The main objective of this study was to investigate factors on dynamic load-deflection properties of seat foundations and pressure distributions between a human subject and a seat. The study was divided into three major parts: impact loads on seat foundations, factors on dynamic load-deflection properties of seat foundations, and body mass transfer during human subjects’ stand-to-sit movement. Results of this study indicated that the normal sitting-down speed averaged 16.3 cm/s, and hard sitting-down speed varied from 71 to 84 cm/s which can be considered as a free human body drop speed for seat foundations with panel base and foam, flat spring base and foam. Recorded peak sitting forces in terms of participants’ body weights averaged 100% and 247% for normal and hard sitting-down motions, respectively. Sitting ride, seat foundation stiffness and maximum pressure under buttocks were considered as parameters to describe human subjects’ sitting experience. Statistical analysis indicated that body weight and foam stiffness had no significant effect on seat foundation stiffness in most case. In general, the stiffness of seat foundation decreased significantly as foam thickness increased from 5 to 10 cm, but the decrease was not significant as foam thickness increased from 10 to 20 cm. For sitting ride, curved spring seat foundation had significantly highest sitting ride, followed by flat spring base, then webbing base and then panel base. Seat base, foam stiffness, foam thickness and human body weight had significant effect on maximum pressure under buttocks, but significant difference dependent on treatment combination. In sitting-down motion, it could be concluded that hard sitting-down time for seat foundation of CF and FF was longer than normal sitting-down, but for seat foundation of PF and P, hard sitting-down time was shorter than normal sitting-down. There are two main phases in sitting-down motion: propulsive impulse and braking impulse. In normal sitting-down motion, averaging mean force weight percentage (FWP) on seat yielded 3% of body weight while averaging mean FWP on feet yield 97% body weight, which means, in normal sitting-down motion, braking impulse occurred before body touching the seat foundation.

A literature review of current design and analysis methods for offshore wind turbine (OWT) foundations is presented, focusing primarily on the monopile foundation. Laterally loaded monopile foundations are typically designed using the American Petroleum Institute (API) p-y method for offshore oil platforms, which presents several issues when extended to OWTs, mostly with respect to the large pile diameters required and the effect of cyclic loading from wind and waves. Although remedies have been proposed, none have been incorporated into current design standards. Foundations must be uniquely designed for each wind farm due to extreme dependence on site characteristics. The uncertainty in soil conditions as well as wind and wave loading is currently treated with a deterministic design procedure, though standards leave the door open for engineers to use a probability-based approach. This thesis uses probabilistic methods to examine the reliability of OWT pile foundations. A static two-dimensional analysis in MATLAB includes the nonlinearity of p-y soil spring stiffness, variation in soil properties, sensitivity to pile design parameters and loading conditions. Results are concluded with a natural frequency analysis.

Piles are often used to resist vertical and lateral loads when shallow foundations are inadequate or uneconomical. A critical part in designing pile foundations is the pile-to-cap connection. When a moment resisting connection is desired, reinforcement is typically used between the pile and the cap. A pile-to-cap connection with sufficient pile embedment depth, however, may provide similar results. One model that is currently used to determine the capacity of a pile-to-cap connection was developed by Marcakis and Mitchell for steel members embedded in concrete. This model considers an embedment mechanism that resists rotation at the connection. Recent testing has shown, however, that this model is conservative and that additional mechanisms contribute to the strength of the connection. An experimental study was conducted to investigate pile-to-cap connections for pipe piles without reinforcement. Three pile-to-cap specimens with varying pile embedment depth were loaded laterally to failure. The results from the testing confirm that pile-to-cap connections with shallow pile embedment depth have significant stiffness. An improved model was developed to estimate elastic and ultimate capacities of embedded connections. In addition to the embedment mechanism used by Marcakis and Mitchell, this model includes a bearing mechanism at the end of the pile. For pile-to-cap connections with a large pile bearing area to pile embedment depth ratio, this bearing mechanism provides more strength than the embedment mechanism. For pile-to-cap connections with a small pile bearing area to pile embedment depth ratio, this bearing mechanism has little contribution to the strength of the connection.

The focus of this research was to examine the performance of Florida public community college foundations from 2002-2004 using performance ratios. The findings from this study may assist community college foundation leaders to better understand the performance of their own organizations, compare this performance to other similar organizations, establish relative performance standards, and influence the strategic initiatives to improve an existing foundation. This study was designed to research the financial performance measurement ratios for the 28 public community college foundations in Florida. Ex post facto data that were publicly available were utilized to acquire the information needed for the statistical analyses; therefore, the population was comprised of all 28 Florida community college foundations. Data were collected from each institution's Form 990. A total of 27 ratios were calculated by year for 2002, 2003, and 2004 and were categorized into 6 areas: (a) measures of fiscal performance, (b) measures of fundraising efficiency, (c) measures of public support, (d) measures of adequacy of resources to support mission, (e) measures of use of resources to support mission, and (f) measures of investment performance and concentration. The study included benchmarking data in the form of descriptive statistics for these ratios and comprehensive analysis. In addition, three repeated measures analysis of variance models were computed to determine if the contributions and grants, fundraising expense, and program service expense ratios varied over time. There were no mean differences over time during the three-year period from 2002 to 2004.

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Economic uncertainty and heightened competition for money among nonprofits has necessitated more efficient and effective resource development programs. Despite the many significant contributions of female donors, women's philanthropy has been largely unrecognized. Women have been left out of the majority of research on philanthropy, thus traditional male-based models of fundraising may not translate well with female prospects because of gender differences in giving. This study examined motivating factors that led women to donate to nonprofit organizations, specifically the Virginia 4-H program. The study explored 32 female donors' motivations for giving, factors that impacted their satisfaction with giving, and motivating factors that resulted in repeat donations and giving at higher levels. The qualitative methodology combined focus groups and a validation questionnaire to determine themes that explain the multi-faceted nature of fundraising and the complexity of exploring and understanding female donor behavior. Results of this study are consistent with the six Cs of female philanthropy as proposed by Shaw and Taylor (1995), and findings corroborate other literature on female philanthropy. Expanding the six Cs to include compassion and community may provide more definitive answers to motivational factors impacting female philanthropy. Knowledge of these variables will enable the Virginia 4-H Foundation Board of Directors to refine development efforts by implementing a development plan that respects altruistic characteristics of both men and women. Additionally, the findings contribute to the growing literature on female donors, an acknowledged need. / Ph. D.

Fiscal capacity is some type of quantifiable measure of economic resources existing within a political subdivision, jurisdiction, or governmental unit which may be utilized to support a wide array of public functions. Measures commonly used throughout the United States as indicators of economic capacity are tax bases and personal income. The most commonly used measure for fiscal capacity is equalized assessed value of property within the governmental units in question. Once the fiscal capacity is determined, relative capacity among governmental units may be calculated by dividing the aggregated capacity measure by total population or total pupils. The equalization of educational opportunity is dependent partially upon accurately measuring a locality's ability to pay taxes. Prior to the 1971 establishment of the Standards of Quality in Virginia, the public school funding formula relied exclusively on equalized (true) valuation per pupil to measure the fiscal capacities of the several school divisions. Unfortunately, by employing only true valuation per pupil as the sale measure of fiscal capacity approximately fifty percent of the ability to pay was ignored. As a consequence, the Commonwealth developed and implemented a index of fiscal capacity composed of several measures of fiscal capacity. / Ed. D.