Search results for "civil"
showing 10 items of 4663 documents
Education for all : the hazard within fragile states
2012
Currently, over a third of children not in school live in countries considered being as fragile. These countries, which are mainly located in sub-Saharan Africa, will not reach the objectives of Education For All for 2015. This thesis covers approaches across comparative education, political science and sociology of organizations. It explores empirically the condi¬tions of achievement of EFA within the contexts of fragility. Despite its ambiguities, the notion of fragile states was adopted in 2005 as an operational concept by most of aid agencies. Definitions of fragile state converge on a set of specific criteria (dysfunctional institutions, chronic socio-political instability, limited acc…
Wole Soyinka: Due Poesie
2008
Durante l'undicesima edizione del Festivaletteratura di Mantova, nel settembre 2007, Wole Soyinka, insieme alla studiosa e traduttrice Alessandra Di Maio, ha ripercorso la sua carriera poetica, spiegandone svolte e sviluppi. In questa sede si riportano due delle sue poesie più note in traduzione -- "Conversazione telefonica" e "I figli di questa terra" -- che coprono idealmente l'arco della sua produzione poetica, dalla gioventù all'eta matura.
A Viscoelastic Model for the Long-Term Deflection of Segmental Prestressed Box Girders
2017
Most of segmental prestressed concrete box girders exhibit excessive multidecade deflections unforeseeable by past and current design codes. To investigate such a behavior, mainly caused by creep and shrinkage phenomena, an effective finite element (FE) formulation is presented in this article. This formulation is developed by invoking the stationarity of an energetic principle for linear viscoelastic problems and relies on the Bazant creep constitutive law. A case study representative of segmental prestressed concrete box girders susceptible to creep is also analyzed in the article, that is, the Colle Isarco viaduct. Its FE model, based on the aforementioned energetic formulation, was succ…
The household location in multicenter urban spaces
1991
In multicenter urban spaces, the household location problem is to find an optimal location taking into account the locations of several economic centers.In this article, we show that the usual model, maximizing a residential utility under a budget spatial constraint, can’t give a satisfactory solution.So, we construct a fuzzy spatial model, including imprecision in consumer’s behavior. This model allows us to find an optimal location in a multicenter urban setting. Then, an empirical study illustrates the performances of the fuzzy model.
Dynamic Modeling for Environmental Processes: A Case Study of Lake Engure
2014
Abstract This focus of the study was on system dynamic models that could be useful for modelling environmental processes in Lake Engure. The paper considers the system dynamic model development principles, the most important elements and structure. The aim of the study was to describe possible methods of ecosystem process modelling that allow to represent the actual state of ecosystems and provide opportunities to predict further processes. The methods of ecosystem modelling considered in the paper reveal interactive factors of anthropogenic and environmental processes that influence changes in ecosystems. System dynamic models indicate not only interactions between various factors in the e…
A set of indices to assess the real performance of daylight-linked control systems
2017
Abstract The installation of Building Automation Control Systems (BACs) in general is an effective action to achieve relevant energy savings. Commercial BACs, installed in residential or small offices, often include functions of lighting control, acting as Daylight-Linked Control Systems (DLCSs). Nevertheless, because system performance is strictly dependent on different parameters, BAC’s hardware and software configuration and as well as an inaccurate commissioning do not always allow a perfect execution of the desired tasks; therefore, the system could not work as expected. Moreover, it is well known that energy saving potential is specifically related to the variability of the light envi…
Interaction between Longitudinal Shear and Transverse Bending in Prestressed Concrete Box Girders
2017
In box girder bridges, the quantity and distribution of reinforcement to be put in concrete elements of sections can be evaluated only by considering the deformation of the cross section in addition to the longitudinal analysis of the static scheme, establishing the entire state of stress of box sections. This leads to a need to evaluate the interaction between internal forces obtained by the global analysis and the ones obtained by the local analysis of the cross sections. The frame effect implies the elastic deformation of slabs and webs, whereas eccentrically applied loads lead to cross-section distortion with the loss of the box shape. Hence, the reinforcement is strongly influenced by …
Motivational sources of practical nursing students at risk of dropping out from vocational education and training
2019
The aim of this study was to contribute to the understanding of the reasons for low or high academic motivation among practical nursing students at risk of dropping out from vocational education and training. The research data consisted of semi-structured interviews with 14 Finnish students, which were analysed by qualitative content analysis. The analysis identified six motivational sources. Two of these sources – Responsible agency and Completing out of necessity – were related to engagement in studying, whereas two other sources – Exhaustion from learning challenges and Tight-roping between competing responsibilities – were related to disengagement from studying. Emotional drive and Soci…
De Habsburgos a Borbones. Legistas y canonistas en la Real Universidad de México
2020
A lo largo de todo el periodo colonial, la Universidad de México fue mayoritariamente canonista en cuanto a las preferencias de sus estudiantes juristas. Sin embargo, hemos podido comprobar que para el tránsito de los siglos XVII a XVIII se aprecia alguna diferencia o particularidad, en cuanto que, respecto a algunos parámetros, las referencias sobre Leyes llegan a superar a las de Cánones. La cronología de esta singularidad resulta coincidente con los cambios en la política de nombramiento de las autoridades novohispanas, especialmente para la Audiencia. En este estudio intentamos acercarnos a la relación explicativa que pudiera haber entre estas dos realidades, cuestionándonos algunas pos…
Optimization of net power density in Reverse Electrodialysis
2019
Abstract Reverse Electrodialysis (RED) extracts electrical energy from the salinity difference between two solutions using selective ion exchange membranes. In RED, conditions yielding a large net power density (NPD) are generally desired, due to the still large cost of the membranes. NPD depends on a large number of physical and geometric parameters. Some of these, for example the inlet concentrations of concentrate and diluate, can be regarded as “scenario” variables, imposed by external constraints (e.g., availability) or chosen by different criteria than NPD maximization. Others, namely the thicknesses HCONC, HDIL and the velocities UCONC, UDIL in the concentrate and diluate channels, c…