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Full-Text Articles in Construction Engineering and Management

Seismic Resilience Of Timber Homes, Melia R. Costa Oct 2024

Seismic Resilience Of Timber Homes, Melia R. Costa

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

The vast majority of residential buildings in California are wood-frame structures. A home is typically a very large investment for families, and damage to the home can be detrimental to a family’s economic success. Thus, reducing the economic impacts of an earthquake on residential timber housing is crucial. A full scale, two-story section of a residential timber house is in construction in the Parson’s Geotechnical and Earthquake Engineering Laboratory on the Cal Poly campus in San Luis Obispo, California. Once built it will be put through earthquake simulation tests on a shake table with various magnitudes of seismic activity. Next, …


Concrete Design: Underwater Concrete Forms In A Saltwater Environment, Noah Z. Lau Oct 2024

Concrete Design: Underwater Concrete Forms In A Saltwater Environment, Noah Z. Lau

Construction Management

This following project investigated the effects of salt on the concrete curing process. Concrete possesses numerous strengths, making it extremely versatile. This makes it one of the most utilized construction materials. New improved methods are constantly being developed for concrete’s application as a construction material. While concrete is a flexible material with many strengths, it is not without its flaws. Concrete, while strong in compression is weak in tension. It has long cure times and doesn’t generally handle moisture well. This paper evaluates concrete’s change in strength from letting concrete cure in a salt-based underwater environment. To determine the full …


California Polytechnic Architecture Graveyard Safety And Locational Signage Project, Luke C. Vanderkooij Oct 2024

California Polytechnic Architecture Graveyard Safety And Locational Signage Project, Luke C. Vanderkooij

Construction Management

Hiking along Poly Canyon Road, towards Cal Poly’s Architecture Graveyard, limited information can be located on the actual trail, with current signage only describing prohibited activities. This project aimed to provide needed safety and locational signage for pedestrians, bikers, and vehicles, clearly outlining maps, safety tips, and emergency contacts. These criteria were led by the desire to proactively limit the risk of traveling along Poly Canyon Road and provide reactive assistance for those in potential danger. These added informational improvements were decided to be included in a bulletin style enclosure with a roof and metal plaque anchored into a reinforced …


Value Of Electrical Heavy Civil Machinery In The American Construction Industry, Kaston Wong Sep 2024

Value Of Electrical Heavy Civil Machinery In The American Construction Industry, Kaston Wong

Construction Management

Every day the construction industry is releasing an unhealthy amount of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The consequences may seem trivial at first because the planet is slowly deteriorating, and it is not easily discernable on a day-to-day basis; however, similar to constantly taking care of one’s home, one must take care of the planet. On the other hand, the difference between degradation of a home and planet is that the pollution released into the world is irreversible; therefore, we need to be even more conscientious of the environment. As the construction industry continues to grow, the need for heavy …


Effects Of Titanium Particulates On Concrete Compressive Strength, Ryan Christopher Brunello Sep 2024

Effects Of Titanium Particulates On Concrete Compressive Strength, Ryan Christopher Brunello

Construction Management

Titanium has the potential to increase the compressive strength of concrete. This experiment investigates the impact of titanium admixture on concrete compressive strength, using three different forms of titanium: shavings, flakes, and powder. This experiment goes further, evaluating the effects of varying proportions of titanium admixture, ranging from 1% - 5% by the weight of cement, resulting in 15 different concrete test cylinders and one additional cylinder as the control variable with no titanium admixture. This experiment aims to identify the optimal recipe for concrete mix with titanium admixture which can provide valuable insight to the industry as to how …


A Study Of Commuting Conditions For Construction Professionals In The San Francisco Bay Area, Ethan John Argue Aug 2024

A Study Of Commuting Conditions For Construction Professionals In The San Francisco Bay Area, Ethan John Argue

Construction Management

This paper investigates the commuting experiences of workers in the San Francisco Bay Area, with a focus on construction industry professionals. Numerous scientific studies and reports have been done regarding both traffic congestion in the Bay Area and commuting conditions for construction workers. By comparing points of information on Bay Area workers like their job type, commute length and commute satisfaction, this study aims to uncover correlations and understand who is affected the most by traffic congestion. After extensive surveys and interviews of Bay Area workers, average commute times were calculated and reported for several industry subsets, along with averages …


Moringa Connect: Design And Fabrication Of The Drum For A Moringa Leaf Dryer Prototype, Braden Deck Jun 2024

Moringa Connect: Design And Fabrication Of The Drum For A Moringa Leaf Dryer Prototype, Braden Deck

Construction Management

Moringa Connect, founded in 2013 by MIT alumnus Kwami Williams, supports over 5,000 African farmers, primarily in Ghana, by providing a direct sales, manufacturing, and shipping platform for nutrient-dense moringa leaves. Despite significant social and economic benefits for the local farmers, the current drying process in Accra, Ghana, is inefficient, requiring extensive human handling. To address this, a team of five Cal Poly students partnered with Moringa Connect to design a prototype rotating hopper to streamline the drying process and reduce production costs. The project faced numerous challenges, including material sourcing constraints in Ghana and the need for extensive fabrication …


Investigating The Performance Of Bendable Concrete Against Traditional Concrete, Landon J. Poston Jun 2024

Investigating The Performance Of Bendable Concrete Against Traditional Concrete, Landon J. Poston

Construction Management

The qualitative research in this case study evaluates the importance of bendable concrete within various construction settings. The data aims to justify the interest in bendable concrete, as well as why it is not being used more in structural work. The intended stakeholders of this paper are concrete suppliers, contractors, and researchers who are looking for more imperative ways to manufacture a more sustainable form of concrete. Through a brief online meeting and a Google Form questionnaire, company participants were able to provide the knowledge and feedback desired for how bendable concrete can be incorporated more in the future of …


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 …


San Luis Obispo High School Ffa Barn Demolition: Disposal Of Material, Jake B. Schulman Jun 2024

San Luis Obispo High School Ffa Barn Demolition: Disposal Of Material, Jake B. Schulman

Construction Management

San Luis Obispo High School’s FFA program needed to upgrade its deteriorating pig barn, involving three key scopes of work: demolition of the existing structure, proper disposal of materials, and reconfiguration of pig pens and water lines. This project required skills in demolition, framing, and plumbing, all of which our team learned during construction management courses at Cal Poly. The demolition entailed the complete removal of a barn with metal roof panels, wood trusses, joists, studs, and plywood sheathing. Proper disposal of these materials was crucial and will be detailed in this paper, with a brief discussion on demolition and …


Recycled And Waste Glass As A Sustainable Substitute For Aggregates And Cement In Concrete, Griffin Powers Finnane Jun 2024

Recycled And Waste Glass As A Sustainable Substitute For Aggregates And Cement In Concrete, Griffin Powers Finnane

Construction Management

Besides water, concrete is the most widely used material in the world. The production of Portland cement, the most crucial ingredient in a concrete mix, significantly contributes to global carbon dioxide emissions, accounting for 7-8% of the total. The majority of these emissions result from the cement production process, which involves kilns powered by greenhouse gas-producing sources. Additional emissions come from the heavy diesel equipment used to load and haul aggregates to batch plants. Although the construction industry is adopting more sustainable building techniques and materials, the basic concrete mix remains largely unchanged, continuing to contribute heavily to carbon emissions. …


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 …


Design, Estimate, And Cut-Sheet Of Playhouse For Girls Build Summer Academy, Miles Paul Miller Jun 2024

Design, Estimate, And Cut-Sheet Of Playhouse For Girls Build Summer Academy, Miles Paul Miller

Construction Management

This Project-Based-Project was inspired by the Girls Build Summer Academy which is run by Professor Stacy Kolegraff. The camp is a week-long and the group of girls will construct a playhouse from scratch. The camp is to immerse young girls into the construction industry. This senior project is composed of 3 different components which include the Design, Estimate, and Cut-sheet of the playhouse. The project did not have any type of needed funding. This project is aimed to create an in-depth but intuitive set of plans and directions to create the playhouse for the girls. This project’s goal is to …


Gateway Decathlon: Carbon Calculations Of An Offsite Residential Construction, Isaac Robert Rubio Jun 2024

Gateway Decathlon: Carbon Calculations Of An Offsite Residential Construction, Isaac Robert Rubio

Construction Management

This senior project delves into a comprehensive calculation of carbon emissions for both efficiency and sustainability within the realm of modular construction. A material takeoff of the building was performed, allowing for an accurate measurement of materials and their respective EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) values. After material selection, a final carbon calculation of the building was calculated. Carbon emission calculations were performed on the current Revit Model allowing for a full-scale analysis, from Cradle to Gate, of the offsite residential unit. The results show that the total initial embodied carbon emissions of the unit is 9241 (kg-CO2e), representing the total …


Optimizing 3d Printed Concrete Effificeny: A Case Study Of Emergent 3d'S Iterative Process Improvement, Michael Stearns Jun 2024

Optimizing 3d Printed Concrete Effificeny: A Case Study Of Emergent 3d'S Iterative Process Improvement, Michael Stearns

Construction Management

This case study looks into the advancement of 3D printed concrete (3DPC) technology and its application by Emergent 3D, a company dedicated to addressing California's housing crisis through low-cost, sustainable construction. Emergent 3D, which was formed in response to the 2018 Carr Fire, uses 3DPC to quickly and economically design energy-efficient homes. Unlike traditional construction processes, 3DPC constructs buildings or walls layer by layer using computer-generated designs, reducing material and labor expenses. This case study focuses on Emergent 3D's first project, Enterprise Park, which gave them significant insights on improving the 3DPC process. This case study identifies crucial improvements in …


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 …


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 …


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. …


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 …


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, …


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 …


Designing, Estimating, And Building A Deck And Overhang For The Paso Robles Police Department Shooting Range, Nicklaus Amil Zenner, Benjamin Henry Gallagher Jun 2024

Designing, Estimating, And Building A Deck And Overhang For The Paso Robles Police Department Shooting Range, Nicklaus Amil Zenner, Benjamin Henry Gallagher

Construction Management

This paper covers the design, estimating, and construction process by a team of students from Cal Poly to provide a deck and overhang for the Paso Robles Police Department Shooting Range. The project, initiated in the winter of 2024, aimed to provide a durable, functional, and aesthetically pleasing deck and overhang suitable for a barbecue and lounge area. The paper focuses on the design and estimation phases, as well as material procurement and construction. Through meetings with the client, the team developed a design that met the police department's criteria for functionality, durability, and cost. The design process involved collaboration …


Skip The Grid: Navajo Nation Solar Power Project, Nathan Kealy Haub Jun 2024

Skip The Grid: Navajo Nation Solar Power Project, Nathan Kealy Haub

Construction Management

Skip the Grid, an initiative aimed at empowering communities in need was brought to life through the collaborative efforts of California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) students, industry partners like SOLV Energy, and the educational non-profit organization Heart of America (HOA). This project was a true testament to the power of teamwork and innovation. Our mission was to assist families of school-aged children in the Navajo Nation by providing them with solar energy systems, including batteries and lighting. We aimed to create a lasting impact by equipping these families with essential resources. In addition, we integrated educational …


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. …


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. …


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 …


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 …


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 …


Skip The Grid: Pv System Installations In The Navajo Nation, Samuel Varney Jun 2024

Skip The Grid: Pv System Installations In The Navajo Nation, Samuel Varney

Construction Management

The Skip the Grid initiative is a collaborative effort between interdisciplinary California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo students, SOLV Energy, and the non-profit organization Heart of America aiming to strengthen the quality of life for Navajo Nation families. Many of the Navajo Nation’s residents are not connected to the power grid and don’t have access to sustainable alternatives, and this project aims to combat this by installing photovoltaic energy panel systems with lights and a battery storage system in their homes. With the help and guidance of the Consolidated School District near Farmington New Mexico, the project team was …


Iron Filings Impact On The Compressive Strength Of Concrete, Dominic Daniel Aceves Jun 2024

Iron Filings Impact On The Compressive Strength Of Concrete, Dominic Daniel Aceves

Construction Management

In this study, compression tests were performed on three different mix designs of concrete to evaluate the effects of iron filings as an admixture to concrete. The first mix design served as the control mix, being the variable that the other two mixes will be based off. The second mix design was the same as the first mix design, but with an added 12 ounces of iron filings. The third mix design was, again, the same as the first mix design, but with an added 24 ounces of iron filings doubling that of the second mix design. The objective of …