Search results for "urban studies"
showing 10 items of 240 documents
Catching-up to foreign technology? Evidence on the “Veblen–Gerschenkron” effect of foreign investments
2006
Abstract The presence of foreign multinational enterprises may benefit local economies. In particular, highly productive foreign-owned firms may promote the technological catch-up of local firms. This channel of spillovers is defined as the “Veblen–Gerschenkron” effect of foreign direct investment and is analyzed in this article. Rather than the overall concentration of foreign-owned plants in a region or sector, it is their productivity advantage that determines the positive effect on domestic firms in geographical and technological proximity. We test this hypothesis using new firm-level data for German and Italian manufacturing firms during the 1990s. These two countries are particularly …
Discontinuous FRP-Confinement of Masonry Columns
2020
Recent seismic events, all over the world, demonstrated that masonry constructions are prone to brittle collapses when shear or compression capacity is reached. It is clear that, in many real cases, masonry columns need to be strengthened for enhancing their load-carrying capacity and to develop a more ductile response. The Fiber Reinforced Polymers (FRPs) confinement of masonry columns is a well-known technique that may produce these advantages. Unfortunately, full-wrapping insulates the column from the environment; so interstitial humidity can easily occur and cause the acceleration of the masonry's decay. In order to prevent it, partial-confinement is commonly assessed instead of total-j…
Lessons Learned on the Tensile and Bond Behavior of Fabric Reinforced Cementitious Matrix (FRCM) Composites
2020
Fabric Reinforced Cementitious Matrix (FRCM) composites represent an effective, compatible and cost-efficient solution for strengthening and retrofitting existing structures. A strong research effort was done to investigate the tensile and bond properties of these materials, as well as the overall behaviour of strengthened members. A Round Robin Test was organized by Rilem TC 250-CSM on 28 FRCM composites comprising basalt, carbon, glass, PBO, aramid and steel textiles, embedded in either cement, lime or geopolymer mortars, to collect an experimental dataset and define test protocols. This paper collects the outcomes of this study to highlight fundamental properties of FRCM and to investiga…
Constitutive Numerical Model of FRCM Strips Under Traction
2020
In this paper, the tensile behavior of Fiber Reinforced Cementitious Matrix (FRCM) strips is investigated through Finite Element (FE) models. The most adopted numerical modeling approaches for the simulation of the fiber-matrix interface law are described. Among them, the cohesive model is then used for the generation of FE models which are able to simulate the response under traction of FRCM strips tested in laboratory whose results are available in the technical literature. Tests on basalt, PBO and carbon coated FRCM specimens are taken into account also considering different mechanical ratios of the textile reinforcement. The comparison between FE results and experimental data allows val…
Numerical Modeling Approaches of FRCMs/SRG Confined Masonry Columns
2019
The Fabric Reinforced Cementitious Matrices (FRCMs) and Steel Reinforced Grout (SRG) are a promising strengthening solution for existing masonry since inorganic matrix is considerably compatible with historical substrates. The present paper is focused on a Finite Element (FE) analysis of masonry columns confined with FRCM composites developed by Abaqus-code. The masonry columns were modelled using a macro model approach. The model was performed by using the following functions Concrete Damage Plasticity (CDP) and the Plastic (P) in order to describe the constitutive laws of material for masonry columns and external reinforcement, respectively. Typical failures of FRCM-systems are slippage o…
Mapping traditional cultural landscapes in the Mediterranean area using a combined multidisciplinary approach: Method and application to Mount Etna (…
2011
Traditional cultural landscapes (TCLs) are prominent in Mediterranean countries. The abundance of this landscape type, however, is not reflected by broad-scale inventories and mapping tools. The aim of this paper is to highlight the need for a multidisciplinary approach to landscape analysis, with special reference to the Mediterranean area. We propose an integrated method that combines deductive and inductive processes to define and map TCLs in a study area (Mount Etna, Sicily, Italy). We also develop a procedure to characterize the primary components of these landscapes as a reference to be used in cultural-landscape descriptions. For mapping purposes, three different scales of analysis w…
Estimating Verdoorn law for Italian firms and regions
2011
In empirical regional economics, returns to scale are typically estimated at the regional level in search for evidence on alternative theories of growth and agglomeration. However, returns to scale may also have a firm-level dimension. In this paper, we exploit micro level data and estimate the dynamic Verdoorn law in a multilevel-setting, where returns to scale are obtained simultaneously for the micro and the regional level. Using Italian firm-level data and the NUTS-3 level of aggregation, we estimate the classic and augmented versions of Verdoorn law for the manufacturing sector, and the rest of the economy for comparison. Our results show that increasing returns to scale co-exist at bo…
Editorial: Calculation of Passenger Car Equivalents at Roundabouts
2021
Editorial on the Research Topic: Calculation of Passenger Car Equivalents at Roundabouts About this Research Topic: Calculation of Passenger Car Equivalents (PCEs) for heavy vehicles represents the starting point for the operational analysis of road facilities and other traffic management applications. PCEs are used to consider the presence of heavy vehicles in the traffic stream and are expressed as multiples of the effect of an average passenger car. Moreover, the highly curvilinear nature of the roundabout design, both in urban and rural environment, has significant effects on the paths that heavy vehicles would travel; as a consequence, the interaction between the physical and performan…
The epistemological structure of mobilities
2021
Purpose This paper aims to revolve around two problems which, though imagined as different, can be addressed altogether. On one hand, the advance of terrorism as a major threat to the tourism industry, while – on the other – we discuss the ontological nature of tourism as a rite of passage, which is vital to keep the political legitimacy of officialdom. At the time, paradoxically, social scientists shrug off tourism as a naïve commercial activity, while the main tourist destinations are being attacked by jihadism. This suggests the disinterest of ones associates to the interests of others. Design/methodology/approach The author holds the thesis that tourism derives from ancient institution…
Critica scientifica, popolarizzazione dell’etnografia ed etica dell’antropologo: sulla “controversia yanomami”, per esempio
2021
La “controversia sugli Yanomami” ha investito questioni centrali, tanto epistemologiche quanto etiche e politiche, per la disciplina e la pratica dell’antropologia, riguardando in particolare l’etica della ricerca sul campo; il modo di impiegare i dati di ricerca per sostenere determinate ipotesi teoriche; i rapporti tra popolarizzazione e politicizzazione delle ricerche e, più in generale, la responsabilità degli antropologi rispetto sia agli usi dei loro studi nella sfera pubblica sia nei confronti dei soggetti umani con cui lavorano. In quest’articolo esamino alcuni momenti chiave della “controversia”. In particolare provo a ricostruire il modo in cui si è inizialmente consolidata, dentr…