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Articles 13681 - 13710 of 39822

Full-Text Articles in Civil and Environmental Engineering

Redefining Commercial Vehicle Permitting And Credentialing Violations, Andrew Martin, Jennifer R. Walton, Valerie J. Keathley Apr 2018

Redefining Commercial Vehicle Permitting And Credentialing Violations, Andrew Martin, Jennifer R. Walton, Valerie J. Keathley

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The objective of this study was to analyze enforcement and adjudication of common commercial vehicle tax, credentialing, and safety offenses. This study examined violations of the International Fuel Tax Agreement and the Kentucky Intrastate Tax, Kentucky’s weight distance tax, Unified Carrier Registration, Kentucky size and weight laws, and federal safety regulations from 2004 to 2013. Statistical analysis showed declining conviction rates, increasing dismissal rates, and a drop in collections of court costs and fines associated with these offenses. In addition, adjudication varied significantly from district court to district court, which is creating an equity issue for motor carriers and the …

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Longer Lasting Bridge Deck Overlays, David Q. Hunsucker, Kean H. Ashurst Jr., Brad W. Rister, David L. Allen, Eileen Grady Apr 2018

Longer Lasting Bridge Deck Overlays, David Q. Hunsucker, Kean H. Ashurst Jr., Brad W. Rister, David L. Allen, Eileen Grady

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The objective of this report is to determine the most effective method for bridge deck overlay construction and repair by assessing current practices; examining new products and technologies; and reviewing NCHRP (National Cooperative Highway Research Program) guidelines, state standard specifications, ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers) infrastructure ratings, and original bridge core chloride penetration data. Based on the review, this report offers the following conclusions. Latex modified concrete (LMC) overlays perform well, provide a long service life, and are the most commonly used method of bridge deck rehabilitation. Ohio considers microsilica concrete (MSC) overlays as state of the art due …

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Ocean And Ice Shelf Tides From Cryosat-2 Altimetry, Edward Zaron Apr 2018

Ocean And Ice Shelf Tides From Cryosat-2 Altimetry, Edward Zaron

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

A new empirical model of ocean tides has been developed for the Weddell Sea, south of 668S, between 908W and 08, using six years of radar altimeter data from the CryoSat-2 satellite mission. Because of its long groundtrack repeat period (368 days) and its diverse measurement modes, low-rate mode (LRM) over the ocean and synthetic aperture radar interferometric mode (SARin) over ice surfaces and parts of the ocean, the CryoSat2 data pose a number of challenges for tidal analysis. The space and time sampling properties of the exact repeat, near-repeat, and crossover ground tracks have been analyzed to discover which …

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From Architectural Design To Structural Analysis: A Data-Driven Approach To Study Building Information Modeling (Bim) Interoperability, Mohammed Aldegeily Apr 2018

From Architectural Design To Structural Analysis: A Data-Driven Approach To Study Building Information Modeling (Bim) Interoperability, Mohammed Aldegeily

Masters Theses

BIM has been playing an essential role in building construction projects in recent years. It was used to automate many tasks such as clash detection, 4D planning, and quantity takeoff, among others. However, the interoperability of BIM still lacks in many fields across the architecture, engineering, and construction domains. This research studies the interoperability between architectural design and structural analysis. The goal is to explore structural analysis of BIM models through data transfer processes between different software platforms via three types of paths: (1) Application Programming Interface (API); (2) “immediately connect,” which is the direct link between software programs from …

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Assessment Of Carbon Emissions Of Road Projects And Development Of A Framework For Carbon Footprint Calculation Of Roads In The City Of Abu Dhabi, Mohammed H. H. Alzard Apr 2018

Assessment Of Carbon Emissions Of Road Projects And Development Of A Framework For Carbon Footprint Calculation Of Roads In The City Of Abu Dhabi, Mohammed H. H. Alzard

Civil and Environmental Theses

Climate change has become a global issue affecting the environment and human health. Transportation is a major contributor of greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions, with road transport being responsible for more than half of these emissions. The main objective of this thesis was to estimate the carbon footprint associated with road projects in the city of Abu Dhabi following a comprehensive approach that considers all activities within the life cycle of roads. Three cases were considered including, Al Rahba City internal road network, the upgrading of Al Salam Street, and the widening of the Eastern Corniche Road. A carbon footprint estimation …

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Predicting Effects Of Climate Change And Sea Level Rise On Hydrologic Processes In A Mid-Atlantic Coastal Watershed, Rui Li Apr 2018

Predicting Effects Of Climate Change And Sea Level Rise On Hydrologic Processes In A Mid-Atlantic Coastal Watershed, Rui Li

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation assessed impacts of Climate Change (CC) and Sea Level Rise (SLR) on coastal hydrologic processes using the Lynnhaven River watershed as a test bed. The watershed is part of Chesapeake Bay Watershed and hydraulically connected with mid-Atlantic Ocean. Six CC scenarios were considered in terms of eight Regional Climate Models’ predictions for three Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) emission assumptions, namely, B1, A1B, and A2, for two future periods, namely 2046 to 2065 and 2081 to 2099. The ensemble means of downscaling results from four methods were used to represent the future climates. On the other hand, …

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Techno-Economic And Life Cycle Assessment Of Hydrothermal Processing Of Microalgae For Biofuels And Co-Product Generation, Andrew P. Bessette Apr 2018

Techno-Economic And Life Cycle Assessment Of Hydrothermal Processing Of Microalgae For Biofuels And Co-Product Generation, Andrew P. Bessette

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Traditional processing methods of algae to biofuels require dewatering after harvesting of the algae before the lipids can be extracted. This is typically the most energy intensive and therefore the most expensive step. Old Dominion University (ODU) has successfully utilized a flash hydrolysis (a kind of hydrothermal) process where proteins are solubilized into the liquid phase of product and the remainder lipid-rich, low nitrogen product is separated into a solid phase. The solid phase (lipid-rich) is then an ideal candidate for biofuel feedstock and the liquid phase, or hydrolysate, can be used for coproducts such as a source of nutrients …

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Flexural Behavior And Strength Of Doubly-Reinforced Concrete Beams With Hollow Plastic Spheres, Rutvik R. Patel Apr 2018

Flexural Behavior And Strength Of Doubly-Reinforced Concrete Beams With Hollow Plastic Spheres, Rutvik R. Patel

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This thesis presents the outcome of an investigation into the experimental and theoretical flexural behavior and strength of doubly-reinforced concrete beams with and without hollow plastic spheres. Tests are conducted on two types of beams having simply supported end conditions. To obtain experimental results, a gradually increasing two-point loading is used up to collapse. The experimental load-deflection and load-strain curves are recorded. Theoretical analysis is based on developing non-linear moment-curvature relationships for cross sections with and without hollow spheres. These moment-curvature relationships are then coupled with three separate numerical methods namely, finite difference method, finite integral method and Newmark’s method …

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Simplified, Alternative Formulation Of Numerical Simulation Of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell, Russell L. Edwards Apr 2018

Simplified, Alternative Formulation Of Numerical Simulation Of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell, Russell L. Edwards

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Three-Dimensional proton exchange fuel cell (PEMFC) operation in steady-state is simulated with computational fluid dynamics / multiphysics software that is based upon the finite-element method. PEMFC operation involves the simultaneous simulation of multiple, interconnected physics involving fluid flows, heat transport, electrochemical reactions, and both protonic and electronic conduction. Modeling efforts have varied by how they treat the physics occurring within and adjacent to the membrane-electrode assembly (MEA). Several approaches treat the MEA as part of the computational domain, solving multiple, and coupled conservation equations via the CFD approach within the 3 regions of the MEA. The thickness dimensions of the …

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The Evaluation Of Enhancing Biological Phosphorus Removal And Improving Settleability Using Mainstream Hydrocyclones For External Selection, Amanda Carrie Ford Apr 2018

The Evaluation Of Enhancing Biological Phosphorus Removal And Improving Settleability Using Mainstream Hydrocyclones For External Selection, Amanda Carrie Ford

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Hydrocyclones, which receive mixed liquor tangentially, separate lighter solids from more dense solids through their tapered shape. Increasing the velocity of liquid as it moves downward allows for the selection of a desired solids fraction. Limited research has been conducted utilizing 20 m3hr-1 hydrocyclones, with the intent of improving settleability and biological phosphorus removal (Bio-P) for mainstream processes. Improved settleability would allow for increased capacity in the secondary clarifiers which prevents the loss of biomass and subsequent treatment disruption, especially during wet weather scenarios. In addition, treatment intensification can be accomplished by maintaining a higher mixed liquor …

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Structural And Photoluminescence Properties Of Zno Thin Films Deposited By Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis, Iwan Sugihartono, Erfan Handoko, Vivi Fauzia, Artoto Arkundato, Lara Permata Sari Apr 2018

Structural And Photoluminescence Properties Of Zno Thin Films Deposited By Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis, Iwan Sugihartono, Erfan Handoko, Vivi Fauzia, Artoto Arkundato, Lara Permata Sari

Makara Journal of Technology

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films on a silicon (Si) (111) substrate were grown herein using ultrasonic spray pyrolysis at 450 °C with different Zn concentrations. The ZnO thin films had X-ray diffraction patterns of a polycrystalline hexagonal wurtzite structure. The (002) and (101) peak intensities changed under different Zn concentrations. Furthermore, according to Scherer's and Stokes–Wilson equations, the crystallite size and the internal strain of the ZnO thin films in the (002) and (101) peaks changed with the Zn concentration. Optically, the photoluminescence spectra indicated that the ratio of the UV/GB emission of the ZnO thin films was the highest …

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The Impact Of Phosphorous Species On Dewaterability Of Wastewater Solids, Erik Anderson Apr 2018

The Impact Of Phosphorous Species On Dewaterability Of Wastewater Solids, Erik Anderson

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Phosphorus regulations are causing Water Resource Recovery Facilities (WRRFs) to implement new technologies to remove phosphorus (P) before they discharge liquid effluent. Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal (EBPR) is often employed to remove P from water. However, sludges from EBPR plants have shown decreases in dewaterability soon after EBPR was initiated. This decline in dewaterability is not well understood, nor is the best way to improve the dewatering EBPR sludge. Specifically, the role of different P species on sludge dewaterability is not well understood. Several laboratory experiments were conducted at the Marquette University Water Quality Center with the following objectives: i) …

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Anaerobic Co-Digestion Of Aqueous Liquid From Biosolids Pyrolysis, Seyedfatemeh Seyedi Apr 2018

Anaerobic Co-Digestion Of Aqueous Liquid From Biosolids Pyrolysis, Seyedfatemeh Seyedi

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Pyrolysis is a process to treat biosolids and recover energy. During pyrolysis, conversion of organic matter to energy-rich products yields biochar, py-gas, and pyrolysis liquids (aqueous phase and non-aqueous bio-oil). The aqueous pyrolysis liquid (APL), is a high-COD liquid with no apparent use that contains polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and nitrogen-containing compounds. One potential beneficial use of APL is as a co-digestate to produce more biogas for renewable energy from anaerobic digesters at municipal water resource recovery facilities. Some of the organics in APL may be converted to biomethane via anaerobic digestion under proper conditions. However, some APL organics are known …

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Effect Of Low Aeration And Heat Drying On Anaerobic Digester Performance And Microbial Community, Dylan Thomas Friss Apr 2018

Effect Of Low Aeration And Heat Drying On Anaerobic Digester Performance And Microbial Community, Dylan Thomas Friss

Master's Theses (2009 -)

This thesis describes three research projects on anaerobic digestion (AD) that investigated functional differences and relationships between microbial composition and digester function. Both archaeal and bacterial communities were characterized using high throughput (Illumina) sequencing technology with universal 16S rRNA gene primers. In the first project, limited aeration, and limited aeration with an aerotolerant enrichment culture were investigated as possible methods to increase digester functional performance in comparison to a strictly anaerobic control digester. No functional differences were observed at quasi-steady state between the limited aerated digester (LAD), limited aerated anaerobic digester augmented with an aerotolerant enrichment culture (LADE), and strictly …

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Large-Scale Strength Testing Of High-Speed Railway Bridge Embankments: Effects Of Cement Treatment And Skew Under Passive Loading, Daniel Ethan Schwicht Apr 2018

Large-Scale Strength Testing Of High-Speed Railway Bridge Embankments: Effects Of Cement Treatment And Skew Under Passive Loading, Daniel Ethan Schwicht

Theses and Dissertations

To investigate the passive force-displacement relationships provided by a transitional zoned backfill consisting of cement treated aggregate (CTA) and compacted gravel, a series of full-scale lateral abutment load tests were performed. The transitional zoned backfill was designed to minimize differential settlement adjacent to bridge abutments for the California High Speed Rail project. Tests were performed with a 2-D or plane strain backfill geometry to simulate a wide abutment. To investigate the effect of skew angle on the passive force, lateral abutment load tests were also performed with a simulated abutment with skew angles of 30º and 45º. The peak passive …

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Reinforcing Bar Splice Performance In Masonry With Self-Consolidating Grout, Aaron Brent Roper Apr 2018

Reinforcing Bar Splice Performance In Masonry With Self-Consolidating Grout, Aaron Brent Roper

Theses and Dissertations

The use of self-consolidating grout in reinforced masonry construction provides various advantages such as reduced labor, faster construction, decreased noise pollution and better structural response. This is a relatively new building material however, and little research on self-consolidating grout's structural properties has been conducted. The purpose of this study was to analyze the performance or bond capacity of steel reinforcing bar splices in masonry with self-consolidating grout. Twelve masonry panels approximately 40 in. wide and 32 in. tall consisting of Type S mortar and concrete masonry units grouted with self-consolidating grout and No. 5 steel reinforcing bars were constructed with …

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An Analysis Of Using Error Metrics To Determine The Accuracy Of Modeled Historical Streamflow On A Global Scale, Elise Katherine Jackson Apr 2018

An Analysis Of Using Error Metrics To Determine The Accuracy Of Modeled Historical Streamflow On A Global Scale, Elise Katherine Jackson

Theses and Dissertations

Streamflow data is used throughout the world in applications such as flooding, agriculture, and urban planning. Understanding daily and seasonal patterns in streamflow is important for decision makers, so that they can accurately predict and react to seasonal changes in streamflow for the region. This understanding of daily and seasonal patterns has historically been achieved through interpretation of observed historical data at stream reaches throughout the individual regions. Developing countries have limited and sporadic observed stream and rain gage data, making it difficult for stakeholders to manage their water resources to their fullest potential. In areas where observed historical data …

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Analysis Of Student Understanding Of The Change Order Process, Austin C. Eberle Apr 2018

Analysis Of Student Understanding Of The Change Order Process, Austin C. Eberle

Construction Management

Effective project management comes from controlling cost, time, and quality on a project. As construction projects become more complex, changes in the original contract documents will arise due to the nature of human error. How a project manager documents and addresses change events can alter the successfulness of a project. This study attempts to look at senior level construction management major student’s understanding of the change order management process. The goal of the study is to ascertain how well the students feel the construction management curriculum prepared them to manage change events in industry. Students were asked to demonstrate their …

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California & Foothill Tunnel Feasibility Project:, Tyler J. Rohde Apr 2018

California & Foothill Tunnel Feasibility Project:, Tyler J. Rohde

Construction Management

Safety on and off campus while attending college is one of the fastest growing concerns around the country. Having a secure path to get to campus is also a large problem to a select number of students here at California Polytechnic State University. The "Rape" Tunnel at the corner of California and Foothill Boulevard is considered to many to be a danger because of its unpredictable accessibility and the stigma that surrounds it.

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Modular Utility Rack And Accessory Line, Ian Philip Thomas Apr 2018

Modular Utility Rack And Accessory Line, Ian Philip Thomas

Construction Management

There is a large gap in the market for heavy duty work racks for fleet vehicles. Modular racks have recently been introduced to the industry allowing contractors the ability to customize them to their needs. However, all customizable racks are limited to lightweight applications. The high strength steel rack I have designed is both modular, and sturdy enough to handle up to an estimated one thousand pounds. On our website, contractors will be able to scroll through the available attachments for his make and model rack and view them built on to his vehicle in 3D computer generated graphics.

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Aligning Construction Management Students' Minors With The Needs Of Industry Professionals, Isaac Alexis Maximov Apr 2018

Aligning Construction Management Students' Minors With The Needs Of Industry Professionals, Isaac Alexis Maximov

Construction Management

While in college, students will have to decide if they want to pursue a minor, in addition to their bachelor’s degree. To pursue a minor one has to take additional units, and one usually does this without any free electives, meaning their graduation date is most likely delayed. A minor, in theory, should provide additional benefits such as being more hirable and earning potential; however, in the construction industry, the minors construction management students are taking do not align with the needs of construction industry professionals in. And while most students believe having a minor will increase their salary, this …

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The Skilled Framing Carpenter Shortage On The Central Coast Of California: A Focus On Residential Construction, Trevor John Nally Apr 2018

The Skilled Framing Carpenter Shortage On The Central Coast Of California: A Focus On Residential Construction, Trevor John Nally

Construction Management

The residential construction industry has many critical components. When one of these components is not operating optimally, it can be detrimental to the system as a whole. A critical component to residential construction is skilled craftspeople. Without them, there can be no significant physical work completed on any residential project. Currently the component of skilled craftspeople in residential construction is in a state of short supply. Throughout the United States, there is an inadequate amount of craftspeople to fill the demand for their skills. The Central Coast of California is experiencing this issue much like the rest of the nation …

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Acoustical Damping For Poly Canyon Village's Music Room, Jayvee Martir Apr 2018

Acoustical Damping For Poly Canyon Village's Music Room, Jayvee Martir

Construction Management

Poly Canyon Village was a project by Clark Construction and Architect Niles Bolton Associates that was completed in 2009 that provided housing for upcoming and continuing students. One of the buildings, labeled “Aliso” has constructed the music practice room for students to either play their musical instruments or have it become a convenient area to record, with one particular band “Tin Kitty” having problems with being too loud. Even so, there is potential for this music room to become much more than what it currently is. This paper is a research paper that covers the various materials and methods of …

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Skills And Traits Recruiters Value Most When Interviewing Construction Management Students For Internships And Full-Time Positions, Noel Medina Apr 2018

Skills And Traits Recruiters Value Most When Interviewing Construction Management Students For Internships And Full-Time Positions, Noel Medina

Construction Management

Interviews are a common method for companies to find whether a candidate meets all the requirements for the job at hand. Questions asked by interviewers tend to focus on hard skills, also known as technical skills, soft skills and other traits that are highly valued by the company. The objective of this project is to find which hard skills, soft skills and traits construction management professionals’ value most when interviewing students. The methods used for data gathering were in-person interviews and a survey, which was sent to construction industry contacts. The ultimate goal of this report is to relay these …

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Perceptions Of Efficiency In Construction Jobsite Safety, Jay Doyle Apr 2018

Perceptions Of Efficiency In Construction Jobsite Safety, Jay Doyle

Construction Management

This project is to examine the perception of jobsite safety practices of California contractors. Preliminary research found that jobsite safety practices are not a hinderance on a project schedule when managed well. A survey of students and industry professionals was the methodology used to gather this information. This survey consisted of various questions about the perception of safety practices on jobsites the respondent has worked on themselves, as well as their perception about safety in the construction industry as a whole. Significant findings were that half of the surveyed individuals had worked on a job site in which they lost …

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Feasibility Analysis For Reclaim Device During Shotcrete Application, Cameron Neil Berkins Apr 2018

Feasibility Analysis For Reclaim Device During Shotcrete Application, Cameron Neil Berkins

Construction Management

Shotcrete application has proven advantages over cast-in-place concrete under many different situations. Ease of access, minimal formwork, and higher productivity are prime examples. Its uses have exponentially increased through technical innovations to improve the ready-mix, nozzlemen technique, application surfaces, and to ensure higher dependability of the equipment. Unfortunately, concrete waste is still one of the highest percentages of overall waste in the construction industry. Shotcrete rebound, the material that falls from the wall due to lack of cohesion during installation, has slowly been reduced due to ready-mix alterations over the years, but effective recycling processes have yet to be implemented. …

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Bank Of Italy Building's Net Zero Energy Renovation: A Case Study, Joshua Kai Balaban Apr 2018

Bank Of Italy Building's Net Zero Energy Renovation: A Case Study, Joshua Kai Balaban

Construction Management

The designation of Net-Zero Energy describes a building that meets all of its energy demand with on-site renewable energy generation. The Bank of Italy Building, in Downtown San Jose, California, is currently undergoing design-development to transform a landmark historical site into a modern, Net-Zero Energy building. This paper will analyze the project team’s design approach to minimizing energy demand and meeting this demand with on-site renewable energy. It will also evaluate the unique challenges associated with preserving the historical character of the existing structure, while converting it into a high-performing building. The research will consider similar past projects and approaches; …

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Cost Analysis Of Modern Residential Solar Installations, Alex Scott Adams Apr 2018

Cost Analysis Of Modern Residential Solar Installations, Alex Scott Adams

Construction Management

This paper is a detailed cost analysis of standard photovoltaic panels and Tesla’s solar tiles. This analysis is specifically for the San Luis Obispo area, and focuses on comparing and contrasting new and old styles of residential solar for the average single family dwelling. This is important because there will become more consumers of solar in this area as the price becomes more favorable, and as sustainable practices become the norm. This trend is set to continue because of the movement to combat climate change. Solar energy fits into this movement because it is a source of energy that is …

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Panelized Workforce Housing, Brock H. Armstrong Apr 2018

Panelized Workforce Housing, Brock H. Armstrong

Construction Management

This study analyzes the utility of a panelized exterior wall system in workforce housing. First, it introduces why the need for the project exists. Second, it touches on how Cal Poly procured the project and who the client is. Third, it lays out how the project was dealt with as far as its structure and the roles of the students taking part in the cohort. Fourth, it looks at the process of designing the panels, the various restrictions the students had to deal with in designing them, and how the panels changed over time due to new constraints being made …

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Creating An Organized/Safer Way For Contractors To Carry Oversized Spare Tires, Thomas Arismendi Apr 2018

Creating An Organized/Safer Way For Contractors To Carry Oversized Spare Tires, Thomas Arismendi

Construction Management

Construction is an industry that needs trucks/vehicles to travel across large dirt construction sites without getting stuck. This typically means upgrading to a larger wheel width/diameter to create the largest possible surface area for the tire to cover while off-road. Managing to get a flat tire whether it is rolling a bead in the dirt from being aired down or running over objects such as nails/screws, it is always important to carry a spare tire that fits the application. This causes an increased need to safely lock down an oversized spare when the time comes for one. Most of the …

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