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PROPOSAL

This proposal identifies many areas where opportunities may be taken to improve the constructability, schedule, and/or cost of the project. Below are summaries of the four analysis areas that will be pursued. Analysis I, Analysis II, and Analysis III are construction depths and relate to the construction of the Tysons Tower, while Analysis IV investigates a critical industry issue.

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In addition to the construction depth analyses previously discussed, two breadth analyses are required to demonstrate the integrated knowledge of the Architectural Engineering curriculum. These breadths are incorporated into the existing construction analyses and may be focused in any of the following areas: structural, mechanical, lighting/electrical, or acoustical.

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As part of the Architectural Engineering Integrated Master’s Program, students are required to demonstrate the use of their knowledge gained from their master’s classes. Below describes the master’s classes which will be incorporated into the senior thesis and how their concepts will contribute to the analyses.

Analysis I: Alternative Deep Foundation System

The Tysons Tower’s foundation system is comprised of both deep and shallow foundations. The current deep foundation system is CFA (Continuous Flight Auger) piles. The installation process for CFA piles has proven to be labor intensive and cause site congestion. This analysis will propose to use steel piles in place of the CFA piles in hopes of improving constructability and site logistics.

Structural Breadth

Analysis I looks at substituting a steel pile system in place of the current CFA pile system. This structural breadth will be performed to ensure the proposed alternative system is structurally feasible. The analysis will include sizing the steel section required for the foundation’s loading and soil bearing capacity. Calculations will support the selected steel section size, and will be based on a small portion of the foundation layout. 

Analysis II: Vertical Material and Manpower Movement

The project currently utilizes one internal construction hoist to move manpower during the day and stock material during off-hours. Additional material is stocked through the curtain wall leave-outs using a tower crane and spreader bar. The current plan does not lend itself to the most efficient movement of manpower and materials. This analysis will investigate the impacts of using multiple Otis SkyBuild or KONE JumpLift construction elevators to improve the project’s vertical logistics.

Analysis III: Central Plant Relocation

The building’s Central Plant, which contains essential mechanical and electrical equipment, is located in the penthouse. The Central Plant’s operation was dependent on the structural topping out; therefore, a Temporary Heating and Cooling Plan was implemented to allow interior work to begin early. The construction of the penthouse involved structural steel, extensive sequencing, and an additional tower crane. This analysis will propose to relocate the Central Plant to a location lower in the building in order to eliminate the temporary heating and cooling equipment as well as the construction of the penthouse.

Mechanical Breadth

Analysis III looks at relocating the Central Plant from the penthouse to a lower location in the building. The Central Plant’s relocation will impact the vertical distribution of water throughout the building. This analysis will resize the pumps required for distribution. Calculations required for resizing the pump will consider the equipment loads and the pressure differential in distribution.

Analysis IV: Facility Management Integration

This analysis will delve into a critical industry issue. Although decisions made during the design and construction phases greatly impact the success of a facility’s turnover and operation, there have been few efforts to integrate Facility Managers in the design and construction process. The goal of this research is to identify the industry’s current level of facilities management integration in design and construction, as well as the factors that contribute to a successful facility turnover and operation.

MAE Requirements

AE 572: Project Development and Delivery Planning

This course focuses on the different types of project delivery methods and contract types used in the construction industry. An in-depth study of these methods identify their impacts on a project’s success. Analysis IV, which also serves as the critical industry issue, seeks to identify the factors that allow for facility management integration in the design and construction phases in order to provide a successful facility turnover and operation. The ability to integrate is expected to be heavily dependent on the level of collaboration present on a project. Knowledge from this class will be used to initially determine which projects are expected to allow for facility management integration in design and construction based on their delivery methods and the structure of their contracts.

AE 570: Production Management in Construction

This course focuses on production analysis and lean construction tools. These principles will be considered when performing production and schedule analysis for all three construction depths. Analysis I will incorporate production analysis skills from this course to determine the best most effective resources and sequence for the deep foundation installation. Analysis II will focus on maximizing material and manpower movement through introducing the SkyBuild elevator to the site. Analysis III will use lean principles to relocate the Central Plant and identify the wasted resources required for the Central Plant’s current location.

AE 881: Facility Management and Planning

This course focuses on the components of facility management and strategic planning. Analysis IV, which also serves as the critical industry issue, was inspired by this course. Knowledge from this course has provided an understanding of the impact the design and construction phases have on a building’s operational phase. Lean decision making tools and diagram methods practiced in this course, in conjunction with the questionnaire results, will identify the root cause of the barriers of facility management integration in the design and construction phases.

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