A total of 278 teachers participated in this study. This study was designed to examine how teachers from “distinguished” (high performing) and “needs improvement” (low performing) middle schools perceived the roles of their principals as instructional leaders who could provide schools with the necessary leadership characteristics for school improvement. This study also examined if differences existed among teachers’ perceptions of their principals’ roles based on school type and demographics (gender, age, years of work experience, and educational attainment). The principal leadership questionnaire (PLQ) was used to collect data based on the five factors: identify and articulate vision and provide inspiration, foster acceptance of group goals, provide appropriate model, provide intellectual stimulation, and provide individualized support. Cronbach alpha was used to establish the internal consistency of the instrument. Data were analyzed using mean scores, percentages, t-tests and ANOVA. The findings indicated that the participants had positive perceptions with strongly agreed to agreed responses on most of the questionnaire items indicating that teachers perceived their principals should possess the characteristics associated with instructional leadership. Female participants consistently agreed with higher mean scores on all five PLQ factors than did male participants. The researcher recommended that further research and a longitudinal study be conducted on this topic to examine and compare leadership preparation programs in Georgia and other states across the nation and to determine the long-term effects of instructional leadership roles on student achievement.

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In Sweden, there exists a large number of dams. Many of them are founded on rock masses normally affected by the presence of sub-horizontal rock fractures, which makes sliding along rock joints under the dam foundation one of the most critical failure mechanism. Various attempts have been made to relate the peak shear strength of rock joints to measurable parameters. However, the uncertainty in the determination of the shear strength of rock joints is nonetheless still significant.The main aim of this thesis is to investigate, develop and apply analytical and numerical techniques for estimation of peak shear strength of natural and unfilled rock joints. In a first step, the peak shear strength of several natural and unfilled rock joint was calculated by using surface aperture measurements from high-resolution optical scanning and a modified version of the analytical criterion previously developed by Johansson and Stille in 2014. In a second step, PFC2D was utilised to perform numerical shear tests on two-dimensional profiles selected from high-resolution optical scanning on unweathered and perfectly mated tensile induced rock joints.The results from the analytical approach show that the calculated peak shear strengths of the analysed samples are in good agreement compared with the laboratory investigations. Conversely, the obtained results from the numerical approach show lower peak shear strengths in the analysed two-dimensional profiles compared with the conducted laboratory shear tests.The analytical approach together with the advanced techniques to measure surface roughness available today, may be a possible way forward towards a methodology to determine peak shear strength of large-scale natural rock joints in-situ. / Bergsprickors skjuvhållfasthet är en avgörande faktor för att kunna bestämma säkerheten mot gliding för dammar där sub-horisontella utbredda bergsprickor existerar. Samtidigt är parametern svår att bestämma då den påverkas av flera faktorer som sprickytans råhet, vittringsgrad, normalspänning, skala samt passning. Skjuvhållfasthet av bergsprickor kan bestämmas genom att använda empiriska och analytiska brottkriterier samt numeriska metoder. Problemet med de befintliga metodikerna är att de inte beaktar inverkan från sprickans passning. Detta innebär att hållfastheten riskerar att överskattas.Det övergripande syftet med denna licentiatuppsats är att studera, utveckla och tillämpa analytiska och numeriska metoder för uppskattning av skjuvhållfasthet för naturliga och ofyllda bergsprickor. I ett första steg beräknades skjuvhållfastheten för ett antal naturliga och ofyllda bergsprickor. Detta gjordes genom att mäta aperturen baserat på högupplöst skanning och en vidareutvecklad version av det analytiska kriteriet som föreslogs av Johansson och Stille 2014. I ett andra steg användes PFC2D för att genomföra numeriska skjuvtester på två-dimensionella sprickprofiler baserat på högupplöst skanning av perfekt passade och draginducerade bergsprickor.Resultaten från uppskattad skjuvhållfasthet med den analytiska metodiken visar på en bra överensstämmelse i jämförelse med de utförda skjuvförsöken. Resultaten från de utförda analyserna med PFC2D visar på en något lägre skjuvhållfasthet än vad som observeras i verkligheten.Den utvecklade analytiska metodiken, tillsammans med de avancerade tekniker som idag finns för att mäta sprickytornas råhet, bedöms kunna utgöra ett första steg mot att bättre kunna bestämma den storskaliga skjuvhållfastheten för bergsprickor i fält. / <p>QC 20190402</p>

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate how the differences between the study and policy sites impact the performance of benefit function transfer. For this purpose, simulated data are created where all information necessary to conduct the benefit function transfer is available. We consider the six cases of difference between the study and policy sites- scale parameter, substitution possibilities, observable characteristics, population preferences, measurement error in variables, and a case of preference heterogeneity at the study site and fixed preferences at the policy site. These cases of difference were considered one at time and their impact on quality of transfer is investigated. RUM model based on reveled preference was used for this analysis. Function estimated at the study site is transferred to the policy site and willingness to pay for five different cases of policy changes are calculated at the study site. The willingness to pay so calculated is compared with true willingness to pay to evaluate the performance of benefit function transfer. When the study and policy site are different only in terms of scale parameter, equality of estimated and true expected WTP is not rejected for 89.7% or more when the sample size is 1000. Similarly, equality of estimated preference coefficients and true preference coefficients is not rejected for 88.8% or more. In this study, we find that benefit transfer performs better only in one direction. When the function is estimated at lower scale and transferred to the policy site with higher scale, the transfer error is less in magnitude than those which are estimated at higher scale and transferred to the policy site with lower scale. This study also finds that transfer error is less when the function from the study site having more site substitutes is transferred to the policy site having less site substitutes whenever there is difference in site substitution possibilities. Transfer error is magnified when measurement error is involved in any of the variables. This study do not suggest function transfer whenever the study site's model is missing one of the important variable at the policy site or whenever the data on variables included in study site's model is not available at the policy site for benefit transfer application. This study also suggests the use of large representative sample with sufficient variation to minimize transfer error in benefit transfer. / Master of Science

Frontal motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) resulted in 10,813 fatalities and 937,000 injuries in 2014, which is more than any other type of MVC. In order to mitigate the injuries and fatalities resulting from MVCs, new safety restraint technologies and more biofidelic anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs) have been developed. However, the biofidelity of these new ATDs must be evaluated, and the mechanisms of injury must be understood in order to accurately predict injury. Evaluating the biomechanical response, injury mechanisms, and injury threshold of the thorax are particularly important because the thorax is one of the most frequently injured body regions in MVCs. Furthermore, sustaining a severe thoracic injury in an MVC significantly increases mortality risk. The overall objective of this dissertation was to evaluate the biomechanical responses of human surrogates under various frontal loading conditions. This objective was divided into three sub-objectives: 1) to evaluate the biofidelity of the current frontal impact ATDs, 2) to evaluate the effect of different safety restraints on occupant responses, and 3) to evaluate rib material properties with respect to sex, age, structural response, and loading history. In order to meet sub-objectives 1 and 2, full-scale frontal sled tests were performed on three different human surrogates: the 50th percentile male Hybrid III (HIII) ATD, the 50th percentile male Test Device for Human Occupant Restraint (THOR-M) ATD, and approximately 50th percentile male post-mortem human surrogates (PMHS). All surrogates were tested under three safety restraint conditions: knee bolster (KB), KB and steering wheel airbag (KB/SWAB), and knee bolster airbag and SWAB (KBAB/SWAB). The kinematic, lower extremity, abdominal, thoracic, and neck responses were then compared between surrogates and restraint conditions. In order to assess biofidelity, the ATD responses were compared to the PMHS responses. For both the kinematic and thoracic responses, the HIII and THOR-M had comparable biofideltiy. However, the HIII responses were slightly more biofidelic. The ATDs experienced similar lower extremity kinetics, but very different kinetics at the upper and lower neck due to differences in design. Evaluation of the different restraint conditions showed that the SWAB and KBAB both affected injury risk. The SWAB decreased head injury risk for all surrogates, and increased or decreased thoracic injury risk, depending on the surrogate. The KBAB decreased the risk of femur injury, but increased or decreased tibia injury risk depending on the surrogate and injury metric used to predict risk. In order to meet sub-objective 3, the tensile material properties of human rib cortical bone and the structural properties of whole ribs were quantified at strain rates similar to those observed in frontal impacts. The rib cortical bone underwent coupon tension testing, while the whole ribs underwent bending tests intended to simulate loading from a frontal impact. The rib material properties accounted for less than 50% of the variation observed in the whole rib structural properties, indicating that other factors, such as rib geometry, were also influencing the structural response of whole ribs. Age was significantly negatively correlated with the modulus, yield stress, failure strain, failure stress, plastic strain energy density, and total strain energy density. However, sex did not significantly influence any of the material properties. Cortical bone material properties were quantified from the ribs that underwent the whole rib bending tests and subject-matched, untested (control) ribs in order to evaluate the effect of loading history on material properties. Yield stress and yield strain were the only material properties that were significantly different between the previously tested and control ribs. The results of this dissertation can guide ATD and safety restrain design. Additionally, this dissertation provides human surrogate response data and rib material property data for the validation of finite element models, which can then be used to evaluate injury mitigation strategies for MVCs. / PHD / Frontal motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) resulted in 10,813 fatalities and 937,000 injuries in 2014, which is more than any other type of MVC. In order to mitigate the injuries and fatalities resulting from MVCs, new safety restraint technologies, e.g., seat belts, and more biofidelic (human-like) anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs), i.e., crash test dummies, have been developed. However, the biofidelity of these new ATDs must be evaluated, and the mechanisms of injury must be understood in order to accurately predict injury. Evaluating the biomechanical response, injury mechanisms, and injury threshold of the thorax (chest) are particularly important because the thorax is one of the most frequently injured body regions in MVCs. Furthermore, sustaining a severe thoracic injury in an MVC significantly increases the risk of death. The overall objective of this dissertation was to evaluate the biomechanical responses of human surrogates under various frontal loading conditions. This objective was divided into three sub-objectives: 1) to evaluate the biofidelity of the current frontal impact ATDs, 2) to evaluate the effect of different safety restraints on occupant responses, and 3) to evaluate rib material properties with respect to sex, age, structural response, and loading history. In order to meet sub-objectives 1 and 2, frontal crash tests were simulated in the laboratory using a crash sled. These sled tests were performed on three different human surrogates: the Hybrid III (HIII) ATD, the Test Device for Human Occupant Restraint (THOR-M) ATD, and post-mortem human surrogates (PMHS), i.e., cadavers. All surrogates were tested under three safety restraint conditions: knee bolster (KB), KB and steering wheel airbag (KB/SWAB), and knee bolster airbag and SWAB (KBAB/SWAB). The kinematic (body movements), lower extremity, abdominal, thoracic, and neck responses were then compared between surrogates and restraint conditions. In order to assess biofidelity, the ATD responses were compared to the PMHS responses. For both the kinematic and thoracic responses, the HIII and THOR-M had comparable biofideltiy. However, the HIII responses were slightly more biofidelic. The ATDs experienced similar lower extremity kinetics (forces and moments), but very different kinetics at the upper and lower neck due to differences in design. Evaluation of the different restraint conditions showed that the SWAB and KBAB both affected injury risk. The SWAB decreased head injury risk for all surrogates, and increased or decreased thoracic injury risk, depending on the surrogate. The KBAB decreased the risk of femur injury, but increased or decreased tibia injury risk depending on the surrogate and how injury risk was predicted. In order to meet sub-objective 3, the material properties of human rib cortical bone and the structural response of whole ribs were quantified under experimental conditions reminiscent of what the bone would experience during a frontal impact. The rib cortical bone underwent material testing, while the whole ribs underwent bending tests intended to simulate a frontal impact. The rib material properties only partially influenced the structural response of the whole rib. This indicated that other factors, such as rib shape and thickness, were also influencing the structural response. Age was correlated to a decrease in several material properties. However, there was no significant difference between male and female material properties. Some differences in material properties were observed in cortical bone from fractured and intact ribs, indicating that the fracture influenced the rib material properties. results of this dissertation can guide ATD and safety restrain design. Additionally, this dissertation provides human surrogate response data and rib material property data for finite element (computer) models, which can then be used to evaluate injury prevention strategies for MVCs.

Le problème de la détermination de la personne publique responsable comporte deux points à examiner : tout d’abord il s’agit de trouver un débiteur pour indemniser la victime ensuite de répartir la charge indemnitaire entre les responsables du dommage. Il existe trois critères utilisés par le juge administratif afin de déterminer la personne publique responsable : le critère matériel, le critère fonctionnel et le critère décisionnel. Pourtant aucun d’eux ne s’avère suffisant pour expliquer tout les cas de responsabilité. Toutefois on peut dire qu’en principe la responsabilité suit la compétence. Dans ce cas devient important de limiter précisément les compétences des différentes personnes publiques ce qui n’est pas toujours le cas. Concernant la répartition de la charge indemnitaire, il peut être utilisé deux critères soit celui de la gravité des fautes respectives soit celui des rôles causals des coresponsables dans la survenance du dommage. / The problem of determining the person public responsible has two points: first step is finding a debtor to indemnify the victim second step is distribution of the financial load among those responsible for compensation of the damage. There are three criteria used by the administrative judge to determine the person responsible public: organic criterion, functional criterion and decision criterion. Yet none of them is sufficient to explain all cases of responsibility. However; in principle we can say that the responsibility follows the competence. In this instance it becomes particularly important to determine the powers of the different public bodies, but in reality it is not always perfectly characterised. On the other hand, concerning the distribution of the load compensation two criteria can be used one of them is the severity of each fault, the other one is the causal roles of each co-responsible on the formation of the damage.