The Conceptual Framework of the Development of Pudong,Shanghai

On April 18th,1990,Premier Li Peng officially proclaimed that the Central Party Com-mittee and the State Council had approved to develop and open the Pudong District.This is agreat decision and is of strategic significance,particularly in terms of the social economic zonepolicy in the district.     

Carlson’s Index,a poor cursor of trophic status assessment of Pulicat Lagoon,southeast coast of India

Pulicat Lagoon is a productive coastal lagoon on the southeast coast of India. Several studies of its physico‐chemical and biological characteristics have been undertaken. This project was the first to attempt to represent the lagoon’s ecological status in the form of a trophic state index. The investigation applied Carlson’s Trophic State Index (TSI) to determine the trophic status of Pulicat lagoon over the years 2005 and 2006. The observations corresponding to the TSI scores for the transparency of the water column (represented by Secchi Disk Depth, an important parameter for calculating TSI) were compared with observations obtained during field sampling. Discrepancies were observed in the representation of the transparency of the water column as well as the trophic condition and those predicted by the TSI. These discrepancies suggested that TSI was not an effective index of the trophic status of Pulicat lagoon. The study thus proves the fallibility of classical indices for a case‐specific scenario. The investigation points out that there is a need to develop newer and more accurate indices to represent water quality in a lagoon.     

Evaluation of seepage problems of the Armağan Dam, Kırklareli, northwestern Turkey

The Armağan Dam, Turkey, is constructed on the metalimestones and chalk schists of the Dolapdere Formation. The metalimestones have been karstified, with clay infilling many of the solution features. When the river was impounded, the increase in water head resulted in some of the clay infill leaching out such that there was hydraulic connection between the reservoir and the area downstream. Dye tracing tests, pinhole and XRD analyses suggested the clays in the waters egressing downstream were from the solution infill rather than from the dam itself. Unless it is possible to wash out the clays from the metalimestones and replace them with grout, a continual programme of monitoring and grouting will be required to ensure the stability and water tightness of the dam.      

Materials, Sensuality, Esthetics- the emotional facets of an exterior

The exterior of a building is largely the visible mark of a structure. It links outer and inner spaces, protects against the effects of weather, and certainly promotes lowering of a building＇s energy needs. More than ever, the exterior is becoming the testing ground for novel applications of new materials - especially esthetic surfaces. These days, the diversity of demands placed on the exterior by far surpasses the requirements covering other building elements. The design of an exterior has become a complex challenge.     

Behavior of diatomaceous soil in lacustrine deposits of Bogotá, Colombia

This work presents a study on the behaviors of diatomaceous soils. Although studies are rarely reported on these soils, they have been identified in Mexico City, the Sea of Japan, the northeast coast of Australia, the equatorial Pacific, and the lacustrine deposit of Bogotá (Colombia), among other locations. Features of this kind of soil include high friction angle, high initial void ratio, high compressibility index, high liquid limit, and low density. Some of these features are counterintuitive from a classical soil mechanics viewpoint. To understand the geotechnical properties of the diatomaceous soil, a comprehensive experimental plan consisting of more than 2400 tests was performed, including physical tests such as grain size distribution, Atterberg limits, density of solid particles, and organic matter content; and mechanical tests such as oedometric compression tests, unconfined compression tests, and triaxial tests. Laboratory tests were complemented with scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations to evaluate the microstructure of the soil. The test results show that there is an increase in liquid limit with increasing diatomaceous content, and the friction angle also increases with increasing diatomaceous content. In addition, several practical correlations were proposed for this soil type for shear strength mobilization and intrinsic compression line. Finally, useful correlations were presented, such as the relationship between the state consistency and the undrained shear strength, the friction angle and the liquid limit, the void ratio at 100 kPa and the liquid limit, the plasticity index and the diatomaceous content, among others.     

The Politics of “Parental Co-Habitation”: Austerity,Household, and the Social Evils of Dependency

The household as a social formation is being assigned a renewed function in the provision of social welfare via neoliberal austerity politics. Government inaction regarding housing provision is forcing millions of young adults into “parental co-habitation”. In contrast to the dominant ideological view of the family as a school of liberty through the provision of welfare, this article argues that the dependence of millions of young adults on the parental household is degenerative both for the individual “recipient” and for the future democratic character of the polity. Mobilizing a Neo-Roman analysis of Liberty, I argue that housing policy is promoting the long-term creation of “slaves” as part of a wider strategy of oligarchic domination. The article seeks to articulate an explicitly political theoretical critique of “parental co-habitation” and advocates for directed government action in the area of housing provision to secure the autonomy and independence of a generation otherwise reduced to “slavishness”.     

Use of terrain evaluation techniques in the study of drainage network changes in microbasins of the Capivari River Basin, state of São Paulo, Brazil

In this paper the drainage network is considered as a geo-indicator of the environmental changes that haven taken place over a period of 23 years in three hydrographic microbasins in the São Paulo State (Brazil). The verification of the natural conditions of the physical environment was based on terrain evaluation for homogeneity of landforms and the materials associated with them. In order to identify the alterations, a temporal analysis of the drainage network morphometric variables and land use was made. The morphometric analysis indicates a decrease in the number of first-order channels and in the total length of all channels, with a consequential modification of the drainage and hydrographic densities. The losses and gains of the first-order channels were influenced by the slope, type of bedrock and presence of unconsolidated material. The catalyst for these changes was mainly the inadequate control of urban expansion and the intensive agricultural activities.Résumé Dans cet article le réseau de drainage est considéré comme un géo-indicateur de changements environnementaux qui se sont réalisés durant 23 années dans trois micro-bassins hydrographiques de létat de Sao Paulo (Brésil). Les caractéristiques du milieu physique ont été obtenues à partir dune étude des différentes unités géomorphologiques et des formations géologiques corrélatives. Afin de mettre en évidence les modifications du milieu, une analyse temporelle de loccupation des sols et des paramètres morphométriques du réseau de drainage a été réalisée. Lanalyse morphométrique indique une diminution du nombre de sections de premier ordre et de la longueur totale du réseau de drainage. Il en résulte une modification de la densité de drainage des bassins. Les diminutions ou augmentations de sections de premier ordre ont été influencées par la pente, le type de substratum et la présence de matériaux meubles. Une expansion urbaine mal contrôlée et le développement dune agriculture intensive sont les causes de ces modifications.     

Elevated mercury concentrations in soils, sediments, water, and fish of the Madeira River basin, Brazilian Amazon: a function of natural enrichments?

Previous site-specific investigations have found that mercury concentrations in water, sediments, and biota of the Brazilian Amazon are elevated above global averages, and that these concentrations are a direct result of widespread mercury amalgamation mining operations conducted by non-organized prospectors. In order to assess the regional impacts of Hg contamination from these non-organized gold mining activities, water, sediments, and fish were systematically collected in 1997 along a 900-km reach of the Madeira River. The sampling program extended from the Amazon River upstream to Porto Velho, the site of historic and ongoing mercury amalgamation mining. Mercury concentrations were found to be elevated above global averages in all sampled media. However, the geochemical data suggest that the high mercury levels are due largely to natural sources and natural biogeochemical processes, and that the impacts of anthropogenically released mercury from mine sites is relatively localized.     

Reside nearby,behave apart? Activity-space-based segregation among residents of various types of housing in Beijing,China

Given the ongoing “mobility turn” in social science research, a more comprehensive understanding of segregation is needed. Activity-space-based segregation studies have aroused renewed interests in geography and urban planning research. Most of the existing studies utilized the differences in spatial characteristics of people's actual activity space to identify the segregation among social groups. However, few studies have examined activity-space-based segregation in terms of individuals' potential activity space and the temporal variations in their segregation experiences. This paper aims to help fill these two research gaps by implementing an empirical study in Beijing. We examine the activity-space-based segregation of the residents of different types of housing in a Beijing suburb in terms of both actual activity space and potential activity space. We further investigate the temporal variations of the residents' segregation experiences during a week. A 7-day individual GPS tracking dataset, combined with the activity diary data and the socioeconomic attributes data of 422 participants is used for the study. The major finding is that residents of different types of housing in Beijing do experience activity-space-based segregation, while the characteristics of segregation vary with respect to actual activity space and potential activity space. Also, participants' segregation experiences varies between different days of the week. This paper offers some empirical evidence on enriching the understanding of activity-space-based segregation research as well as improving the understanding about social segregation among the residents of different types of housing in Chinese cities. It also generates some nuanced knowledge for future policy recommendations in a broad context.     

Evaluation of total mercury concentrations in fish consumed in the municipality of Itaituba, Tapajós River Basin, Pará, Brazil

The environmental exposure to mercury by riverine and Indian communities can occur through the ingestion of fish and products contaminated by mercury compounds. The present study aims to evaluate the total mercury concentration in the different fish species most consumed in the municipality of Itaituba, Tapajós river basin, where there are intense gold-mining activities. These fish samples were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry by cold vapor technique, Automatic Mercury Analyzer HG-3500. The largest mercury concentrations were found in the carnivorous species ranging from 112.4 to 2250 microg/g, while the detritivorous, herbivorous and omnivorous species presented total mercury levels ranging from 3.2 to 309.8 microg/g, which is below the limit established by the World Health Organization. This paper also reports and identifies which species are more polluted and present a statistical relationship among concentration and weight of the carnivorous species studied in detail, Brachyplatystoma flavicans (dourada) (r2 = 0.691) and Pseudoplatystoma sp. (surubim) (r2 = 0.654).     

The Role of Spatial Development Frameworks in Transformation of the eThekwini Municipality,KwaZulu-Natal,South Africa: Reflecting on 20 Years of Planning

In the 20 years since the advent of a democratic government in South Africa, planned expenditure on infrastructure projects by municipalities has been used in part to redress inequalities and socioeconomic distortions created by apartheid. Our purpose in this article is to assess the effectiveness of planning instruments to achieve desired transformation in the case of the eThekwini Municipality. We evaluated demographic, spatial regional economic, settlement hierarchy, accessibility and functional analysis indicators to assess the eThekwini Spatial Development Framework (SDF) as it applies to the city of Durban, making particular use of the National Population Census results for 2001 and 2011, municipal data on housing and settlement distribution, the municipal evaluation roll, the Industrial Land Study of 2014 and the Eskom household survey of 2009. These data sets were mapped using Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) GIS to analyse spatial changes over the decade from 2001 to 2011 to establish the ways and extent public investment guided by SDFs is responsive to spatial transformation imperatives. We found that, although there has been some economic and population growth, in-migration and densification of the inner city, there has been limited spatial transformation of the urban population, many communities still live in poverty, the traditional inequalities prevail and the benefits of democratic dispensation are elusive to many, despite substantial investment in infrastructure. Our analysis points to inadequacies of the planning tools and their application to spending public funds. Moreover, SDFs appear to be process and compliance-driven rather than inclusive of stakeholder concerns. We argue that they require substantial refinement to achieve the desired results.     

Introduction to a special issue: the future of landscape characterisation,and the future character of landscape – between space,time, history,place and nature

Abstract

In any discussion of landscape characterisation the elephant in the room is the question of just what is landscape? Another way of putting this question is to simply ask: ‘How would you characterise landscape?’ What this implies is that there is a certain circularity in landscape characterisation because, through the very act of characterising landscape, one is also defining what one means by landscape. The European Landscape Convention’s definition of landscape as ‘an area, as perceived by people, whose character is the result of the action and interaction of natural and/or human factors’ suggests a similar circularity because the character of an area, as it results from the action of natural and/or human factors, is dependent upon human perception, which is presumably also, in addition, one of the human factors acting upon the landscape. This circularity, or ‘circulating reference’, to use Bruno Latour’s term, is fundamental to Denis Cosgrove’s analysis of the origin of the modern concept of landscape as scenic space, and his analysis, we would suggest, helps explain some of the questions raised in this special issue concerning landscape characterisation and the future character of landscape .     

Organisation, ‘anchoring’ of knowledge,and innovative activity in construction

The construction industry is characterised by the widespread use of project organisation. It has been suggested that the relatively low level of innovative activity in the industry can be explained by the temporary nature of firm boundary‐crossing projects. Survey data from the Danish construction industry is used to investigate the importance of learning and ‘anchoring’ of project‐specific knowledge at the firm level for participation in innovative activities. The data cover both the overall Danish construction industry and a specific region, North Jutland, which has a relatively high specialisation of construction workers. Latent class and regression analyses reveal that firms that make extensive use of partnering, together with internal product and process evaluation and knowledge diffusion (labelled ‘knowledge‐anchoring mechanisms’), are more likely to participate in innovative activities than firms which make less use of these mechanisms. This indicates that construction firms are able to compensate for the problems that temporary interorganisational projects may cause in relation to continuous learning at the firm level.     

Evolution of mechanical behaviours of an expansive soil during drying-wetting,freeze–thaw,and drying-wetting-freeze–thaw cycles

This paper investigates the volumetric, microstructural, and shear behaviours of an expansive soil during multiple drying-wetting (DW), freeze–thaw (FT), and drying-wetting-freeze–thaw (DWFT) cycles. Specimens compacted at natural moisture content and dry density were subjected to 1, 4, 6, and 10 DW, FT, or DWFT cycles. Volumetric changes were recorded during the treatments and mercury intrusion porosimetry, and scanning electron microscope tests were conducted to observe the soil’s microstructure before and after treatments. As compacted specimens and specimens after different numbers of DW, FT, and DWFT cycles were saturated and sheared under consolidated undrained condition to determine their undrained elastic modulus (E_u), shear strength (q_u), total cohesion (c), and friction angle (?). Experimental results show that DW, FT, and DWFT cycles mainly influence the soil’s macropores with diameters between 5 and 250 μm. Macropores collapse during DW cycles, which lead to collapse in the soil’s global volume. Cracks develop during FT cycles and result in slight swelling in the soil’s volume. These two effects offset during DWFT cycles and cause an intermediate volumetric behaviour. The E_u, q_u, c, and ? decline during DW, FT, and DWFT cycles, and the reduction was most significant during DWFT cycles. They reach an equilibrium after approximately 6 cycles of treatment. A simple normalized model was developed to describe the stress–strain curves considering the influence of DW, FT, and DWFT cycles. Good agreements were achieved between the model predictions and measurements for all stress–strain curves obtained in this study.