Master of Science / Department of Architectural Engineering and Construction Science / Thomas Logan / Typical building sanitary lines are sloped at a minimum of 1/8” to utilize gravity and prevent liquid separation from solid waste. The purpose of this research is to analyze how a lesser amount of water from a 1.6 gallon per flush water closet affects drainage in a four inch diameter pipe at 1/4" slope. Low flow water closet manufacturers ensure that waste clears the bowl, but there is no significant research following the flushed water further down the pipe line. This research utilizes a 1.6 gallon per flush floor-mounted water closet connected to 30 feet of sloped four inch PVC Drain Waste Vent piping. Data presented from 25 flush trials indicates that further research needs to be conducted at a smaller pipe diameter. Four-inch piping is too large, causing the 1.6 gallons of water to quickly lose the required force over the course of 30 feet, resulting in pipe line clogs. An average of four additional water-only flushes are necessary to completely clear the test media and toilet paper from the pipe. This research references previously published research and focuses on test results presented by the Plumbing Efficiency Research Coalition. Two case studies of city wide replacements of old water closets are presented to discuss the viability of city wide mandates in relation to water conservation.

The German government is experiencing difficulties housing and assimilating Syrian refugees in its borders. Erecting temporary shelters on location is one way to deal with the current crises. This thesis attempts to use Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to determine the optimum combination of materials and construction methods to be used in the shelter’s walls in order to improve the living conditions of the refugees and to ensure that the cost is acceptable to the German government. This thesis compares six existing wall panel products from China, which have the lowest cost on the worldwide market. The R-value, strength, price, weight, durability, ease of assembly, assembly time, maintenance costs, comfort, resale value, and appearance were evaluated. Assumptions were made on what the German government would require and on standard building practices in Europe and America. The analysis indicates that the steel frame house from YONGYANG Steel best satisfies the needs in this situation. This thesis produced an AHP template, which is flexible. This model that was developed for the German scenario can be effectively applied to differing emergent situations in other parts of the world.

Trots att Sveriges befolkning ökar i stadig takt minskar invånarantalet i väldigt många kommuner, något som pågått under en längre tid. Norrlands inland är ett typexempel på en region som fått erfara stora befolkningsminskningar. Ett sjunkande befolkningsunderlag leder bland annat till försämrat skatteunderlag som sätter den kommunala välfärden i en utsatt situation, vilket i sin tur bidrar till en fortsatt befolkningsminskning. Uppsatsen består av en fallstudie som tar stöd i Syssners begrepp tillväxt- och anpassningsstrategier för att på så sätt kunna kategorisera olika åtgärder som forskningen och de undersökta fallen tar upp. Tillväxt har länge varit normen i den kommunala planeringen medan anpassning är ett relativt nytt fenomen, då efterfrågan om en planering mer lämplig för kommuner präglade av befolkningsminskning ökat på senare tid. Med hjälp av en kvalitativ textanalys redovisar uppsatsen de visioner och strategier som de fyra svenska kommunerna Arvidsjaur, Gällivare, Pajala och Storuman tar upp i sina översiktsplaner för att hantera befolkningsminskning. Arbetet studerar även forskning inom området för att därefter redovisa likheter och skillnader mellan kommunernas arbete och forskningen. Det har gått att utläsa hur problematiken kring befolkningsminskning är komplex, där alla undersökningsobjekten upplever en missgynnande åldersstruktur samt låg utbildnings- och kompetensnivå som några av de främsta hindren. Det konstateras hur tre av kommunerna, i sina visioner och mål, strävar efter tillväxt men att det inte speglar de underliggande strategierna som utgår från både tillväxt och anpassning. En diskussion förs därefter kring hur det kan bero på planeringens politiska förankring; att de politiska partierna måste sträva efter tillväxt för att attrahera väljare, vilket speglar översiktsplanernas visioner och mål. Den fjärde kommunen är mer återhållsam och har visioner nära kopplade till anpassning, vilket till stor del speglar deras strategier. Det framkommer att tre strategier går att finna i alla översiktsplanerna och även i forskningen, detta i form av marknadsföring (främst genom turism), attraktiva livsmiljöer samt regional och kommunal samverkan. Även om forskningen tar upp rivning och samverkan med civilsamhället är det inget som någon av kommunerna tar upp. Samtidigt arbetar kommunerna med identitetsskapande åtgärder vilket forskningen inte tar upp. Med andra ord finns det flera likheter och skillnader mellan de undersökta fallen och forskningen.

Det har skett en ökning sedan 1980-talet av användandet av visioner inom samhällsplanering. Ökningen kan ses som en konsekvens av olika förändringar. Förändringar både i den fysiska miljön och i tankesätt med vilka samhällsplanering bedrivs som har gett upphov till nya förutsättningar och med det nya behov av framtida utveckling. Mot bakgrund av de förändringar som skett undersöker den här uppsatsen användandet av visioner i svenska kommuner. Genom att beskriva förändringarna över tid går det att kartlägga hur olika anledningar till att använda visioner har uppstått och med det går det även att se vilka behov som visionerna svarar mot. Visioner utrycks inte sällan i vaga former och som uteslutande demokratiska och positiva för alla. Resultatet av det här arbetet visar på att visioner innebär mycket mer än så, trots sina vaga uttryck anger de riktningar och mål och kan liknas vid en rationell planering. Resultatet visar även, trots visioners till synes demokratiska uttrycksform, hur medborgarnas delaktighet är långt ifrån självklar.

The project suggests an alternative means for living in Qatar. It proposes the development of a transient, floating community a man-made, transitory archipelago of floating housing units located at the ‘soon to be abandoned’ docks a short distance from the Museum of Islamic Art and the Doha Corniche. The design, through a variety of bespoke dwelling options, can provide both more and less nomadic housing to accommodate a variety of dif- ferent lifestyles and social units. Clustered around three permanent islands (containing a cultural/activity center, three adaptable ‘work-unit’ towers, and a park/commercial area), the design provides a wide set of adaptive layout patterns within which the mobile units can be arrayed. Directly plugged into the city, the community functions as a floating appendix to downtown Doha: an adaptable and flexible city-supplement that can expand or contract ac- cording to need, whether to aid in the accommodation of guests for various large-scale sporting or other events, or merely to provide an alternative locale for long or short stay visitors to Doha alike.

Master of Science / Department of Architectural Engineering and Construction Science / Julia A. Keen / The purpose of this report is to provide information on Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) as a construction project delivery method and identify some of the obstacles that are limiting its implementation into the design and construction industry. This report includes a general overview of IPD and a comparison to traditional project delivery methods: Design-Bid-Build, Design-Build, and Construction Manager at Risk. The advantages of IPD and its possible positive impact on the industry is introduced followed by the three major obstacles that must be evaluated and resolved before this delivery method can begin to be embraced by the industry. The three major obstacles include: contracts, insurance, and IPD structure for facilitation. Each of these obstacles is explored in detail and solutions being successfully implemented by industry professionals are presented. Finally, conclusions about the future of IPD are presented along with future research that needs to be conducted for a better overall understanding of IPD.

Master of Science / Department of Architectural Engineering and Construction Science / Kimberly Waggle Kramer / Cold-formed steel framing sheathed with wood structural panels is a common method of construction for wall, roof and floor systems in cold-formed steel structures. Since wood structural panels are attached with screws at relatively close spacing, a certain amount of composite behavior will be present. However, the benefit of composite behavior of this system is currently not being taken advantage of in the design of these structural systems. While composite effects are present, they are not yet being accounted for in design due to a lack of statistical data. To determine the amount of composite action taking place in these systems, the slip modulus between steel and wood is required. The slip modulus reflects the amount of shear force able to be transferred through the screw connection, to either member of the composite system. This thesis presents the results of a study conducted to determine values of the slip modulus for varying thicknesses of cold-formed steel and plywood sheathing. Push tests were conducted and the slip moduli were determined based on ISO 6891 and ASTM D1761. Compared with data from a previous preliminary study performed by others, the values determined from these tests for the slip modulus were deemed reasonable. The determination of the slip modulus will lead to the ability to calculate a composite factor. Determination of a composite factor will allow cold-formed steel wood structural panel construction to become more economical due to the available increase in bending strength.

Master of Science / Department of Civil Engineering / Kyle Riding / Over the past few years, state governments and entities have become concerned with energy consumption and efficiency at their facilities. The Department of Energy has become increasingly involved in energy code enforcement, and has established initiatives to help states monitor and improve energy consumption. In order to reduce energy consumption and increase building efficiency, facilities must be compared to a baseline building and changes made accordingly. The thesis objectives are to establish a process that all states and state-funded facilities can follow that determines the baseline, establish an energy auditing procedure, and recommend monitoring techniques. In addition, this report documents a procedure developed to make recommendations for improvements and select building and equipment upgrades based and return on investment calculations. The procedures and processes established are designed so that any employee, especially non-engineers, can accomplish changes that will improve facility energy efficiency. In order to develop simplified energy auditing procedures for large and dispersed organizations, a literature review of prevalent energy codes and standards was conducted, as well as documents outlining energy audit procedures. An energy audit workbook outlining a simplified auditing procedure was created. Six KDOT facilities were audited using the procedure as part of the case study. The audit results were then used to determine practical economic calculations and determine viable improvements that reduce energy consumption. As a result of this research and case study, a simplified energy audit procedure was created. This procedure was developed to include selecting a baseline of requirements, conducting an energy audit, and selecting viable improvements using economics. All of these procedures are able to be executed by any state employee, specifically those at the facilities who may not be engineers.

Master of Science / Department of Architectural Engineering / Don Phillippi / Concrete anchors represent an important transition for both the design and construction of a project. Anchors are produced in two main categories: cast-in-place and post-installed. For designers, anchors are used to attach steel members to supporting concrete members. The anchors are designed using the provisions outlined in Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete, ACI 318-11, Appendix D. These anchors are used to transmit tension and shear forces by using an individual anchor or a multiple anchor group. For contractors, anchor installation marks the transition between concrete and steel construction. Various types of anchors are produced by manufacturers, requiring contractors to be familiar with many installation methods. Careful planning and coordination is necessary to layout and place anchors into their correct location. Once anchors are installed, they must be protected from damage resulting from moving machinery and material. The purpose of this report is to introduce the basics to design concrete anchors by outlining the provisions in ACI 318-11 Appendix D and demonstrating these provisions with design examples. Anchor types, applications and common construction issues important to the structural engineer are also discussed.

Master of Science / Department of Architectural Engineering / Charles L. Burton / An energy analysis was performed on a Midwestern residence to evaluate its performance based on energy use. A model of the actual house was replicated using eQuest and adjusted until its projected utility bills matched the actual yearly bills. This model was used to gauge how potential improvements made to the envelope and HVAC systems lowered the energy use. The results were documented after each improvement the feasible options were considered. The top alternatives were then combined to see how much money could be saved through renovating an existing home or through constructing a new residence. The overall goal of this report was to use the resulting improvement data as a reference for homeowners or home builders who are interested in conserving energy and money through residential improvements.