The surface roughness of unfilled rock discontinuities has a major influence on the hydro-mechanical behaviour of discontinuous rock masses. Although it is widely recognized that surface roughness is comprised of large-scale (waviness) and small-scale (unevenness) components, most investigations of surface roughness have been restricted to small fracture surfaces (<1m2). Hence, the large-scale components of roughness are often neglected. Furthermore, these investigations typically define roughness using two-dimensional profiles rather than three-dimensional surfaces, which can lead to biased estimates of roughness. These limitations have led to some contradictory findings regarding roughness scale effects. This thesis aims to resolve some of these issues. The main findings indicate that discontinuity roughness increases as a function of the sampling window size contrary to what is commonly assumed. More importantly, it is shown that the estimated roughness significantly decreases as the resolution of surface measurements decrease, which could lead to the under estimations of roughness and, consequently, discontinuity shear strength.

Cemented Paste Backfill (CPB) is a relatively new backfilling technology for which a better understanding of binder hydration is required. This research uses electromagnetic (EM) wave-based techniques to non-destructively study a CPB consisting of tailings, sand, process water and binder (90% blast-furnace slag; 10% Portland cement). EM experiments were performed using a broadband network analyzer (20 MHz to 1.3 GHz) in the lab and capacitance probes (70 MHz) in the lab and field. Results showed that the EM properties are sensitive to curing time, operating frequency and specimen composition including binder content. The volumetric water content interpreted from dielectric permittivity varied little with curing. Temporal variations in electrical conductivity reflected the different stages of hydration. Laboratory results aided interpretation of field data and showed that a reduction in binder content from 4.5% to 2.2% delays setting of CPB from 0.5 days to over 2 days, which has important implications for mine design.

A regional planning model is designed to facilitate coordinated land use and transportation planning, yet have a sufficiently simple structure to enable quick scenario turnaround. The model, TransPLUM, is built on two existing commercial software products: the Population and Land Use Model (PLUM); and a four-stage travel model implemented in a standard software package. Upon creating scenarios users are able to examine a host of results (zonal densities, origin-destination trip flows and travel times by mode, network link flows, etc) which may prompt modification of a reference land use plan and/or network plan. A zonal density-accessibility ratio is described: an index which identifies the relative utilization of a zone and which could serve as a coordinating feedback mechanism. The model was implemented for a pilot study area – the Winnipeg Capital Region. Development of a baseline scenario is discussed.

This thesis analyzes examples of current female circumcision discourse within U.S. feminist contexts and western-based anti-circumcision projects operating in Kenya. This analysis reveals that, despite recent critiques from postcolonial scholars and activists, the knowledge produced around female circumcision perpetuates discursive and material violence against Kenyan Maasai communities. I explore how this violence has persisted in neo/colonial eras as part of the white western feminist ‘care of self’ technique of displacing female abjection through the pleasure of whiteness. I trace how these formations of race and gender have become attached to understandings of genitalia through colonial-era race science, Freudian psychoanalysis and some feminist texts from 1949-1970. I suggest that these western feminist constructions of sexual liberation rely on depicting racialized women as primitive and degenerate. Finally, I argue that these racial and gendered constructions now inform concepts of ‘developed’ versus ‘underdeveloped’ bodies and nations in contemporary international development work.

Solar water disinfection (SODIS) is the process of treating microbiologically contaminated water in clear plastic bottles through exposure to sunlight. One of the major limiting factors of this treatment is source water quality. This work investigates the impact of organic matter and turbidity on SODIS efficiency. Organic matter was found to decrease bacterial inactivation to a much greater extent than the presence of inorganic particles. The ability of moringa oleifera seed emulsion to clarify source waters was investigated as a coagulation pretreatment. This coagulant is most effective in highly turbid, high humic content waters, and achieves up to 1-log bacterial removal. The combined moringa oleifera coagulation-SODIS treatment sequence was tested in highly coloured natural source water and was found to reduce the sunlight exposure time required by up to 2 hours. Treated water should be consumed immediately following the individual or combined treatments due to the potential for bacterial regrowth.

Rainfall derived inflow and infiltration (RDII) is a cause of sanitary sewer overflows and sewers exceeding capacity before the end of their design lives, but it is not well understood. Several methods exist to model RDII in existing sanitary sewers. These models are not applicable for design, which is frequently accomplished by applying constant unit rates. Two analytical probabilistic models are developed to estimate the contribution of RDII to peak flow and volume. The analytical models have been tested against computer simulations using long-term rainfall records and parameters calibrated using actual field data. One model relies on calibrated parameters from the RTK method; a commonly used method requiring a time-consuming calibration process. The second model relies on the R-value parameter of the RTK method, and a time of concentration parameter. By providing better information to designers, these analytical models aim to improve engineering decision-making in the design of sewer systems.

The influence of supplementary materials such as slag, metakaolin and limestone in steam-cured ternary and quaternary cement blends on physical and chemical hydration mechanisms was studied by analyzing the evolution of non-evaporable water content, hydration products and compressive strength. The role of limestone in hydration reactions of cement was also investigated. These properties were studied through the use of differential thermal and thermogravimetric analyses, as well as the loss-on-ignition, X-ray diffraction and compressive strength tests at 1, 3, 7, and 28 days. Research findings revealed that it is possible to replace up to 40% cement with other materials and still achieve compressive strengths similar to mixtures with a 25% cement replacement at 0.34 w/b ratio. Additionally, ternary limestone mixtures exhibited superior mechanical properties to ternary metakaolin mixtures. Lastly, limestone powder was determined to behave as inert filler, accelerating hydration at early ages through heterogeneous nucleation.

A new damping technology, the Viscoelastic Coupling Damper (VCD), has been developed at the University of Toronto for reinforced concrete (RC) coupled wall high-rise buildings. These dampers are introduced in place of coupling beams to provide distributed supplemental damping in all lateral modes of vibration. This thesis presents an analytical investigation of the application of VCDs in a high-rise case study building located in a region of high seismicity. A parametric study has been conducted to determine the optimal number and placement of the dampers to achieve enhanced seismic performance without compromising the wind response of the structure. Nonlinear time history analyses have been carried out in order to compare the seismic performance of a conventional coupled wall building to alternative designs incorporating VCDs. Results highlight the improved performance of VCDs over RC coupling beams at all levels of seismic hazard. A design procedure for seismic-critical buildings is proposed.

Cemented Paste Backfill (CPB) is a relatively new backfilling technology for which a better understanding of binder hydration is required. This research uses electromagnetic (EM) wave-based techniques to non-destructively study a CPB consisting of tailings, sand, process water and binder (90% blast-furnace slag; 10% Portland cement). EM experiments were performed using a broadband network analyzer (20 MHz to 1.3 GHz) in the lab and capacitance probes (70 MHz) in the lab and field. Results showed that the EM properties are sensitive to curing time, operating frequency and specimen composition including binder content. The volumetric water content interpreted from dielectric permittivity varied little with curing. Temporal variations in electrical conductivity reflected the different stages of hydration. Laboratory results aided interpretation of field data and showed that a reduction in binder content from 4.5% to 2.2% delays setting of CPB from 0.5 days to over 2 days, which has important implications for mine design.

A regional planning model is designed to facilitate coordinated land use and transportation planning, yet have a sufficiently simple structure to enable quick scenario turnaround. The model, TransPLUM, is built on two existing commercial software products: the Population and Land Use Model (PLUM); and a four-stage travel model implemented in a standard software package. Upon creating scenarios users are able to examine a host of results (zonal densities, origin-destination trip flows and travel times by mode, network link flows, etc) which may prompt modification of a reference land use plan and/or network plan. A zonal density-accessibility ratio is described: an index which identifies the relative utilization of a zone and which could serve as a coordinating feedback mechanism. The model was implemented for a pilot study area – the Winnipeg Capital Region. Development of a baseline scenario is discussed.