BCN 3727 CONSTRUCTION SITEWORK & EQUIPMENT
Fall 2017, Term Project (150 Points)
Due 11/28/2017- 2:00 PM
1. INTRODUCTION
You need to search web resources, operator’s manuals, or other commercially available data related to functionality, capacity, productivity, and other specifications of different types of
construction equipment which you deem appropriate for the project described below. You will
need to make reasonable assumptions for the project (e.g. with regards to soil and concrete
properties such as density). Then, you will compare different alternatives based on their overall
ability to do the job, productivity, and versatility of their functions for the project. Ultimately,
you will select a few equipment fleet alternatives (at least two alternative fleets) and make a
rough estimate of the project time and cost using those equipment. Finally, you will select an
optimum fleet for your project.
2. PROJECT DESCRIPTION
You are given the site preparation, excavation, and concrete works for the foundation of a large
residential project close to downtown Miami. The land is 300 yards long and 200 yards wide.
Currently, an old 4-story residential building with a total gross area of 90,000 sq. ft. exists in the
land which has to be demolished before site preparation and excavation. The rest of the land is
filled with:
– 10 trees: 1 to 2 ft. in diameters – 60 trees: 2 to 3 ft. in diameters – 40 trees: 3 to 4 ft. in diameters
All tress should fell and vegetation should be grubbed before the excavation starts. The site is
reasonably level terrain with firm ground and less than 25% hardwood. The project specifications
requires excavating 10 ft. of the entire land and replacing it with steel-reinforced concrete with a
compressive strength greater than 6,000 psi. You have identified a disposal site 3 miles away from
the jobsite. Decide on the types and number of different construction equipment (Dozers,
Excavators, Hauling Trucks, etc.) that you will use for this project. Search the web to identify
appropriate Equipment models and brands for your job. Decide about the appropriate method for
providing the required concrete on the jobsite and identify suppliers to procure concrete or raw
materials from. Make reasonable assumptions wherever information is not provided in the project
description (e.g. about density and moisture content of soil, type and extent of concrete
reinforcement, etc.).
3. GRADING
Term project will be graded out of 150 and weighs 15% in your final grade.
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Final deliverables include a 6000-8000 words report and a 10-minute presentation due on
November 28, 2017 before the start of the class.
The report should contain calculations and reasoning used for preparation of the sitework
plan. The report should also explain the assumptions, data sources, and methods used for
creating the site work plan.
3.1. Report
The term project report has 100 points and will be graded by the instructor based on the
following rubric:
1. Cover page and the Table of contents – 2 pages – (0 points, mandatory! Not having a
cover page or a table of content causes 10 point penalty)
2. Abstract – (summary is written after the work on the paper is completed) – 1 page
(5 points)
3. Introduction – 2 pages (10 points)
Explain the project, discuss all assumptions made. Explain what tests (e.g. soil tests and
investigation) you will conduct to get the required data.
4. Main body – about 10 to 15 pages (including tables, graphs, figures – each taking not
more than half a page) – (50 points, see breakdown below). The way you organize the
main body of your paper depends on the choice of your topic. But it should, in minimum,
include
a. The characteristics of the identified equipment (e.g. productivity, cycle time, ownership and maintenance costs, etc.) along with references to the
manufacturer’s manual.
b. Comparison of different commercially available equipment and reasons for selecting a specific brand and model.
c. Calculations that lead to an estimate of the time it will take to complete the job with the selected equipment fleet.
d. (Optional- extra credit)- a rough estimate of the total costs of the project. e. Your final decision about appropriate equipment fleet
The grading for the main body of your paper is as follows:
a. Suitable headings/ subheadings/ organization (10 points)
b. Effort in research using multiple sources (10 points)
c. Quality and value of information (10 points)
d. Quality of Tables, Figures, Graphs (10 points) (total space devoted to these should not
exceed 30% of the paper)
e. Quality of your own analysis based on the information (10 points)
5. Conclusions – 2 pages (10 points)
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In the conclusions you need to discuss the factors that may have changed your final
choice (e.g. soil type and density, distance from suppliers, etc.), the problems that you
think are likely to happen during this sitework project (e.g. adverse weather conditions,
safety issues, etc.) and ways to deal with such problems.
6. References (alphabetical order) in correct format – 1 to 2 pages (5 points)
Must have been cited in the introduction, body, and conclusions of the paper properly.
Must use correct and consistent format.
3.2. Presentation
The presentation holds 50 points of the term project grade and will be graded by other students according to the following criteria:
Flow: 5 points Orderliness, clear citation of sources (1) Purposefulness, clear identification of topics to be addressed (2) Smoothness of flow (2)
Style: 10 Points Holding audience’s attention (3) Facilitation of discussion (2) Responsiveness to audience’s questions (2) Spontaneity (sparing use of notes, with no reading aloud) (3)
Mechanics: 5 Points Eye contact with entire audience, facial expressiveness (2) Fluency (complete sentences, with no filled pauses (uh, like, well, okay?) (1) Hand and arm gestures, body movement, with no fidgeting (1) Voice control (pitch, loudness, speed, clear enunciation) (1)
4. OTHER SPECIFIC FORMATS
Font and Spacing:
Times New Roman No. 11 regular font with Double Spacing should be used for the entire manuscript except for the following:
Title of Paper: Times New Roman Font, Size 14pt, All Cap, Bold Face, Center First Heading: Times New Roman, 12 pt, All Caps, Bold face
Second Heading: Times New Roman, 11 pt, Title Case, Bold face Third Heading: Times New Roman, 11 pt, First letter capital, Bold face Table Captions: Times New Roman, 11 pt, Bold Face, Center Figure Captions: Times New Roman, 11pt, Bold Face, Center Text should be fully justified. Section headings should align on the left-hand margin. Place
a full page of text and figures on each page.
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References
In the text, cite publications by listing the last names of the authors and the year, i.e. author-date method of citation; e.g. (Batouli and Zhu, 2014). If authors are more than
two, use “et al.” with the name of first author, e.g (Batouli et al., 2013).
All references should appear at the end of the paper in chronological order as follows:
Duan, L., Loh, J.T., and Chen, W.F. (1990). “M-P-F based analysis of dented tubular
members”. Journal of Structural Engineering, Vol. 21, No. 8, pp 34 – 44
Fang, T.C. (1987). “Network resource allocation using an expert system with fuzzy logic
reasoning”, Ph.D. thesis, University of California at Berkeley, California, USA
Hong Kong MTR Corporation. (2001). Passenger Data for 1990 – 2000,
http://www.mtr.com.hk, mm/dd/yy (date accessed)
Paulson, B.C., and Barrie, D.S. (1992). Professional Construction Management, 3rd
edition, Mcgraw-Hill International, Singapore
Peter, J. (1998). “Development of a risk management model for international joint
ventures”, Proceedings of Second International Conference on Project Management,
Editors: L.R.K. Tiong, National University of Singapore, Singapore, pp. 55 – 67
5. SUBMISSION
Please submit an electronic copy of the report in Microsoft Word (Name the file as:
YourLastName_ YourFirstName_Term Project.docx, e.g. Batouli_Mostafa_Term project.docx)
through the link “Term Project” in the Blackboard.
6. IMPORTANT NOTE
In case of any ambiguities or conflicting information in the term paper instructions, the students
should seek clarification from the instructor in a timely manner. Lack of understanding of the
requirements of the term paper does not entitle students to extra credits or extension of deadlines.
7. DISCLAIMER
This term project is created to facilitate students’ hands-on experience and practical learning of
the course subjects. The project description is simplified and should not be used for any purpose
other than evaluating the students’ ability to collect and analyze data related to construction
sitework activities as well as making sound decisions about selecting appropriate equipment for
construction projects.
