Thesis Proposal
In the following Proposal, the reader will be able to identify the three topics I have chosen to research and analyze for my Thesis Project on the Canton Crossing Tower. The content will show the audience the origin of my three topics, the goal intended for my research, the research techniques I will be using, and the outcomes I am expecting. At the end of the document a weight matrix has been included to verify the way I intend to distribute my time between the topics. A brief breakdown of the three topics is shown below.
Research Topic - LEED® Guide for Developers
An online guide for the LEED® system will be created to assist developers in their quest for LEED® ratings in their development. Interviews will be conducted with existing LEED® developers and non-LEED® developers to focus the content area of the guide. The guide is intended to be user friendly, even to individuals with no LEED® experience.
Technical Analysis #1 - Cast-in-place caissons vs. Pre-cast concrete piles
The existing foundation of the system of the tower is pre-cast concrete piles with cast-in-place pile caps. The analysis will be done on the advantages, both schedule and cost, of an alternate foundation system of cast-in-place concrete caissons. Actual data will be used from the Central Plant located across the street from the tower, which used a cast-in-place caisson system.
Technical Analysis #2 - Canton Crossing Tower as an Independent System
An analysis will be completed regarding the elimination of the Central Plant, which houses the mechanical and electrical equipment for the tower. The equipment will be placed in the tower instead, but another portion of the analysis is the relocation of the mechanical rooms into the tower.
Revised Thesis Proposal (Posted 1.07.07)