus Rojas

Construction Management

This research paper addresses the impact a sustainability course has on construction management students at a public university. A quantitative survey was conducted among 21 participants. This survey aimed at obtaining data from construction management students who have or were currently enrolled in a sustainability course to determine whether their thinking of construction and job selection approaches were altered as a result of taking the class. Results indicated that there was some impact on how students perceived sustainable construction after taking the class. Students were more experienced and aware of sustainability issues that occurred because of construction practices which affected …

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Feasibility Of Implementing A Construction Project In An International Country, Kristina Poliseri Jun 2024

Feasibility Of Implementing A Construction Project In An International Country, Kristina Poliseri

Construction Management

This paper examines the execution of an international service project involving the construction of a complex system. It explores three distinct approaches assuming a fully designed system: building the system in the U.S. and shipping it internationally, having system pieces constructed entirely in the destination country prior to arrival for assembly, and developing a prototype in the U.S. followed by the construction of a full-scale system in the international country. Each method presents unique advantages and challenges. Building in the U.S. ensures high quality, advanced technology, and meeting tolerances, however, leads to significant fees, shipping costs, and logistical complications. Constructing …

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Case Study - A Comparative Analysis Of Two Different Wastewater Treatment Plants, James Duckett Jun 2024

Case Study - A Comparative Analysis Of Two Different Wastewater Treatment Plants, James Duckett

Construction Management

This case study compares two different wastewater treatment plants and analyzes the different characteristics, including strengths and weaknesses of both. The first plant being addressed is the Stockton Regional Wastewater Controls Facility (RWCF), and the second plant studied is the Morro Bay Water Reclamation Facility. These facilities are both quite new at the time of this paper, though they are both very different in size and geographical location, as one is on top of a hill, and one is in the middle of a valley. The Stockton RWCF is currently under construction, nearing completion at the time of this paper, …

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The Second Annual Hasslein Caed Collaborative, Katie Chriss Jun 2024

The Second Annual Hasslein Caed Collaborative, Katie Chriss

Construction Management

This paper details the development and implementation of the second annual Hasslein CAED Collaborative student competition. This competition engages students from all five majors within the College of Architecture and Environmental Design (CAED) in a Request for Proposal-style challenge. CAED includes students from Architecture, Architectural Engineering, City and Regional Planning, Construction Management, and Landscape Architecture. Although these fields are closely connected in professional practice, there are limited opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration within the college. The competition is built on research by Greta Stout, class of 2022, which highlighted the benefits of interdisciplinary collaboration at Cal Poly SLO, and the first …

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Construction Wellness: Analyzing Mental Health Issues And Solutions For Construction Workers, Joshua Franks Jun 2024

Construction Wellness: Analyzing Mental Health Issues And Solutions For Construction Workers, Joshua Franks

Construction Management

The construction industry is known for its demanding nature, often leading to significant mental health challenges among its workforces. This study investigates mental health issues prevalent in construction, focusing on identifying key stressors and potential protective factors. A mixed-method approach was employed, combining a systematic literature review with a survey distributed to construction professionals. The survey gathered data on job satisfaction, stress, coping mechanisms, and the availability and utilization of mental health resources. Results indicated high levels of job dissatisfaction and stress, with respondents citing poor communication, excessive work hours, and lack of control over their roles as primary stressors. …

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Restoration Of The Cantilever Deck In Poly Canyon, Calvin S. Morgan, Calvin P. Vigeant, Roger G. Biddle Jun 2024

Restoration Of The Cantilever Deck In Poly Canyon, Calvin S. Morgan, Calvin P. Vigeant, Roger G. Biddle

Construction Management

This interdisciplinary project aims to restore the Cantilever Deck in the Experimental Structures Laboratory back to an operational condition. As of Spring 2023, the deck has fallen into a state of disrepair and has been deemed structurally unsound by the university. The structural disrepair is concentrated around the wooden beams underneath the deck, but the handrails and overall color of the assembly have also fallen to levels deemed undesirable. The Restoration will remedy all these issues as well as guarantee that our repairs will last long into the future. This project is an interdisciplinary effort, the team consists of ARCE …

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Use Of Tempered Glass As A Potential Substitute For Coarse Aggregate In Concrete, Will Nethercutt Jun 2024

Use Of Tempered Glass As A Potential Substitute For Coarse Aggregate In Concrete, Will Nethercutt

Construction Management

Tempered glass poses issues for traditional glass recyclers, as the melting temperature is different from standard glass due to the tempering process that the glass is subjected to. This makes tempered glass more difficult to recycle and opens this material up as a potential for other methods of environmentally beneficial disposal. Tempered glass breaks into relatively consistent pieces that are more rectangular and granular than standard glass. Granular size is dependent on the thickness of the glass used and forms a relatively cubic shape. This size is similar to some of the material found in standard coarse aggregate for concrete …

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Why The Construction Industry Is Falling Behind In Technology Use, Caden Y. Daniels Jun 2024

Why The Construction Industry Is Falling Behind In Technology Use, Caden Y. Daniels

Construction Management

Technology is becoming more impactful in the everyday life of almost every industry across the world. New products are being released every year to allow the mundane processes of work to be streamlined for maximum efficiency, leaving valuable time for the more pressing matters of a company. The construction industry is one of the largest and most essential industries in the world, but it has fallen behind in the use of technology. History has shown us that when new technology is introduced there is almost always some sort of pushback or buffer time for people to adopt. Just in the …

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Senior Exit Interview, Brendon Pedro Duran Jun 2024

Senior Exit Interview, Brendon Pedro Duran

Construction Management

The goal of this project was to provide graduating seniors in construction management a means to share their opinions on the department and offer potential solutions that could improve the student learning experience. Prior to COVID, the senior exit interview filled this need, but it was run by faculty and has not been repeated since 2021. The discussion was structured to cover the three topics that constitute the student experience: curriculum, student-run clubs and teams, and industry recruitment. Prior to the event, a dozen in-person interviews were conducted with graduating seniors to better understand what topics should be included in …

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San Luis Obispo High School Ffa Farm Chicken Coop Construction, Tara R. Keene Jun 2024

San Luis Obispo High School Ffa Farm Chicken Coop Construction, Tara R. Keene

Construction Management

This paper covers the construction process by a team of students from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) to provide a chicken coop for the San Luis Obispo High School FFA Farm. First initiated in Fall 2023, the project will replace the existing temporary chicken coops with a larger and more functional structure to house over 10 chickens. This paper focuses on the construction phase, but also briefly touches on the design and pre-construction phases. Through meetings with the client, the team of students developed a design that met the high school’s criteria and needs. Key features …

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Can Leadership Classes Help Women In Construction Embrace Vulnerability Early In Their Careers?, Crystal Giselle Martinez Jun 2024

Can Leadership Classes Help Women In Construction Embrace Vulnerability Early In Their Careers?, Crystal Giselle Martinez

Construction Management

This study investigates how a vulnerability lesson, integrated into a construction management university course, impacts women’s comfort levels in showing vulnerability in their early careers. It also examines the perceptions of individuals on the subject of vulnerability prior to taking the class expressing societal norms in relation to vulnerability and leadership in relation to vulnerability. Pre- and post-surveys, utilizing the Likert scale and free responses, were used to gather data from students enrolled in a leadership-focused class at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Findings reveal that while vulnerability is seen as vital for leadership, gender challenges persist, shaped …

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Assessment Of Musculoskeletal Disorders (Msds) Risk During The Framing Of A 6' X 8' Wooden Shed Using Traditional Hammers, Maxwell R. Helfman Jun 2024

Assessment Of Musculoskeletal Disorders (Msds) Risk During The Framing Of A 6' X 8' Wooden Shed Using Traditional Hammers, Maxwell R. Helfman

Construction Management

Wood-framed construction will almost always use nails as a connector whether it be for different pieces of wall sections or connecting wall sections to the structure. Nails also act in Shear Walls in different nailing patterns to prevent the panel from splitting. Houses in modern times are usually nailed with nail guns, either with a cord or cordless, which reduces their exposure to Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). However, smaller jobs may opt to use traditional hammers instead of nail guns. This study aims to numerically quantify the forces and flexions one puts on the body when performing nailing tasks using a …

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What Construction Management Students Are Looking For In A Job Offer, Michael D. Aceves Jun 2024

What Construction Management Students Are Looking For In A Job Offer, Michael D. Aceves

Construction Management

Many construction companies and construction management firms invest large amounts of time and resources into the acquisition of new talent directly out of college from universities such as California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly). Because of this, the knowledge of what incentives would be most enticing to a construction management student preparing to graduate would prove beneficial to the aforementioned construction management companies. In order to find a base level understanding of that knowledge this paper looks to report on a survey of construction management students at Cal Poly about how important a myriad of common job …

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Commercial Construction Recruitment Preferences, Simon Ingram Jun 2024

Commercial Construction Recruitment Preferences, Simon Ingram

Construction Management

Students pursuing an undergraduate degree in Construction Management at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), San Luis Obispo are provided with a wide array of opportunities for both social and professional activities. Often students are aware of the sector of the construction industry they would like to pursue after their degree is obtained but are unsure of what experiences or skills make them competitive recruiting candidates. This research focuses specifically on Commercial Construction companies to provide sector specific recruitment preference data. The purpose of the research is to provide students pursuing a full-time position in commercial construction with a roadmap …

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The Challenges Of Building A Mass Timber Single-Family Home: A Case Study, Avery Emma Onan Jun 2024

The Challenges Of Building A Mass Timber Single-Family Home: A Case Study, Avery Emma Onan

Construction Management

This case study explores the various challenges faced by those involved in the pre-construction and construction of a mass timber, single-family home in Central Texas. Using semi-structured interviews, a subcontractor, an owner, a manufacturer, and two construction managers were questioned about their specific challenges with the build. These challenges were solely related to the use of mass timber on the project. In recent years in the United States, mass timber has become an increasingly desired building material to use in a commercial and multi-family residential context. Due to limited information and builder inexperience using mass timber in a single-family homebuilding …

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Skip The Grid: Solar Energy Concepts In Navajo Nation Schools, Dana M. Craighead Jun 2024

Skip The Grid: Solar Energy Concepts In Navajo Nation Schools, Dana M. Craighead

Construction Management

Skip the Grid is a non-profit initiative with a goal of providing solar power to homes with school-aged children in the Navajo Nation. California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) partners with SOLV energy, and Heart of America (HOA) to provide approximately 30 homes each year with Goal Zero solar panels, and educate students in the surrounding areas about how solar energy can help power communities. This year, a group of 20 students from departments including Construction Management, Electrical Engineering, Environmental Management and Protection, Mechanical Engineering, and Graphic Communication joined the initiative and traveled to Shiprock, New Mexico …

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A Case Study: Impacts Of A Building Retrofit On Employee Efficiency And Productivity, Rigo Zepeda Jun 2024

A Case Study: Impacts Of A Building Retrofit On Employee Efficiency And Productivity, Rigo Zepeda

Construction Management

This case study explores the effects of retrofitting building systems on operational efficiency and employee productivity in the contemporary office environment. As concerns over sustainability and the well-being of employees are now at the forefront of modern workplace design, the retrofitting of outmoded building systems has been seen as an option to enhance energy efficiency and occupant satisfaction. This research paper focuses on the recently retrofitted Performance Contracting office building in Benicia, California. As heating and ventilation systems, and lighting are two big contributors to energy consumption in buildings and comfort, analyzing these systems provided insight into its building performance. …

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Gateway Decathlon: Cost Estimation Of An Offsite Residential Construction Unit, Bradley Craig Blakemore Jr Jun 2024

Gateway Decathlon: Cost Estimation Of An Offsite Residential Construction Unit, Bradley Craig Blakemore Jr

Construction Management

This senior project focused on the cost of the materials used for the shell and structure of the Gateway Decathlon modular residential unit. Collectively, the group on the Gateway Decathlon project decided to design and build the structure using mass timber. A material takeoff of the building was performed, allowing for an accurate measurement of structural materials. After material selection, a final cost estimate was by multiplying the selected materials unit price by the total quantity of the material. The material cost estimate calculations were performed on the current Revit Model allowing for a full-scale analysis of the offsite building. …

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San Luis Obispo High School Ffa Barn Demolition: Demolition, Ryan Reza Manesh Jun 2024

San Luis Obispo High School Ffa Barn Demolition: Demolition, Ryan Reza Manesh

Construction Management

The San Luis Obispo High School FFA program required an upgrade to its swine enclosure including removal of the deteriorating pig barn. This project came in three unique scopes of work: demolition of the existing barn, proper disposal of materials, and reconfiguration of pig pens and water lines. This paper will cover specifically the demolition of the barn.. This phase of the project required skills in framing and plumbing, which our team had absorbed during specific construction management courses at Cal Poly. The reconfiguration included framing and securing a long span of fencing along the northern side of the project …

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Evaluating Value Engineering Techniques Of California Contractors, Mason Alec Montoya Jun 2024

Evaluating Value Engineering Techniques Of California Contractors, Mason Alec Montoya

Construction Management

Value engineering plays a critical role in delivering the best possible project to an ownership team. Preconstruction teams across firms of all sizes perform value engineering studies to determine how project scopes can be changed to advance the construction schedule, reduce costs, and ensure the end user is satisfied with their building. To determine how California general contractors employ value engineering, I used a series of interview questions in a structured format to interview four professionals from different California general construction firms. The analysis and findings of my study provide insight into how familiar construction teams are with value engineering …

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Thinking Styles In The Built Environment, Jaden A. Green Jun 2024

Thinking Styles In The Built Environment, Jaden A. Green

Construction Management

Effective communication in the built environment is crucial for project success, information relay, goal alignment, error prevention, and safety. Diverse parties, including general contractors, architects, engineers, and subcontractors, bring varying Thinking Styles to the table, as defined by Harrison and Bramson. These styles—Synthesist, Idealist, Pragmatist, Analyst, and Realist—impact collaboration and conflict within projects. This study aims to explore where thinking differs among these parties and the congruity of Thinking Styles within each group. Results of this study indicate a predominant Realist Thinking Style among general contractors and subcontractors with subcontractors equally leaning towards Analyst. Engineers, although expected to be Analysts, …

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Building 21 Courtyard Barbecue Pit Demolition, Will Riviere Jun 2024

Building 21 Courtyard Barbecue Pit Demolition, Will Riviere

Construction Management

This project intended to demonstrate the process of a full-scope demolition project at a manageable scale. Almost sixteen yards of concrete were to be demolished, including all reinforcing structures within the barbecue. The purpose of this project was to clear space for the impending renovation of Building 21’s courtyard and remove the unsafe barbecue from the busy pedestrian pathway. Sledgehammers were used in conjunction with electric jackhammers to perform the demolition. Rebar from demolition was separated from the concrete and recycled separately from any cementitious materials. Careful attention was given to protecting existing brick beneath the structure, the surrounding area, …

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Lab Exercise For Cm 239: Ground Penetrating Radar, Logan R. Erickson Jun 2024

Lab Exercise For Cm 239: Ground Penetrating Radar, Logan R. Erickson

Construction Management

This senior project focuses on the utilization of ground penetrating radar in the Construction Management department’s course curriculum. The lab exercise detailed below will be incorporated into the curriculum to expose students to as many pieces of surveying equipment as possible. General surveying knowledge is a fundamental skill that employers look for in their new hires, and having an expansive knowledge base will help students succeed in the field. Being able to interpret underground radar scans will invariably benefit students entering all sectors of the construction industry. The piece of equipment that will be acquired by the CM department is …

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