41530 research outputs found
Sort by
Insulated Solar Electric Cooker with Phase Change Materials
Get PDFThis Senior Project Report documents the development and design process of the Insulated Solar Electric Cooker with a Phase Change Material (ISEC w/ PCM). In this project, we developed a PCM assembly that can be integrated into an existing ISEC system which utilizes two 100 W solar panels. This report details the use of a nitrate salt solution of 60% NaNO3 and 40% KNO3 and demonstrates its potential as a viable form of thermal storage solution for cooking. We found that only 1kg of PCM is able to retain its heat for around 5 hours after power removal and believe that the amount and size of our design can be scaled up to improve performance. With an ISEC that incorporates a form of thermal storage, it can drastically improve the lives of communities that have minimal access to the traditional electric grid by providing a reliable and reusable cooking apparatus capable of cooking without access to sunlight
FirstFruits Farm Tractor Shed
Get PDFPreconstruction lays the foundation for the overall outcome of a construction project. This project phase includes a detailed schedule, outlines the scope of work, and provides an overall estimate for the project. Devoting a sufficient amount of time and effort into the preconstruction phase is crucial. Preconstruction is an important component of what makes the entirety of a construction project successful. Preconstruction work also includes finding funders to cover the costs of material. Preconstruction and the construction for a tractor shed were completed for FirstFruits Farm in San Luis Obispo. The construction portion of this project relied on the successful completion of the preconstruction phase. Ensuring everything during that phase had been sufficiently complete, construction could take place with ease. Providing a well-constructed tractor shed for the farm is an important part of maintaining the farm’s equipment, as it was crucial to ensure it would withstand wear and tear over the years. This paper will include the steps it took from confirming the project to completing the shed for occupancy. An in-depth analysis on the process of construction is provided, as well as the lessons learned from completing the overall process of a construction project from start to finish
San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden Alternative Learning Space- Preconstruction
Get PDFThis paper will review the process behind the preconstruction efforts for the creation of an alternative learning space within the San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden. The SLO Botanical Garden is a nonprofit that serves the local community by supporting public interest in the natural environment. The project sought to aid in the garden’s aforementioned mission by building upon their ability to provide outdoor education spaces. The project’s eventual completion was a collective effort that spanned across multiple disciplines, representing the building industry. The original intention of the project group was to complete the project from concept to construction, but delays in the preconstruction timeline forced overall adaptations. Support from alumni organizations and industry professionals provided viability to the project. Initial meetings with representatives from the garden dictated the client’s conceptual expectations. Multiple iterations of design sought to find balance between the function of the space and practical project limitations. Issues surrounding communication were a reoccurring theme throughout the project and caused significant delays in the originally proposed schedule. Revisions to the process could have improved schedule objectives and may serve as reference point for future construction management students pursuing project-based projects
Smartphone Control of RC Cars
Get PDFThe smartphone-controlled RC (remote-controlled) car is an inexpensive remote-controlled car designed to be fast and portable. Instead of manufacturing, packaging, and shipping a separate controller, the remote control is implemented in a phone application, which saves time and money in both the design process and the manufacturing process. Utilizing the user’s smartphone is more cost-effective since mobile devices are a common recurrence, and packaging fewer devices results in overall better portability of the product.
This smartphone-controlled car is speedy and intuitive to learn for typical smartphone users. The user can change the car’s speed and direction wirelessly using their phone; the speed and direction also change in real-time. The wireless connection between the smartphone and the car is maintained for a reasonable distance with little to no delay in RC car movement. The RC car is small enough to be comfortably carried in a backpack or in one hand, but is still large enough to fit the internal hardware. The car has software embedded into the hardware to wirelessly communicate with the user. Based on the input data transmitted from the smartphone, the embedded software also sends signals on the hardware to change wheel speeds and directions
Total Sky Imager Project
Get PDFSolar farms like the Gold Tree Solar Farm at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo have difficulty delivering a consistent level of power output. Cloudy days can trigger a significant drop in the utility of a farm’s solar panels, and an unexpected loss of power from the farm could potentially unbalance the electrical grid. Being able to predict these power output drops in advance could provide valuable time to prepare a grid and keep it stable. Furthermore, with modern data analysis methods such as machine learning, these predictions are becoming more and more accurate – given a sufficient data set. The purpose of the project presented in this report is to create a data set that can be used to train a machine learning algorithm to make these predictions.
We began our approach to creating the TSI with extensive research on rugged data acquisition systems. This research then paved the way for preliminary designs and prototypes. After some final refinements, we are confident that we have created a data acquisition system capable of lasting at least a week at the Gold Tree Solar Farm with no human intervention. This system is waterproof, weatherproof, and animal proof. It also features robust code to allow it to capture images for extended periods of time
Analyzing Industrialized Construction Methods in NECA Contractors
Get PDFConstruction is constantly changing and evolving. Companies are always looking to improve their skills, provide a better finished product, and satisfy their client all while working in a safe environment. Industrialized Construction is an increasing trend in all sectors of construction over the past couple of years, due to the success of creating a more efficient project. Projects that utilized Industrial Construction saved more time and therefore money, while also exceeding the quality of work expected. Industrialized Construction is a very broad term with a lot of subcategories of what goes into it. These methods of increasing efficiency on the jobsite have been successfully implemented by the biggest companies in the world leading to a large increase in profit margin and number of projects worked. And as these trends are becoming more popular contractors of all sectors and sizes are beginning to implement them. While there are thousands of successful implementations of industrialized construction, not many of these come from specialty contractors due to their smaller size and level of detail in the work. This survey will investigate National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) contractors’ level of knowledge and usage of Industrialized Construction, specifically Building Information Modeling, Prefabrication, and Automation
Use of Industrialized Construction Strategies Among Associated General Contractors of America
Get PDFIndustrialized construction (IC) strategies are techniques used on a construction project that allows for significant time and schedule savings. The goal of this study is to analyze trends among general contractors and their experience with these strategies. Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) firms were asked various survey questions including size of firm, experience with several types of IC strategies, and their willingness to use similar strategies in the future. By answering questions about their percentage of use of prefabrication, automation, and BIM for various contract types, delivery methods, and payment methods, trends relating to the use of IC emerge. These questions allow connections to be made between the type of work being done, revenue of firms actively using IC strategies, and how much success they have seen after implementation. The success of certain firms’ use of IC strategies can be applied to similar projects and firms to ensure the reliability and lowered risk of adopting strategies like building information modeling (BIM), prefabrication, and automation. The purpose of this paper is to analyze those trends and show construction industry professionals the potential that IC strategies have on a given project
Oceanside Angler\u27s Club David Pine Memorial Weight Board
Get PDFThe David Pine Memorial Weight Board was constructed for the Oceanside Angler’s Club. I was contacted by this organization, to create a weigh board in founding member David Pine’s memory. The club had a previous weight board that was destroyed due to the harsh conditions of the coast. The process of building this board incorporated many of the facets taught in the Cal Poly curriculum. I had to work with the owners in order to create a suitable design, materials had to be acquired using alternative methods, subcontractors were worked with to create components of the board, and a schedule had to be met. The board was design, constructed, and installed in the Oceanside Harbor where the Angler Club hosts its fishing tournaments, water safety awareness, and beach clean ups. The purpose of the weight board is to post of weights of fish caught by the different boats during the tournaments hosted by the club. The final product was a fully functioning and weather resistant weigh board that not only fulfills its desired function but commemorates one of the clubs’ founding members. Continuing not only his legacy but the legacy of the club
Safely Covered or Dangerously Exposed: Analyzing the Safety Vest Code of Compliance
Get PDFAs the construction industry transitions to reflect a more diverse population, it is essential that personal protective equipment (PPE) accommodates this shift in demographics. In particular, the “One size fits all” approach is no longer an appropriate metric of fit for the safety vest. Previous student research reflected an overwhelming consensus that construction workers do not have vests which appropriately fit them. In response, the Cal Poly Construction Management Department hosted the first ever Verifying Everyone\u27s Safety Together (VEST) Hackathon. This two-day event fostered a space for industry members, students, and faculty to discuss and develop several prototypes which better accommodate a diverse population of people. Several common themes were brought up in conversation and interviews at the Hackathon event. This research will discuss the general demand for properly fitting high visibility safety vests as identified by hackathon participants and how the code of standards for this piece of PPE may be inhibiting the ability to accommodate this demand. Developing a more narrowly tailored definition of proper fit so the code can simultaneously cover the risk of low visibility of workers on site is essential in fostering a safer work environment
A City Planning Card Game
Get PDFThis senior project aimed to create a card game based on the concept and professional practice of city & regional planning. It consists of 103 unique cards, being separated in the following manner: 1 City Center card 6 Unique Zoning cards 74 unique Development cards 22 unique Action card