There is no primacy to Architecture. For centuries architects have posited formulaic approaches to creating spatial environments. Bold maxims for design have defined entire periods and styles of architecture, and each subsequent postulation attempts to disprove the former by challenging its theories against imperfect realizations. Yet nearly all have the same fault; they prioritize characteristics of architecture, attempting to design according to absolutisms of thought and process. I believe this to be a dangerous mode of operation, as absolutisms can be extremely complex and difficult to grasp conceptually, let alone to manifest into realities. Reducing architecture to processes of selection, generalization, singularities, and priorities is just clever ways of dealing with complexity in an attempt to make the intangible tangible. This "reduction" and "simplification" can only hold value as a tool for the study and analysis of architecture, not its practice and execution. Although architecture is universally conditional, it has been assigned universal qualities over time in theory and practice. I believe time requires that those qualities be subject to change and reinterpretation so that architecture may maintain proper relevance, barring one constant: all qualities must exist by virtue of the others and cannot be seen independently; one quality is no more than an aspect of the others. To better explore this notion, three criteria (qualities, generators) have been identified as a measure for critical analysis of three architectural research projects. They are built from a history of pre-defined criterion, named and redefined in an attempt to elevate a personal study and practice of architecture at a period in time. These projects have a high degree of personal influence and involvement, and so this becomes in a way a self-analysis in the study and practice of architecture. The intention of this compendium is to gain insight towards a personal definition of architecture through an analysis of architectural theory and precedence in comparison to work that is reflective of personal architectonics. In time, I hope it will have continued to develop. / Master of Architecture

The Half House is a study in architectural form. The ideal Form is necessarily cubic. The program is the vital form of the house. The means of formal study is subtractive, geometric, and symbolic. / Master of Architecture

This thesis is an exploration of three architectural types: regia, tholus, and theatrum which put together in the form of a building would demonstrate the nature of architecture. My quest traces these types in time and geography and combines them in a play that takes place in the form of a building in Blacksburg, Virginia and on the foothills of mythical Mount Alban near Rome, Italy. Furthermore, this thesis addresses questions regarding methods of construction techniques, and building materials used in each of the building forms presented. In doing so it reinterprets a traditional construction technique through a study model. / Master of Architecture

An appropriate accounting for thinning effects on growth rate and wood quality requires a clear understanding and quantification of these effects. In this regard, four basic interrelated issues were addressed in this study: 1) thinning effects on ring specific gravity 2) thinning effects on ring width distribution 3) thinning effects on stem form, and 4) prediction models for these quantities. The study showed that thinning does not significantly affect ring specific gravity, whereas its effects on ring width distribution and stem form were significant. Thinning increases ring width significantly over most of the tree bole and increases the earlywood and latewood components proportionally maintaining an approximately constant latewood proportion. As a consequence, thinning effects on latewood proportion is not significant; confirming the results obtained in the specific gravity study and further dispelling the concern that thinning may substantially reduce wood specific gravity. Thinning affects stem form by increasing the form exponent especially near the tree base accentuating the neiloid form expected in that area. High up in the stem, the form exponent changes little within a tree and among thinning treatments, with a general tendency towards a paraboloid shape. Differences due to thinning intensities, in general, were not significant indicating the applicability of results within a wide range of densities. Prediction models for ring specific gravity, ring width, latewood proportion and stem profile based on ring, tree, stand and site factors were developed Influences of stand level factors, density measures in particular, in prediction models are minor probably because tree level factors such as, stem diameter at breast height, crown ratio, etc. themselves manifest stand conditions. The mixed-effects analysis technique was used in data analysis to account for correlation among observations from the same subject. Direct covariance modeling yielded better fits than accounting for correlation indirectly using random effects covariates in many cases; however, both could not be accommodated simultaneously. Structures which assume decreasing correlation with increasing distance between observations, such as the first-order autoregressive structure, performed better than alternative specifications. Results consistently showed that accounting for correlation among observations substantially improves the fits over ignoring correlation; effectively addressing the issue of bias in the standard errors of estimates. / Ph. D.

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This dissertation builds on the common notion that Beethoven's music sounds inward by grounding this impression analytically. The chapters frame Beethoven's music in terms of inward, outward, and liminal spaces. Inward spaces are slow, lyrical, formally enclosed, and harmonically distant, and they often appear under the aura of what I call a "modulating trill" or a "diffused theme." Drawing on Schmalfeldt's references to inwardness, I describe outward spaces as inward moments that "radiate outward" and note that these restore tonal stability, lost thematic material, and bass notes that had once disappeared. Finally, liminal spaces are passages that quickly juxtapose inward and outward moments, and thus they seem to exist at the cusp between these two spaces. I examine how these passages evolve throughout entire pieces, typically withdrawing deeper within.

yes / In this article, we suggest that our semiotic understanding of embodiment could be expanded to include a socially exalted individual who embodies a symbol. To illustrate this argument, we draw on an ongoing research project that examines fandom rhetoric and debates around the ‘Greatest of all time’ or the GOAT symbol in Tennis. Grounding Bakhtin’s tri-distinctions of identity, I-for-myself, I-for-other, other-for-me, in a Kantian hermeneutic tradition, we perform a theoretically informed analysis of the GOAT debate. Neither of the three components exists in isolation, rather, they interact in a reflexive dialogue which continually shapes and re-shapes individual consciousness and experiences of embodiment. We apply a ‘Romanticism aesthetic activity’ analytical framework to the tri-distinctions of identity, that consists of ‘creative’ and ‘critical’ rhetoric, within which we found genres of ‘myth,’ ‘art,’ and ‘science.’ Each genre functions, through disparate means to exalt or metamorphise an individual (our focus is on Roger Federer) into a cultural symbol, and that the symbolic form of GOAT reflexively organises the emotional field and identities for those fans deeply invested in it. This paper contributes to the current cultural psychological literature on understanding the mediation of people to symbols in a new digital age.

No / This communication reports a novel solvent free method to generate and stabilise the triclinic form of artemisinin. We show that the stability of the triclinic form obtained by high temperature extrusion is greater than that of material made using a solvent based technique.

Today, in structural design, a structure is verified against failure by using the partial coefficient method provided by the Eurocodes. The verification method is, in its nature, a deterministic method where the input variables for load and resistance are assigned partial coefficients to ensure that the resistance is exceeded by the load effect. Since these coefficients are calibrated by using probabilistic methods, the partial coefficient method is also called a semi-probabilistic method. As an alternative, the verification is possible by using probabilistic methods. Instead of assigning partial coefficients to load- and resistance variables, they are treated as stochastic variables considering any physical- and statistical uncertainties associated with the same. For a complete probabilistic analysis, however, the model uncertainty must be considered. This uncertainty is associated with the mathematical models that are used to transform load- and material values into load effects and resistance and also uncertainties due to variations and simplifications of e.g. geometrical quantities and failure modes. There is another uncertainty not explicitly dealt with in the Eurocodes and the background material to the codes, that is the uncertainties related to the designers’ choice. That is, how the designer interprets given design conditions and existing codes and also due to the assumptions- and simplifications that takes place when the designer, based on a realistically given design task, must presume e.g. geometrical dimensions, loads and other necessary parameters when designing a structural element. As a basis for this study is a large statistical material, were a number of structural engineers have solved the exact same task which includes the calculation of loads- and load effects and to design a number of elements in an industrial single-storey building in steel. Statistical parameters, associated with the load effect variations due to the designers’ choice, has been estimated using mathematical statistics. Based on this results, a probabilistic level 2 method has been carried out in order to assess how the failure probability is affected when this model uncertainty is varied. It was found in the study that, using a 95% confidence interval, the coefficient of variance of the calculated load effects, defined herein as the model uncertainty due to the designers’ choice and denoted VθS, varies somewhat between 0 – 0,3 depending on the load combination- and type. By using simple examples, including only one variable load, it was shown that the variations in the model uncertainty VθS increases the failure probability thus decrease the reliability index β. The magnitude of these effects depends on the ratio φ between the permanent- and variable load. As an example, when φ = 0,75 (75% of the total load is variable thus 25% is permanent) and VθS = 0,3 then β ≈ 3,24 as compared to the target reliability index βt = 4,75 of safety class 3, which is a 32% reduction. Moreover, it was shown in the examples that the negative effects of increasing VθS, in terms of a decreased reliability index β, is more eminent in the case when the permanent load dominates the variable load, i.e. as φ = 0,25. Thus, increasing VθS from 0,1 to 0,2 decreases the reliability index by 30% (as compared to a 16% reduction when φ = 0,75). / Det vanligaste sättet att, i dagsläget, verifiera en byggnads säkerhet mot brott är med hjälp av partialkoefficientmetoden enligt Eurokoderna. Verifikationsmetoden är till sin form en deterministisk metod där de ingående variablerna som last och bärförmåga tillskrivs partialkoefficienter som verifierar att bärförmågan inte understiger lasteffekten. Då dessa koefficienter är kalibrerade med sannolikhetsteoretiska metoder brukar man kalla partialkoefficientmetoden för semi-probabilistisk.   Alternativt, kan verifieringen ske med hjälp av sannolikhetsteoretiska metoder. Istället för att tillskriva last- och bärförmågeparametrar partialkoefficienter så behandlas dessa som stokastiska variabler och inkluderar fysiska- såväl som statistiska osäkerheter. En korrekt sannolikhetsteoretisk analys måste även inkludera modellosäkerheter. Denna osäkerhet är förknippad med de matematiska modeller som används för att översätta last- och materialvärden till lasteffekt och bärförmåga samt osäkerheter på grund av variationer och förenklingar i exempelvis val av geometriska storheter och brottyp. Det finns en annan typ av osäkerhet som inte explicit behandlas av Eurokoderna samt bakgrundsdokumenten till dessa, och det är de osäkerheter som svarar mot ingenjörens val. Det vill säga, hur denne tolkar givna dimensioneringsunderlag och aktuella regelverk samt de antaganden och förenklingar som uppkommer då ingenjören, utifrån ett realistiskt konstruktionsuppdrag, förutsätter exempelvis geometriska mått, laster och andra nödvändiga parametrar som krävs för att dimensionera en byggnadsdel. Som underlag till detta arbete finns ett omfattande statistiskt material, där ett stort antal byggnadskonstruktörer har tillhandahållits exakt samma uppgift som handlar om att ta fram laster, beräkna lasteffekter och dimensionera ett antal komponenter i en mindre hallbyggnad i stål. Statistiska parametrar, kopplade till variationerna i beräknade lasteffekter på grund av ingenjörens val, har skattats med hjälp av matematisk statistik. Utifrån detta resultat, har en sannolikhetsteoretisk nivå 2 metod använts för att analysera hur brottsannolikheten påverkas då denna modellosäkerhet varieras. I studien konstaterades, utifrån ett 95% konfidensintervall, att variationskoefficienten för de beräknade lasteffekterna, härvid definierad som modellosäkerheten på grund av ingenjörens val med beteckningen VθS, varierar någonstans mellan 0 – 0,3 beroende på aktuell lastkombination och lasttyp. Med hjälp av enkla exempel, innehållandes endast en variabel last, påvisades att variationerna hos modellosäkerheten VθS medför en ökning av brottsannolikheten och därmed en minskning av säkerhetsindexet β. Storleken på dessa effekter beror av fördelningen φ mellan den permanenta- och variabla lasten. Som ett exempel konstaterades att då φ = 0,75 (75% av den totala lasten är variabel och 25% är permanent) samt VθS = 0,3 så reducerades målvärdet för säkerhetsindexet βt = 4,75 i säkerhetsklass 3, med 32% till β ≈ 3,24. Vidare så konstaterades att de negativa effekterna av att öka VθS, beträffande en minskning av säkerhetsindexet β, är mer påtagliga då den permanenta lasten är den dominerande lasten, det vill säga då φ = 0,25. Genom att exempelvis öka VθS från 0,1 till 0,2 så minskas säkerhetsindexet med 30% (jämfört med en minskning på 16% då φ = 0,75).

O conceito de tabuleiros laminados de madeira protendidos transversalmente foi usado inicialmente no Canadá na década de 70. Desde então, foi largamente utilizado em um número crescente de países. No Brasil, esse sistema foi utilizado pela primeira vez com a construção da ponte sobre o rio Monjolinho, na região metropolitana de São Carlos, estado de São Paulo. A importância deste sistema estrutural requer um maior conhecimento de sua segurança estrutural. Assim, este trabalho teve como objetivo estudar a confiabilidade estrutural de pontes protendidas de madeira, com enfoque na resistência da estrutura à flexão transversal. As pontes foram dimensionadas através de três métodos, o de Ritter, Eurocode e OTB, sendo os dois primeiros conhecidos na literatura e o último baseado na solicitação encontrada através de um software de análise de placas ortotrópicas, OTB. Para obter índices de confiabilidade foi utilizado o método FORM, e o método de Monte Carlo para simular a utilização das fórmulas de obtenção de resistências características sugeridas na NBR 7190:1997 e DIN 68364. Os resultados indicaram que o sistema estrutural é confiável dentro do modo de falha estudado. / Stress laminated timber bridges were first built in Canadá in the seventies. Since then, this kind of structure has been increasingly used in many countries. In Brazil, this structure was first designed in the bridge over Monjolinho stream, in São Carlos, São Paulo state. The importance of this system requires a better knowledge about its structural safety. Therefore, the aim of this work is to research the structural reliability of stress laminated timber bridges, with special focus on transversal bending strength. Bridges were designed by three methods: Ritter, Eurocode and OTB. Ritter and Eurocode are well known design methods. OTB is based on an ortotropic timber bridges analysis software. In order to obtain reliability results, FORM method was used. Monte Carlo method was also considered to simulate characteristic values outputs by brazilian code, NBR 7190:1997, and german code, DIN 68364. Results indicate that the structure os reliable for the limit state studied.