published_or_final_version / Civil Engineering / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Transport Policy and Planning / Master / Master of Arts in Transport Policy and Planning

published_or_final_version / Applied Geosciences / Master / Master of Science

The objective of this research was to analyze the evolution of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) during the twenty-first century, using historical institutionalism as a framework. Three critical junctures were President Putin’s election in 2000, the Nord-Ost Terrorist Crisis in 2002, and the Beslan Terrorist Crisis in 2004; theories dealing with insecurity, the psychological effects of terrorism, and domestic intelligence were also incorporated. This study found that the expansion of the FSB has provided it with greater potential for carrying out its functions as a domestic intelligence service as well as abusing authority and assisting the state in regime consolidation. Consolidation, in the intelligence community and state, was made possible by legitimate terrorist crises and the perception of threats, which were manipulated by Vladimir Putin’s administration. Public support for consolidation, favoring security over freedom, was mobilized around Putin’s war against terrorism and perceived foreign “threats” within a political system devoid of effective checks against the executive. / text

Uniaxial consolidation tests of resedimented mudrocks from the offshore Gulf of Mexico reveal compression and permeability behavior that is in many ways similar to those of intact core specimens and field measurements. Porosity (n) of the resedimented mudrock also falls between field porosity estimates obtained from sonic and bulk density well logs at comparable effective stresses. Laboratory-prepared mudrocks are used as testing analogs because accurate in-situ measurements and intact cores are difficult to obtain. However, few direct comparisons between laboratory-prepared mudrocks, field behavior, and intact core behavior have been made. In this thesis, I compare permeability and compressibility of laboratory-prepared specimens from Gulf of Mexico material to intact core and field analysis of this material. I resediment high plasticity silty claystone obtained from Plio-Pleistocene-aged mudrocks in the Eugene Island Block 330 oilfield, offshore Louisiana, and characterize its compression and permeability behavior through constant rate of strain consolidation tests. The resedimented mudrocks decrease in void ratio (e) from 1.4 (61% porosity) at 100 kPa of effective stress to 0.34 (26% porosity) at 20.4 MPa. I model the compression behavior using a power function between specific volume (v=1+e) and effective stress ([sigma]'v): v=1.85[sigma]'v-⁰̇¹⁰⁸. Vertical permeability (k) decreases from 2.5·10-¹⁶ m² to 4.5·10-²⁰ m² over this range, and I model the permeability as a log-linear function of porosity (n): log₁₀ k=10.83n - 23.21. Field porosity estimates are calculated from well logs using two approaches; an empirical correlation based on sonic velocities, and a calculation using the bulk density. Porosity of the resedimented mudrock falls above the sonic-derived porosity and below the density porosity at all effective stresses. Measurements on intact core specimens display similar compression and permeability behavior to the resedimented specimens. Similar compression behavior is also observed in Ursa Basin mudrocks. Based on these similarities, resedimented Gulf of Mexico mudrock is a reasonable analog for field behavior. / text

A modified plate load (MPL) test was developed to measure the in situ cohesion of a carbonate or caliche cemented soil. The MPL test was performed on the crest of a vertical cut in alluvial soil with a steel plate loaded until the soil failed. A three-dimensional slope stability analysis was then used to back calculate soil cohesion. In situ test results were used in conjunction with laboratory testing of deaggregated soils samples to completely define the Mohr-Coulomb strength parameters of the in situ soil. In order to check the result of the in situ test procedure, the field test conditions were modeled for use in a two-dimensional slope stability analysis using the computer program CSLIP1. A comparison of the results shows reasonable values of soil cohesion were obtained using the MPL test method.

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Masters in Business Administration, Durban Institute of Technology, 2004. / This thesis describes and analyses the integration process of mergers and acquisitions, which is often blamed for the failure of such undertakings. It explains the status quo for internal branding in general and in the environment of mergers and acquisitions. The two aspects are integrated in such a manner as to develop an internal brand strategy that resolves many of the common integration problems. Since the traditional focus on branding is on the external environment rather than the internal environment, the objective of this thesis is to emphasise the employee rather than the customer. As the writer believes that through the development of internal brand awareness and loyalty, the net effect is that the overall effectiveness of the entire merged organisation will increase exponentially. In this thesis, a meta-analysis approach is utilised to develop theory, thus this study is exclusively a qualitative styled study. The strategy developed in this thesis is not a once off fix, but is a continuous process that must be maintained and implemented by the management and shareholders of the organisation to ensure the success of the brand and the new merged organisation. / M

This dissertation investigates the sources of growth which are available to conglomerate companies and draws some limited conclusions with regard to which are the major sources.