Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons^™

Skip The Grid: Powering The Navajo And Hopi Reservations, Casey A. Nuti

Construction Management

Skip the Grid is an interdisciplinary service project targeted at providing essential off-grid power to families of the Navajo and surrounding sovereign nations. This year a group of twenty-three students and four faculty from California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) helped plan and execute the insulation of solar power and other essential amenities on the Navajo and Hopi reservations. Many families that live on the reservation are below the U.S. poverty  line and obtaining grid power can be extremely difficult given the rigorous permitting requirements as well as the remote location of many of their homes. This service project is …

Solar Charging Station For Construction Gang Boxes​, Scott J. Burfield

Construction Management

This senior project explores the feasibility of a solar-powered charging system that attaches to the top of a construction gang box or knack box. The purpose of the project is to provide a cleaner and more convenient way to charge tool batteries and small devices on construction sites. Adding on, it will reduce reliance on generators, extension cords, and temporary power setups by being supplemental support. Research included interviews with construction electricians, product selection, cost estimating, energy calculations, and an evaluation of constructability and project risks. The proposed design uses a 100-watt solar panel, a portable power station, and a …

Construction Of Lightly Reinforced Concrete Walls And Foundations For Fiber Reinforced Polymer Testing, Aidan D. Seed, Coulter Langmaid, Ryan R. Bousfield, Bennett B. Steiger

Construction Management

This paper details the construction of two cast-in-place concrete walls with attached footings, built to continue ongoing research into Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) retrofitting conducted by California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Architectural Engineering (ARCE) department. The project was located inside the College of Architecture and Environmental Design (CAED) High Bay testing facility and is part of a multi-year effort to evaluate FRP wrap as a seismic retrofitting option for lightly reinforced concrete walls dating to the pre-1980s. Formwork from the previous year's senior project was reused for this effort, and a two-phase pour was utilized and executed by …

Greek Row At Cal Poly: Addressing Student Housing, Neighborhood Conflict, And Town-Gown Relations, Christopher Linn Green

Construction Management

This study evaluates whether centralized Greek housing near Cal Poly could serve as a long-term planning solution for reducing neighborhood conflict, improving student housing opportunities, and creating a more organized environment for fraternity and sorority life. The research was developed in response to ongoing concerns in San Luis Obispo involving student housing pressure, fraternity activity in residential neighborhoods, and code enforcement challenges. Two surveys were used to gather stakeholder perspectives. One survey of Cal Poly students and one survey of individuals who work in San Luis Obispo. Student responses showed strong support for a centralized Greek Row, with most respondents …

U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers Information Session At California Polytechnic State University, Jack Durham Abernathy

Construction Management

This paper presents a detailed analysis of an information session coordinated by Jack Abernathy with the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) on May 14, 2026, at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo. An Army Corps of Engineers info session creates a critical step for undergraduates where they have a professional environment to network with industry professionals and explore unique career paths that may have not been previously considered. The presentation exposed attendees to the history of the Corps of Engineers, employee occupations, and USACE’s varying mission sets. A representative from the USACE Sacramento District brought forward professional …

Self-Healing Concrete In Compression With Crystalline Admixtures, Nathaniel Paul Warfield

Construction Management

The construction industry is steadily pursuing sustainable and regenerative materials that extend service life and reduce maintenance requirements. Self-healing concrete containing crystalline admixtures represents one such technology. This study evaluated the compressive strength performance of a commercially available high-strength concrete with and without a crystalline self-healing admixture. Three 6-inch by 12-inch cylinders were cast using Quikrete High Strength Concrete. One cylinder served as the control specimen, while two cylinders contained Penetron Admix at approximately 1% of cement weight. One admixture cylinder was intentionally cracked after 14 days to allow time for healing before testing. All specimens were tested in compression …

Understanding Cmu Construction Sequencing Through Scheduling Application, Tristan J. Roberson

Construction Management

Concrete Masonry Unit (CMU) wall systems are used very often in all types of construction including commercial and residential. With this said, the scheduling logic behind their installation can often be unclear for students and people new to the industry. The purpose of this project is to analyze CMU construction sequencing and demonstrate how it integrates within an overall project schedule. This study was conducted using interviews with industry professionals, review of CMU manufacturing processes, and development of a simplified Critical Path Method schedule in Microsoft Project. Information from CMU professionals regarding manufacturing processes and lead times were incorporated based …

Improving The California Boulevard Railroad Underpass: A Feasibility Study Of Persistent Barriers And Practical Improvement Strategies, Jacee D. Carpenter

Construction Management

The California Boulevard railroad underpass in San Luis Obispo has served as an informal pedestrian route for Cal Poly students since pedestrian access across the adjacent railroad tracks was restricted in 2009. Despite its frequent use, the underpass presents challenges related to lighting, drainage, surface conditions, and seasonal flooding that affect safety and accessibility. Previous studies documented these concerns and proposed improvement concepts; however, no significant physical improvements have been implemented. This project evaluates the factors contributing to the lack of improvements and examines practical strategies for enhancing the underpass within existing regulatory, environmental, and jurisdictional constraints. Methods included a …

Developing A Preparation Manual For The Asc Region 6 & 7 Reno Competition, Addyson Mae Demasters

Construction Management

The Associated Schools of Construction (ASC) Region 6 & 7 Competition is one of the most prestigious student construction management competitions in the United States. Success in the competition requires technical knowledge, effective communication, time management, and strategic preparation. The purpose of this senior project was to develop a comprehensive Competition Preparation Manual for future Cal Poly Construction Management students competing in the ASC Reno Competition. The manual was created through the collection and analysis of information from previous competitors, team captains, competition retrospectives, and the author's personal experience participating in ASC Reno competitions. Surveys were sent to students in …

Small-Scale Rainwater Harvesting: A Sustainable Practice For Single-Family Homes In Southern California, Azzah R. Bensrhir

Construction Management

Southern California is prone to drought and struggles with low water supplies. Los Angeles and San Diego County have enacted outdoor water regulations that aim to reduce the overall reliance on municipal and groundwater supplies. Rainwater harvesting (RWH) is a feasible way for single-family homeowners in Southern California to contribute to water conservation efforts. To determine the feasibility of installing, maintaining, and understanding overall challenges and costs of small-scale rainwater harvesting systems, four interviews were conducted with residents of Los Angeles and San Diego County who have owned and operated a RWH system for more than five years. The results …

Building Services Engineering May/June 2026

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Creating A Framework For Quantifying Wildland Urban Interface (Wui) Fire Vulnerability Factors, Ryan L. Delalio

Construction Management

Wildfires have been the focus of geospatial research for decades. Climate change and increased suburban development in California are leading to an increase of Wildland Urban Interface (WUI). These zones are at higher wildfire risk, and a metric is needed to determine the most vulnerable communities to help them assess their personal wildfire risk. By analyzing current WUI wildfire vulnerability literature, the main contributing factors behind the impact of wildfires in California emerge. These factors are then paired with datasets that contain geospatial information about the factors to help us find the locations of highest vulnerability. This paper serves as …

Skip The Grid 2026: Off-Grid Power For Hopi And Navajo Families, Xanthus Aurelius Poole Silverstein

Construction Management

Skip the Grid is an interdisciplinary service-learning project that provides sustainable energy solutions to families with school-aged children living in the Navajo and Hopi Nations. In March 2026, a team of 23 students from five academic disciplines at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) partnered with Heart of America, SOLV Energy, and NextPower to complete the fifth year of the program. The project's purpose was to improve quality of life and support educational success by providing reliable access to electricity, lighting, and refrigeration in underserved communities. Participants were organized into five installation teams consisting of Cal Poly students, faculty, industry …

Skip The Grid: Providing Solar Energy To Navajo And Hopi Families, Derrick Huang

Construction Management

In Spring 2026, the Skip the Grid program sent its 5^th consecutive service project team to the Navajo Nation. Consisting of 4 faculty and 23 interdisciplinary students from various majors such as Construction Management, Mechanical Engineering, Environmental Management, and more, the California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) team partnered with non-profit Heart of America, SOLV Energy, and NextPower to install Two 200-watt PV panels, a Yeti 1500X battery, a refrigerator, and two LED lights to families in the Navajo and Hopi Nations in Northeastern Arizona. Within 3 installation days, the Skip the Grid team was able …

Construction Project Administration: Course Portfolio, Andre Messner

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This portfolio presents a structured framework for the design and implementation of a construction project administration course within a Construction Management program. Emphasis is placed on aligning student learning objectives, instructional strategies, and assessment methods with current industry expectations and professional standards. The course is intentionally designed to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application by incorporating real-world scenarios, collaborative learning environments, and experiential activities that mirror industry practices.

In addition to outlining the course structure, this paper examines the pedagogical foundations that support student-centered learning, including constructivism, scaffolding, and project-based learning. These approaches are used to foster …

Investigating Affordable Indoor Mobile Lidar Sensing For Bim-Based Facility Management: A Usability And Condition Sensitivity Study, Amr Mousa, Ahmed Elyamany, Mohamed Nabawy

Civil Engineering

This paper analyzes how capture parameters affect indoor mobile LiDAR scan fitness for-purpose for BIM-based facilities management. Despite extensive research on geometric accuracy and automated modelling performance, limited work has systematically examined how acquisition conditions influence the practical usability of raw scans for BIM/FM applications. A controlled experimental investigation used an Apple iPhone 16 Pro's integrated LiDAR sensor to capture 36 indoor scans under twelve factorial combinations of scan speed, illumination level, and motion pattern. Each condition was repeated three times. Usability was assessed using several components,Fco a gate-based pass/fail criterion, enclosure geometry, openings, ceiling services, and geometric clarity using …

Steel Corrosion In Underground Transportation Infrastructure, Amr M. Morsy, Islam A. Ebo, Shiv K. Janardhanan

Mineta Transportation Institute

Corrosion of buried steel, a critical component of American transportation infrastructure, remains one of the most insidious challenges due to the uncertainty associated with its estimates. Predicting when and how this corrosion happens is very difficult. This uncertainty grows exponentially with time, making corrosion estimation in the long term even more challenging, especially with buried steel and steel structures, which cannot even be monitored visually. While significant advancement has been made to understand the effect of the various corrosion parameters on soil corrosivity, there is a lack of a comprehensive understanding of how these factors collectively contribute to corrosion as …

An Evaluation Of Leading Indicators In The Construction Industry And Their Relationship With Incident Rates, Kitti Miller Whalen

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Improving safety programs has been a focus of organizations for decades. Historically, focus has been directed towards lagging indicators such as recordable incident rates and experience modification rate (EMR). While these remain beneficial, they are only one component of the broader framework. In recent years, companies have started to examine what occurs prior to an incident, which are known as leading indicators. The research into leading indicators is promising, however research into the area is limited. The focus of this study is to identify which leading indicators are most strongly associated with improved incident rates in the construction industry specifically. …

Sb 1953 Field Execution Under Hcai Oversight: Seismic Retrofit At Zsfg Building 5, Victor Lucas

Construction Management

Every hospital in California must be seismically compliant by 2030 under Senate Bill 1953, which is enforced by the Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI). HCAI approves and inspects all hospital construction in the state, and its authority reaches into the field, so a contractor cannot simply build to an approved drawing the way it would on a commercial job. This paper explains how that approval system governs the work, written for construction professionals entering hospital work in California whose experience to that point has been commercial. It uses the ZSFG Building 5 Voluntary Seismic Upgrade, a 1976 …

Preconstruction Services For Slo Youth Baseball Bull Pen And Batting Cage, Sofia E. Cuevas

Construction Management

San Luis Obispo Youth Baseball is a nonprofit organization servicing the local youth of San Luis Obispo, California. Offering recreational, all-star, and club programs, SLO Youth Baseball provides the experience of baseball to all levels of skill in the community. In preparation for the Spring 2026 season and beyond, SLOYB has proposed the construction of a bull pen and batting cage on the third base line at their very own Stockton Field. In order to service the community at large, this design came with a set of strict parameters: accessibility, longevity, and serviceability. In doing so, SLOYB has requested flexibility …

Sheep Pen Improvements At City Farm Slo, Ryan S. Bodmer

Construction Management

City Farm SLO is an urban non-profit educational farm located in San Luis Obispo, CA. It serves the community through offering farm learning programs, including hands-on experience in sustainable farming practices and livestock care. This project, completed over the winter and spring quarters, focused on delivering an upgraded sheep pen to improve access and safety for both volunteers and sheep. The project consisted of developing design plans, coordination of materials and allowable working times with the owner, where the animals were either moved out of the working area or when work would not jeopardize animal health, schedule creation, cost estimates, …

Skip The Grid: Turning Solar Planning Into Power For Navajo Nation Homes, Alexandr B. Miller

Construction Management

Skip the Grid is a cross-disciplinary experiential learning initiative that delivers clean energy infrastructure to households with school-age children residing in the Navajo and Hopi Nations. In March 2026, a cohort of 23 students drawn from five academic programs at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) joined forces with Heart of America (HOA), SOLV Energy, and NextPower to carry out the initiative's fifth consecutive year. The program aimed to enhance living standards and bolster academic achievement by ensuring dependable access to power, illumination, and food preservation in resource-limited communities. Participants were divided into five installation teams comprising Cal Poly students, …

Dirt Finder (Drtfndr): A Marketplace Application For Construction Earthwork, Evan A. Reed

Construction Management

The construction industry regularly produces a surplus of earthwork materials: clean fill, topsoil, gravel, and crushed concrete, that are disposed of at considerable cost. All the while, contractors actively seek those same materials, and no dedicated digital platform existed to connect these two groups efficiently. DrtFndr ("Dirt Finder") is a mobile-first web application developed to address this gap, providing a marketplace where contractors can post available or needed earthwork materials, browse geographically filtered listings by material type and proximity, and connect directly with other users. The application was built using Base44, an AI-powered application development platform, and includes real-time mapping, …

Exploring Determinants Of Value For Money And Bundling Effects On Public–Private Partnership Projects: A Data-Driven Empirical Study, Gaurav Khadka

Department of Construction Engineering and Management: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Public–private partnerships (P3s) are widely used to deliver public infrastructure, yet current understanding of what drives variation in Value for Money (VfM) and the effectiveness of project delivery strategies such as bundling remains largely conceptual and grounded in perception-based evidence. Consequently, governments lack empirically validated guidance on which project, financial, and macroeconomic conditions meaningfully influence VfM outcomes and whether bundling improves project performance within the P3 context. This study addresses these gaps through an integrated analysis of 180 Canadian P3 infrastructure projects (1992–2020), one of the most comprehensive datasets of realized VfM internationally, incorporating project characteristics, financial arrangements, and macroeconomic …

Building Services Engineering March/April 2026

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

A Machine Learning Framework For Early-Stage Cost Estimation Of Transportation Projects, Pritom Paul

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

To address the limitations of traditional planning-level cost estimating methods, such as reliance on statewide averages, heavy reliance on engineering judgment, and high levels of inaccuracy, this study developed two data-driven frameworks and corresponding tools. The first framework focused on resurfacing projects and used treatment-specific simple linear regression based on lane miles and geographic location. The second addressed a broader group of construction projects and used multiple linear regression with project length, route type, and right-of-way cost as key predictors. In both frameworks, the final estimates are computed by aggregating multiple estimates produced by county-, region-, and state-level models. The …

Mason Avenue Culvert, Caden Boynton

Honors Theses

This project addressed the replacement of a culvert crossing Wabascon Creek along North Mason Avenue in Battle Creek, Michigan. Following significant flooding caused by snowmelt in 2023, the existing wooden box culvert—originally constructed in the 1960s—sustained damage when inlet wingwalls detached from the structure, requiring temporary repairs. Design alternatives were developed to provide a durable and reliable replacement, incorporating structural, water resources, transportation, and construction engineering considerations. The design process also addressed environmental sustainability requirements, cost-effectiveness and constructability. Final deliverables included engineering calculations, plans and specifications, a cost estimate and a project schedule to support implementation of a resilient long-term …

Risk Identification Of Green Hydrogen Supply Chain In Ammonia Industry In Indonesia Using Delphi And Topsis Methods, Ananda Priatama, Sheila Tobing

Journal of Materials Exploration and Findings

The development of green hydrogen in Indonesia, while promising for supporting industrial decarbonization, remains in its early stages and faces various challenges across technical, economic, and regulatory domains. This study aims to identify and prioritize the risks linked to green hydrogen supply chain in Indonesia, particularly for applications in the ammonia industry. A set of 49 potential risk factors was initially compiled through literature review and prior studies. The Delphi method was employed with a panel of experts to validate these risks, ultimately refining the list to 27 critical risk factors. Subsequently, the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to …

Application Of Fidic Epc/Turnkey Contract Under The Egyptian Public Works Contracts Law, Ahmed Alhady Dr., Mahmoud Mahmoud Ahmed Eng., Ahmed Elhakeem Prof., Mohamed Ibrahim Dr.

Civil Engineering

This study focuses on the application of FIDIC Conditions of Contract for EPC Turnkey Projects—Silver Book 1999, (FIDIC (EPC&T)), when governed by the Egyptian Law of Contracts concluded by public bodies No. 182 of 2018 (ELC) due to the conflicts that may arise from such application. Hence, this study identifies specific FIDIC (EPC&T) 1999 clauses that have the potential for conflicts with ELC, shows the similarities and disparities between these clauses and the relevant ELC articles, and provides recommendations to ensure the successful application of FIDIC (EPC&T) 1999 under ELC. This was achieved through a multistep research methodology in which …

Life Cycle Costing Of Modular Timber Residential Construction, Logan Micah Hammel

Construction Management

This study examines the economic feasibility of modular residential construction using life-cycle costing (LCC) and life-cycle assessment (LCA) approaches to assess the sustainability and maintenance costs of modular construction. Using the structures and documents from the Gateway Decathlon project as the subject, we applied LCC formulas and programs to assess their economic performance. These calculations were conducted manually in Excel and modeled using the OpenLCA platform to compare traditional and software-based approaches. The study aims to identify cost drivers across building scopes, such as building materials and electrical and mechanical systems, and to evaluate how modular construction performs over its …