Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Entomology / Alberto B. Broce / Ludek Zurek / Stable flies, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.), are a serious pest to beef cattle in confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) by causing economic losses in the form of reduced feed intake and feed efficiency, resulting in reduced weight gain. Integration of sanitation, parasitoids, and residual insecticides offers a much-needed reduction of this pest's impact on CAFOs. In the past two decades, stable flies have become the most important pest of pastured cattle. Further impact that stable flies have on cattle is when cattle seek protection from stable flies by standing in water, which results in water pollution with fecal matter, in addition to reduced foraging time. Sites of winter feeding of round hay bales have demonstrated to be important habitats for stable fly development during spring/summer. Cattle feeding on round bales can waste as much as 40% of the total amount of hay when fed in conventional ring feeders. Hay wastage is largely a function of the type of feeding method and the amount of agonistic behavior of the cattle. Feeding methods range from rolling hay directly onto the ground to the use of various types of feeders. Since traditional control methods utilized in CAFOs against stable flies have not been evaluated in pastures, producers rely heavily on organic insecticides in efforts to control this pest. At this time, there are no effective control methods available for stable fly management on pastured cattle. This research examined different management strategies that could minimize or eliminate stable fly larval habitats by reducing the amount of hay wasted being mixed with manure. In addition, different hay and manure mixtures were compared to characterize the larval habitat at these hay-feeding sites. Finally, the efficacy of boric acid, Metarhizium anisopliae, and tetrachlorvinphos in controlling the development of stable flies in hay substrates was evaluated.

Tire bales have become an innovative and cost effective fill material that can be used for the construction of geotechnical structures, like embankments for highway projects. The mechanical and physical properties they present allow them to be suitable for this type of structures, as long as they are provided with an appropriate drainage system. Stability of these structures is controlled by the interface shear strength existing in the contact surfaces between the bales. However, the tire bale has a jagged, uneven and highly variable surface and it presents a number of irregular tire ridges with random dimensions that are difficult to quantify. Due to the flexibility of these ridges, deformation of the interface occurs when a horizontal shear load is applied, and following this deformation the actual displacement of the interface takes place. Freilich (2009) performed large scale tests in the field and in the laboratory to observe the behavior of the whole tire bale structure, which is composed of the tire bale mass and the tire bale interface. Due to the irregular and highly variable surface of the tire bale, the deformations that occur on the ridges along the interface cannot be directly measured and quantified. Following similar concepts of some rock mechanic models, Freilich characterized the tire ridge interface using three parameters and came up with a model. Using these parameters, an ideal interface was constructed where the variability was reduced by incorporating a known geometry, and it can still be characterized in the same manner as that for the tire bale interface. Loads, deformations and displacements occurring along the interface were measured and recorded. From this data, shear strength parameters are defined and incorporated into Freilich’s tire ridge interface model that is used to predict the geometric and mechanical behavior of the irregular ridges controlling the interface shear strength. The behavior predicted from the model is then compared to the recorded data representing the actual geometric and mechanical behavior of the interface with known geometry, where the deformations on the asperities are approximated. This comparison verifies that the consideration of the flexibility from the tire ridges is not entirely described by the tire ridge interface model. Therefore a possible modification, based on the observations recorded, could be found. / text

Two varieties of switchgrass, Cave-N-Rock and Alamo, were baled into 1.8-m diameter by 1.2-m wide round bales and stored outside for 12 months. String-wrapped bales were stored on sad and net-wrapped bales on rock. Six bales (three-string-wrapped, three netwrapped) were destructively sampled at four, eight, and 12 months. Samples were collected for moisture content and compositional analysis. As expected, there was a large moisture content gradient from the weathered layer to the inner core, depending on drying conditions since the last precipitation. In one instance weathered layer moisture content was three times the core moisture content Netwrapped bales were drier than string-wrapped bales. Negligible dry matter loss (DML) was reported at four and eight months for Cave-N-Rock with DML no greater than 7% after 12 months of storage. Calculated DML was highly variable but no more than 16% of original dry matter after 12 months of storage for Alamo. For one set of six bales (Cave-N-Rock, sampled at eight months), the calculated dry matter loss was negative (meaning the bales gained dry matter during storage). This result is physically impossible and illustrates the difficulty in accurately measuring dry matter loss. DML was less for net-wrapped bales on rock than string-wrapped bales on sod. / Master of Science

Tire bales are a suitable construction material for conditions which require a lightweight material with high permeability and strength. Although several tire bale case histories have been reported in the literature, only limited material properties of the bales are available. Determining the mechanical and physical properties of the tire bales is necessary for the proper design and construction of future tire bale structures. The development and results from a series of large scale laboratory and field test procedures, used to determine the mechanical and physical characteristics of a tire bale structure, are provided in this dissertation. A tire bale structure, as compared to the individual tire bale, is defined as two or more tire bales stacked upon each other resulting in an interface contact between layers of the tire bales. Results from the test programs indicate that the interface between the tire bales controls the strength and compressibility of the bale structure. The strength of the interface was characterized utilizing a large scale direct shear test, which was modified to include the effects of moisture, soil infill and stress orientation on the interface strength. Interface shear stresses were used to define shear strength parameters for the different tire bale interfaces. The compressibility of the tire bale structure was characterized utilizing a large scale vertical compression test. The influence of the individual tire bale geometry on strength and compressibility was determined by conducting the large scale tests on two bale types, the standard block bale and the standard cylinder bale. A tire ridge interface model was developed to represent the physical characteristics of the tire bales that control the strength and deformations along the interface. Tensions within the baling wires were measured during the direct shear and compression tests using strain gauges attached to the baling wires. A tension meter was also developed so that the baling wire tensions could be determined without damaging the tire bale and baling wires. A destructive expansion pressure test was used at the conclusion of the research program to determine the pressures the tire bale exerts on the surrounding structure after wire breakage. / text

Les technologies de l’information et de la communication (TIC) sont de plus en plus présentes dans les différentes sphères de notre société, comme en éducation. De nombreux enseignants s’en servent pour travailler avec leurs élèves en classe. Malgré leur utilisation parfois limitée aux fonctions de base, les TIC offrent beaucoup d’avantages qui peuvent être très bénéfiques à l’éducation des jeunes, tout comme les échanges interculturels qui permettent aux jeunes de s’ouvrir sur le monde. Ce projet proposait de mettre en réseau par Internet des élèves québécois et des élèves français de 8 à 12 ans à l’aide du forum de discussion Knowledge Forum et de l’outil de vidéoconférence Via. Les connaissances et les attitudes des jeunes face aux autres et à leur culture, ainsi qu’à la technologie ont été analysées. Plus précisément, la participation, les différences et les ressemblances, les connaissances acquises, les façons d’interagir, les attitudes et le degré de présence sociale ont été étudiés à l’aide d’une grille d’analyse incluant les catégories de Bales. Des entrevues effectuées avec les enseignants et les élèves ont aussi été analysées. Le degré de présence sociale a permis aux attitudes des jeunes d’évoluer, devenant plus amicales au fil des échanges. Les élèves ont appris sur la culture de l’autre, ont discuté des différences et des ressemblances et ont donné beaucoup d’informations sur eux. Donc, la technologie a permis aux élèves de créer des liens avec les autres et d’apprendre sur la culture des deux pays. / Information and communication technologies (ICT) are increasingly present in every aspect of our society, such as education. Many teachers use these to work in class with their students. Sometimes, the ICT uses are limited to basic functions, but these technologies can have positive outcomes for students. Intercultural exchanges that may occur through the use of ICT can also help students to open their minds to others. In this project, students, aged 8 to 12, are linked together with two online software: Knowledge Forum and Via. Via is used for videoconferencing and Knowledge Forum for online writing. The knowledge and attitudes of students toward other cultures and technologies were analyzed. Specifically, the participation, differences and similarities, knowledge, interactions and level of social presence were studied with analytic tools, including Bales’ categories. Interviews conducted with teachers and students were also analyzed. The level of social presence helped students’ attitudes to evolve, becoming friendlier with time. Students learned about each other’s cultures, talked about differences and similarities and shared much information about themselves. In short, technology helped students learn about different cultures and build relationships.

Grâce aux développements techniques et technologiques des dernières décennies, le commerce international du coton passe graduellement d’un classement manuel et visuel à un classement à base de résultats de mesures instrumentales. Or adopter une technique requiert d’en étudier ses modalités et ses conditions d’utilisation. Aux USA, des études périodiques de variabilité permettent d’assortir ces résultats d’analyse de tolérances commerciales afin de limiter la fréquence des litiges. Adopter en Afrique les règles et les méthodes de mesure des USA exposerait à un risque de litige accru si les conditions de production déterminent un coton de qualité plus variable. Pour la première fois en Afrique, nous avons mené une étude de la variabilité des caractéristiques technologiques des fibres dans huit pays d’Afrique de l’Ouest et du Centre : Bénin, Burkina-Faso, Cameroun, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Sénégal, Tchad et Togo. Pendant deux saisons de production, nous avons réalisé une expérimentation à trois types de prélèvements de fibres : 1) huit échantillons par balle au sein de 215 balles produites dans 27 usines d’égrenage, 2) un échantillon par balle de 4286 balles constituées en séries de 200 balles consécutives en saison 1 et de 100 balles consécutives en saison 2 dans les mêmes usines, 3) deux échantillons par balle (un en haut et un en bas) sur 817 balles constituées en séries de vingt balles consécutives hebdomadairement dans cinq usines au cours de la saison 2. Ensuite, les échantillons des 5318 balles échantillonnées furent analysés sur une Chaîne de Mesures Instrumentales (CMI) dans un laboratoire respectant les recommandations internationales et les conditions d’ambiance contrôlées. L’analyse statistique des données recueillies a permis d’évaluer le niveau de variabilité de chacune des caractéristiques technologiques étudiées, au sein des balles et entre celles-ci. Une méthode d’échantillonnage et de réalisation des analyses sur CMI est proposée pour réaliser le classement des balles de coton d’Afrique de l’Ouest et du Centre à partir de résultats précis et répétables respectant les règles commerciales établies au niveau mondial. / Thanks to the technical and technological developments of the last decades, the international cotton trade is moving from a manual and visual classification to one based on instrument results. Now, adopting a technique requires studying its modalities and its conditions of use. In the USA, periodical studies of the variability make it possible to provide trading tolerances together with instrumental test results in order to limit the litigation event frequency. Apply USA rules and measurement methods in Africa would lead to increased litigation risk if production conditions induce more variable cotton quality. For the first time in Africa, we have conducted a study of the variability of the technological characteristics of the fibers in eight countries of Western and Central Africa: Benin, Burkina-Faso, Cameroon, Chad, the Ivory-Coast, Mali, Senegal and Togo. During two seasons of production, we conducted an experiment with three types of fiber sampling: 1) eight samples per bale within 215 bales produced in 27 ginning mills, 2) one sample per bale from 4286 bales organized in lots of 200 consecutive bales during season 1 and of 100 consecutive bales in season 2 in the same ginning mills, 3) two samples per bale (one from the top, one from the bottom) from 817 bales organized in lots of twenty consecutive bales each week in five ginning mills during season 2. Then, samples from the 5318 sampled bales were analysed with Standardized Instruments for Testing Cotton (SITC) in a laboratory which respects international recommendations and required ambient air conditions. The statistical data analysis allowed us to evaluate the level of variability of each of the studied technological characteristics, within the bales and between the bales. A sampling and testing methodology using SITC is being proposed to achieve the classification of the different sorts of cotton produced in Western and Central Africa from precise and repeatable results abidden by the worldwide established trading rules.

Les technologies de l’information et de la communication (TIC) sont de plus en plus présentes dans les différentes sphères de notre société, comme en éducation. De nombreux enseignants s’en servent pour travailler avec leurs élèves en classe. Malgré leur utilisation parfois limitée aux fonctions de base, les TIC offrent beaucoup d’avantages qui peuvent être très bénéfiques à l’éducation des jeunes, tout comme les échanges interculturels qui permettent aux jeunes de s’ouvrir sur le monde. Ce projet proposait de mettre en réseau par Internet des élèves québécois et des élèves français de 8 à 12 ans à l’aide du forum de discussion Knowledge Forum et de l’outil de vidéoconférence Via. Les connaissances et les attitudes des jeunes face aux autres et à leur culture, ainsi qu’à la technologie ont été analysées. Plus précisément, la participation, les différences et les ressemblances, les connaissances acquises, les façons d’interagir, les attitudes et le degré de présence sociale ont été étudiés à l’aide d’une grille d’analyse incluant les catégories de Bales. Des entrevues effectuées avec les enseignants et les élèves ont aussi été analysées. Le degré de présence sociale a permis aux attitudes des jeunes d’évoluer, devenant plus amicales au fil des échanges. Les élèves ont appris sur la culture de l’autre, ont discuté des différences et des ressemblances et ont donné beaucoup d’informations sur eux. Donc, la technologie a permis aux élèves de créer des liens avec les autres et d’apprendre sur la culture des deux pays. / Information and communication technologies (ICT) are increasingly present in every aspect of our society, such as education. Many teachers use these to work in class with their students. Sometimes, the ICT uses are limited to basic functions, but these technologies can have positive outcomes for students. Intercultural exchanges that may occur through the use of ICT can also help students to open their minds to others. In this project, students, aged 8 to 12, are linked together with two online software: Knowledge Forum and Via. Via is used for videoconferencing and Knowledge Forum for online writing. The knowledge and attitudes of students toward other cultures and technologies were analyzed. Specifically, the participation, differences and similarities, knowledge, interactions and level of social presence were studied with analytic tools, including Bales’ categories. Interviews conducted with teachers and students were also analyzed. The level of social presence helped students’ attitudes to evolve, becoming friendlier with time. Students learned about each other’s cultures, talked about differences and similarities and shared much information about themselves. In short, technology helped students learn about different cultures and build relationships.

This thesis deals with the conceptual solution of self-loading container on straw bales. It is the issue of these machines' distribution according to specified criteria at the beginning. Research part follows with describing the individual components cosequently included in the conceptual design. The third point is the design of the solution itself and its rationale. There are itemized individual structural components and visualization. The last part contains strength calculations for structural nodes.

In this thesis an alternative exterior wall construction for a specific building isinvestigated. The focus has been on investigating the material straw as a possiblecomponent in the future project Kulturborgen in Skåne, Sweden.Straw is a bio-based building material which, with a consideration to the climate crisis,has become a viable alternative intended to minimize carbon dioxide emissions from thebuilding sector. Through a compilation of the latest research on the material, theproperties of straw are presented in the theory chapter. Previous studies have shown thepotential of straw to be used as a load-bearing frame in house construction. However, dueto an adaptation to existing blueprints, the focus in this project has been on using straw asonly an insulating material together with load bearing I-joists. By modeling in AutodeskRevit and making calculations on the structure's load bearing capacity and thermalinsulation, a solution on an outer wall has been presented. The work culminates in aproposal for detailed drafts for a specific building that can become the basis for a possiblefurther development. / Halm är en restprodukt från odling av säd och andra grödor och räknas ur miljösynpunkttill ett mer hållbart alternativ än de konventionella byggnadsmaterial som producerasidag. Växtbaserade byggnadsmaterial som halm kan utgöra kolsänkor tack vare sinförmåga att fånga upp koldioxid från atmosfären och med tanke på en störreklimatmedvetenhet har biobaserade material blivit ett aktuellt alternativ ämnat attminimera koldioxidutsläppet från byggbranschen. Tidigare studier visar att halm har godaförutsättningar att användas som ett isolerande material tack vare sin lågavärmekonduktivitet. Halm kan även användas som en självbärande stomme eftersom denhar en hög lastöverföringsgrad. I kombination med en regelkonstruktion av annat materialkan halmen användas enbart som ett isolerande skikt mellan reglarna.Kulturborgen är ett storskaligt byggnadskomplex projekterat som en ringborg med ettöppet torg i mitten. Den byggnad som har studerats i detta examensarbete är enbart en deli komplexet, nämligen ett vandrarhem i två plan. I arbetet undersöks de möjligheter somfinns när en betongväggkonstruktion ersätts med ett biobaserat alternativ samt vilkakonsekvenser det kan få för projekteringen.I detta examensarbete undersöks en alternativ ytterväggskonstruktion för Kulturborgen.Fokus har varit att undersöka materialet halm som en möjlig beståndsdel i det framtidaprojektet Kulturborgen i Skåne, där den ursprungliga planen var att uppföra byggnadenmed prefabricerade betongelement.I en sammanställning av den senaste forskningen om materialet har halmens egenskaperoch tillämpning inom byggbranschen redovisats i ett teorikapitel. Olika metoder för attanvända halm som ett byggnadsmaterial har också tagits upp med avsikt att undersökavilken byggnadsmetod som passar bäst för Kulturborgen.På grund av anpassning till befintliga ritningar på Kulturborgen har användningen avhalm i detta projekt behandlats som enbart ett isoleringsmaterial där halmen är ett 400mm isolerande skikt i kombination med lättreglar med en bärande funktion. Lättreglarvaldes därför att de tack vare sitt I-tvärsnitt har en lägre andel trä än en regel med ettrektangulärt tvärsnitt. Detta gör att lättreglar är materialbesparande och ett lägre U-värdekan erhållas.En modell har tagits fram genom användning av programmet Autodesk Revit.Beräkningar på lättreglar har gjorts för att säkerställa att byggnaden klarar av alla lasterden utsätts för. U-värdesberäkningar utfördes för att kontrollera att vägguppbyggnadensom valdes fick ett U-värde som låg under 0,15 W/m2K, vilket hamnar inom en rimliggräns för en yttervägg. Slutligen har en lösning på en ytterväggskonstruktion presenterats.Arbetet mynnar ut i ett förslag på detaljlösningar för Kulturborgens vandrarhem ochdessa kan ligga till grund för en eventuell vidareutveckling.

[ES] La Constitución del Ecuador establece que el acceso a una vivienda digna es un derecho fundamental. Sin embargo, muchos ciudadanos viven en situaciones de riesgo, ya que las edificaciones que habitan no tienen características físicas y/o estructurales adecuadas. Esto se acentúa en la zona rural, en donde la necesidad de casas que cumplan estándares de calidad es en promedio 71, 2% más que las ciudades. En la mayoría de construcciones que se realizan en Ecuador, se usan materiales convencionales como el hormigón, bloques y ladrillos. Por lo que, cubrir la totalidad del déficit de vivienda (665 612 unidades) requiere una gran inversión económica; además, del alto costo ambiental que representaría; ya que, los materiales mencionados tienen consumos energéticos altos desde su producción hasta su puesta en obra. Es evidente entonces que la dotación de vivienda debe hacerse con materiales sustentables y accesibles a la mayoría de la población. Una alternativa es la paja, que es natural, renovable, sumidero de CO2 y biodegradable. En Ecuador se obtienen anualmente 28 754,492 toneladas de paja de trigo y cebada. Con este desecho de la cosecha, se podrían hacer fardos, con los cuales construir casas. Sin embargo, en el país existe muy poco conocimiento de este material y el sistema constructivo que se requiere para edificar de forma técnica y segura. La presente investigación aborda la caracterización física y mecánica de los fardos producidos localmente para determinar su posibilidad de su uso como material de construcción. Además, se realizaron ensayos pseudo-dinámicos a muros portantes realizados con fardos y recubiertos con dos alternativas de mortero. Con los resultados obtenidos, se realizó la modelación estructural de una vivienda tipo, determinando que el desplazamiento lateral relativo de la misma, cumple los estándares de la Norma Ecuatoriana de la Construcción para edificaciones sismo resistentes. También se realizó un análisis económico, determinando que el costo de la vivienda tipo es inferior al valor establecido para casas de interés social en el país. Lo que determina su accesibilidad al segmento poblacional más pobre. Además, se elaboró un manual, que detalla el procedimiento constructivo de la casa tipo, de forma clara y sencilla para hacerlo de fácil entendimiento. / [CA] La Constitució de l'Equador estableix que l'accés a un habitatge digne és un dret fonamental. No obstant això, molts ciutadans viuen en situacions de risc, ja que les edificacions que habiten no tenen característiques físiques i/o estructurals adequades. Això s'accentua en la zona rural, on la necessitat de cases que complisquen estàndards de qualitat és en mitjana 71,2% més que les ciutats. En la majoria de construccions que es realitzen a l'Equador, s'usen materials convencionals com el formigó, blocs i rajoles. Pel que, cobrir la totalitat del dèficit d'habitatge (665 612 unitats) requereix una gran inversió econòmica; a més, de l'alt cost ambiental que representaria; ja que, els materials esmentats tenen consums energètics alts des de la seua producció fins a la seua posada en obra. És evident llavors que la dotació d'habitatge ha de fer-se amb materials sustentables i accessibles a la majoria de la població. Una alternativa és la palla, que és natural, renovable, embornal de CO2 i biodegradable. A l'Equador s'obtenen anualment 28 754,492 tones de palla de blat i ordi. Amb aquesta deixalla de la collita, es podrien fer fardells, amb els quals construir cases. No obstinate això, al país existed molt poc coneixement d'aquest material I el sistema construction que es required per an edificar de manera tècnica I Segura. La present investigació aborda la caracterització física i mecànica dels fardells produïts localment per a determinar la seua possibilitat del seu ús com a material de construcció. A més, es van realitzar assajos pseudo-dinàmics a murs portants realitzats amb fardells i recoberts amb dues alternatives de morter. Amb els resultats obtinguts, es va realitzar el modelatge estructural d'un habitatge tipus, determinant que el desplaçament lateral relatiu d'aquesta, compleix els estàndards de la Norma Equatoriana de la Construcció per a edificacions sisme resistents. També es va realitzar una anàlisi econòmica, determinant que el cost de l'habitatge tipus és inferior al valor establit per a cases d'interés social al país. El que determina la seua accessibilitat al segment poblacional més pobre. A més, es va elaborar un manual, que detalla el procediment constructiu de la casa tipus, de manera clara i senzilla per a fer-ho de fàcil enteniment. / [EN] The Constitution of Ecuador establishes that access to decent housing is a fundamental right. However, many citizens live in risky situations since their buildings do not have adequate physical and structural characteristics. This is accentuated in rural areas, where the need for houses that meet quality standards is, on average, 71.2% higher than in the cities. In most constructions in Ecuador, conventional materials such as concrete, blocks, and bricks are used. Therefore, covering the entire housing deficit (665 612 units) requires a significant economic investment, in addition to the high environmental cost, since the materials have high energy consumption from production to installation. It is evident then that housing must be built with sustainable materials accessible to most of the population. One alternative is straw, which is natural, renewable, a CO2, and biodegradable. In Ecuador, 28 754.492 tons of wheat and barley straw are obtained annually. With this waste from the harvest, bales could be made with which to build houses. However, there needs to be more knowledge of this material and the construction system required to build technically and safely in the country. The present research addresses the physical and mechanical characterization of locally produced bales to determine the possibility of their use as a construction material. In addition, pseudo-dynamic tests were carried out on load-bearing walls made with bales. An economic analysis was also carried out, determining that the cost of the house type is lower than the value established for houses of social interest in the country. This determines its accessibility to the poorest segment of the population. In addition, a manual was prepared detailing the construction procedure of the house type clearly and straightforwardly to make it easy to understand. / Viera Arroba, LP. (2023). Factibilidad constructiva de viviendas con muros portantes de fardos de paja energéticamente eficientes y sismo resistentes en la zona andina del Ecuador [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/196654