Correction to: Evolution of hydro‑mechanical behaviours and its influence on slope stability for a post‑earthquake landslide: implications for prolonged landslide activity

Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment - There has been considerable research on the prolonged effects and evolution of post-earthquake landslides, as they are of significance for...     

Dynamic behaviour of a modern bell tower — A case study

The present study evaluates the dynamic behaviour of a modern concrete bell tower built in 1994. The structure has an unusual geometrical shape, with a wall 20 m high and 0.40 m thick. The tower’s dynamic interaction with the forces caused by the bells swinging becomes clearly evident even without using instrumentation. In 1998 the structure was strengthened by means of a three-dimensional steel truss, but the dynamic problem still exists after the strengthening. Consequently, the authors conducted a study to assess the scale and cause of the problem which consisted of an experimental and numerical study on the tower. This paper highlights the dynamic problem that bells can cause to slender bell towers and recommendations are given to help minimise this fact.     

Determination of potential landslide shear plane depth using seismic refraction—a case study in Rheinhessen, Germany

Landslides on the Rheinhessen cuesta are not only a natural component of slope evolution but also have been influenced by anthropogenic activities such as viniculture. Single landslides as well as the regional occurrence of hundreds of mass movements have a direct and indirect effect on the environment and cause high economic loss.This study analyses a regionally characteristic landslide, DROM 9, to establish the potential for the use of seismic refraction to determine the change of substrate below the ground surface. In Rheinhessen, landslides commonly occur as shallow translational features in depressions that were probably created as Pleistocene valleys. Seismic field data have been analysed using the intercept technique and the generalised reciprocal method. The depth of the substrate and the divisions within it were confirmed by boreholes. With this information, it is possible to develop a structural model of the subsurface, which leads to a better understanding of landslide kinematics.     

Influence of acid rain on slope instability mechanism—a case study in Sichuan provincial highway,China

Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment - Acid rain has important influences on the physical and mechanical properties of rock as a result of mineral conversion and dissolution of...     

Mixed structures—A case study of a portal frame in concrete and timber

The authors explain the rationale behind the design of a 30 m span timber trussed portal frame with concrete columns. The design decisions as well as design methods are explained. They show that by using timber to its best advantage, a lightweight, cost-effective structure can be obtained.     

Migration from a mixed‐tenure area. A case study

This article discusses the result of a case‐study of movers from a mixed‐tenure housing estate located in a central Swedish municipality with just over 90000 residents, and comprising upwards of 200 dwelling units in multi‐storey apartment buildings and terrace houses placed around eight courtyards. The forms of tenure being public renting, co‐operatives and owner‐occupation. We discuss the problem of residential stability, the households’ reasons for leaving the estate and the possible relation between mixed forms of tenure and residential migration. The estate has a rather low level of residential stability with an average relocation rate of 30 percent annually. The multi‐family buildings have the highest turnover, and the owner‐occupied single‐family dwellings the lowest. The migration rate is not exceptionally high but higher than one might expect in a district also including tenant‐ownership and owner‐occupied dwellings. Only a very small proportion of the migrant households had found their new homes within the district. Consequently very little use has been made of the opportunities for households to live in different types of buildings and under different forms of tenure without a change of residential area.     

luther's thesenportal: a case study of a “ritual-architectural event”

ABSTRACT

This article is part of a larger field-based study of contemporary festivity and religious tourism in Lutherland, a geographic and symbolic place associated with the life and work of Martin Luther. My aim, with reference to the work of Lindsay Jones and Victor Turner, is to develop an approach for studying the intersection of material culture and ritual. Material culture does not simply signify into empty space, shining meanings into its surrounding environment as a street lamp does light. Rather, material culture is produced, handled, used in a variety of ways. An exemplary case for studying how built space and ritual performance intersect is the Thesenportal of Wittenberg's Schlosskirche, an object and performative space commemorating the origin of the German Reformation.     

Interactive design computation—a case study on quantum design paradigm

The ever-increasing complexity of design processes fosters novel design computation models to be employed in architectural research and design in order to facilitate accurate data processing and refined decision making. These computation models have enabled designers to work with complex geometry and numeric design constraints to explore a whole new design field that is impossible to explore without computation techniques. However, most current design computation models follow an automation-oriented paradigm that only deal with strictly defined problem solving and optimization, but fail in establishing an intuitive and interactive communication with designers. This lack of interaction leads to an unconscious rejection ofnon-parameterizable design factors, which, reduces design computation models to specific design problem solving tools instead of operating as active design partners. This paper presents a non-deterministic design computation modeling approach derived from a discussion on quantum design paradigm, which employs real-time user interaction as the co-driver to evolve user+computation driven informed design outputs. A case study of such a design computation model; QPC Toolset, developed and applied in a QuantumPointCloud workshop, will be illustrated in this paper. Expanded discussions on fabrication optimization and constructiontechniques from the QPC workshop will be addressed to conclude a comprehensive report.     

Evaluation of landslide analyzing models in weak rocks—case study: Abnahr damsite,Kohgilouyeh and Booyer Ahamd Province,Iran

The right abutment of Abnahr dam consists of Cretaceous marl and some marly limestone that are highly fractured due to tectonic stresses. Low strength and highly fractured structure of the rocks result in fragmentation during drilling by the rock sampling tools. However, this material is still too strong for conventional soil sampling methods. The types of marl are similar to rock material in natural landscapes but drilled material has soil-like behavior. This paper evaluates the behavior of this material in slope stability problems that concern the right abutment of Abnahr dam in existing conditions. For attaining reliable answers to this problem, several undisturbed samples were provided with assistance of the experienced experts and using specific methods. As these samples were rather soils, they were tested by various soil tests such as three-dimensional tests. Moreover some samples were gathered by hand-operated methods including test pits. In order to gain information about the rock parameters, several rock tests were performed. In the next stage, by use of the results of laboratory tests and field observations, slope stability analyses were performed on several models of right abutment of the dam. Lastly, a comparison between different analysis methods of the performed models on right abutment under virtual loads led to important conclusions.     

Life cycle assessment of a geosynthetic-reinforced soil bridge system – A case study

Road infrastructures are a very important component of the world's total transportation network. Investment in its construction and maintenance is significant on a global scale. The paper presents some results from an environmental study of a geosynthetic-reinforced soil integrated bridge system. The Pavlovski potok stream in Slovenia was used as a demonstration case for this study. It is the first GRS bridge system with full-height rigid (FHR) facings in Europe. It was constructed at the end of 2014. The goal of these analyses was to compare two different types of bridges: the new GRS bridge system, which is comprised of a simple girder partially structurally integrated to FHR facings of GRS bridge abutments and a conventional reinforced concrete road bridge. The results of an environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) show that the GRS bridge system has a much lower environmental impact than an equivalent bridge conventionally built with reinforced concrete.     

A sustainability assessment framework for bridges – a case study: Victoria and Champlain Bridges,Montreal

This paper deals with the development of a framework for assessment of sustainability of bridges, including related technical, economic, environmental and social issues. Sustainable infrastructure assets require diligent conception and design of facilities (with diligent choice of materials and construction techniques), high quality construction, and operations, involving routine maintenance, with optimised life-cycle performance and costs, and minimum impact on the environment over a stipulated long service life and beyond. Partial details of design, construction, maintenance and rehabilitation/renovation of the four versions of the 3-km long Victoria Bridge (1859, 1898, 1958 and 1988) are summarised, along with the partial details of design, construction, severe deterioration and subsequent rehabilitation of the nearly 6-km long, 6-lane Champlain Bridge. Sustainability of both bridges was assessed by implementing the proposed sustainability framework developed in this research programme, along with the use of the analytical hierarchy process which involved evaluation of pairwise comparison of the various categories to assist with evaluation of the sustainability scores. These scores indicate that all four forms of Victoria Bridge (1859, 1898, 1958 and 1988) are partially sustainable, or sustainable, while the Champlain Bridge is unsustainable. This framework can be appropriately adapted for assessing the sustainability of other infrastructure assets.     

Implementing ‘Site BIM’: A case study of ICT innovation on a large hospital project

Numerous Building Information Modelling (BIM) tools are well established and potentially beneficial in certain uses. However, issues of adoption and implementation persist, particularly for on-site use of BIM tools in the construction phase. We describe an empirical case-study of the implementation of an innovative ‘Site BIM’ system on a major hospital construction project. The main contractor on the project developed BIM-enabled tools to allow site workers using mobile tablet personal computers to access design information and to capture work quality and progress data on-site. Accounts show that ‘Site BIM’, while judged to be successful and actively supporting users, was delivered through an exploratory and emergent development process of informal prototyping. Technical IT skills were adopted into the construction project through personal relationships and arrangements rather than formal processes. Implementation was driven by construction project employees rather than controlled centrally by the corporate IT function.     

Small‐scale hydroelectric development as appropriate technology: a case study

Proponents of “appropriate” technology maintain that it fosters greater environmental protection, and social and ethical goals of decentralization, fulfillment of basic human needs, intermediacy of scale, and simplicity as compared to large, centralized, and complex technologies such as fossil fuel or nuclear power plants. Small‐scale hydroelectric projects are commonly perceived to be appropriate technology, but few studies have assessed whether this perception is valid. An analysis of the effects of existing and proposed small‐scale hydroelectric projects in the eastern Sierra Nevada region of California suggests that the environmental impacts of small‐scale hydroelectric projects may be significant, and that certain social/ ethical criteria of appropriate technology are not fulfilled.     

Project management and national culture: A Dutch–French case study

This case study explores the impact of national context in the integration of project management. It analyses the implementation of project management during a Dutch/French cooperation. Evaluation and monitoring are easily adopted by the Dutch whereas they are avoided by the French partners.     

Business transformation: Leadership,integration and innovation – A case study

The Cornerstone Program represented a significant business transformation for Hydro One. Just as a cornerstone helps determine the position of an entire structure; the Cornerstone Program has helped shape the future strategic position of Hydro One. This strategy and vision includes supporting the business infrastructure through improvements to rapidly respond to business needs, enabling rapid access to information for strategic decisions, and streamlined business operations enabling the organization to deal with growing requirements. This case study introduces a conceptual framework that draws from theoretical change models but is also grounded in the reality of the change environment at this organization. Realizing major organizational change is a complex process influenced by the characteristics of an organization, the integrated project and change management framework, and the importance of key leadership roles throughout the change process. Results from this study suggest that effective change implementation was enabled by leadership, program management, and change ownership, integrated with project implementation.     

Developing roles in change processes – A case study from a public sector organisation

Even though change is recognized to be of utmost importance in today´s organisations, there exists no common understanding of change roles. The relationship between change roles and program and project roles seems not to be clear, although many changes are organized by projects. The paper presents a case study of a transformation of a public organisation. In an action research approach together with representatives of the case study company relevant roles for the change were developed and established.     

Attitude‐behaviour relationship in environmental education: a case study from Turkey

This article reports a study on relationships between students’ environmental attitudes and behaviours in Turkey. The theories of reasoned action and learning have been used in this research. The data were obtained from grade‐eight secondary school students (N = 248) in the capital city, Ankara. Factor analysis result showed that there were three factor groups namely ‘general’, ‘economy’ based and ‘domestic’ attitudes and behaviours. Although students’ attitudes towards the environment were highly positive, their answers for behaviours were lower than those for attitudes. Recommendations are presented to improve students’ environmentally responsible behaviour.     

A case study in early urban design: Toronto, 1966–1978

ABSTRACT

This is a study in the practice of postwar urban design in Toronto, Canada, based on archival documents and interviews with participants. The narrative begins with the hiring of one British-trained architect/urban designer, Raymond Spaxman, by the City of Toronto Planning Board in 1966. Spaxman then set up a new division of staff that he filled with five or six other architect/urban designers of various national and institutional origins. The study describes the work carried out by these urban designers, identifies the principle themes apparent in it, and relates this to published literature on the founding principles of postwar urban design. In most ways, the study's findings fit the current understanding of the early discipline – concern for pedestrians, sympathy for historical preservation – but in others not – it was different from but not antagonistic towards planning. The findings are then considered as an example of the international transfer of postwar planning ideas. The process of idea transfer in this case looks to have been more chaotic, and less definable, than existing paradigms suggest, but this might have been fairly common in second-rank, immigrant-receiving cities.