Thesis (D.M.A.)--University of North Texas, 2008. / System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Accompanied by 1 recital, recorded Feb. 6, 2006. Includes bibliographical references (p. 31-37).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1982. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 120-127).

Video summarizing Ph.D. dissertation for a non-specialist audience. / National Science Foundatio (Grant No. 0846861) / Civil and Environmental Engineering / College of Engineering

In 1910s, composers in America such as Ives and Cowell started to explore the possibilities of traditional piano playing techniques. They intended to incorporate some extended techniques in traditional techniques. Techniques were not confined to keyboard playing but also playing inside the piano. They thought all the sounding probabilities of piano and tried their best to generate new sounds and special sounding effects. These non-traditional techniques include special playing techniques on keyboard and strings, add in human voices, tapping on piano frame and use of foreign objects into the piano. This paper emphasizes on special playing on keyboard, playing in strings of non-traditional techniques and prepared piano. Using Cowell¡¦s three piano pieces¡GThe Tides of Manaunaun, Aeolian Harp and The Banshee¡FCrumb¡¦s piano work A Little Suite for Chrismas,A.D.1979,1980 and Cage¡¦s prepared piano piece Mysterious Adventure as examples to explain the usages and practice methods of these non-traditional techniques, and the interpretation of these piano works. The first chapter indicates 20th century American composers¡¦ concepts on non-traditional techniques and their development. The second chapter confers the mechanism of non-traditional techniques and their requirements in piano playing. Non-traditional techniques include keyboard playing and string playing. Keyboard playing contains sounding clusters and silent clusters. String playing comprises plucking, glissando on strings, scrape strings, martellato, muting sounds and harmonics. The Third Chapter provides the concept of prepared piano and its usage. There will be a summary of the research in the end of the paper.

Research Project (D.M.A.)--West Virginia University, 2001. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains vii, 100, [327], [287] p. : ill., music. Unpaged appendix: I. The score of A Haunted landscape; II. Music by Todd Jefferis. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 95-100).

Thesis (D.M.A.)--University of Texas at Austin, 1998. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 160-161). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Accompanied by 4 recitals, recorded Mar. 27, 2007, Oct. 28, 2007, June 15, 2008, and Oct. 8, 2008. Includes bibliographical references (p. 92-93).

Sustainability presents a pathway for future generations to have a better life. Cradle to cradle methodology is the essence of sustainability. In cradle to cradle approach, we aim to reuti-lize a given waste instead of disposing or landfilling it. Each year, millions of waste tires are dis-posed of in landfills. This poses a major challenge environmentally and economically. Environ-mentally, those tires become prone to fire hazards as well as being a place for rodents and mos-quitos to reside at. Economically, on the other hand, each tire has an average of about 50% valu-able polymers as well as oily components. One of the methods to utilize the valuable raw materi-als in waste tires is to recycle it in the form of ground tire rubber also known as crumb rubber modifier (CRM). Although CRM has been widely used as an asphalt modifier, however, due to the complexity of asphalt as well as the waste nature of CRM, the full understanding of the CRM modification mechanism with asphalt has not been fully understood. Understanding of the modi-fication mechanisms involved in the CRM interaction with asphalt would enable us to produce a crumb rubber modified asphalt (CRMA) with enhanced properties. In the current research work, an attempt is made to better understand the mechanism of interaction between CRM and asphalt and the nature of components from asphalt and CRM that take part in the interaction between them. In addition, we investigate the effectiveness of CRM as a modifier for asphalt on the mac-ro and microscale aspects. Another part of the current research work deals with a second waste material; used motor oil. Used motor oil (UMO) presents yet another challenge to environment. With the ever increas-ing motor vehicles produced with advanced technologies and increased advanced motor oil de-mand. This presents a burden on the environment, with the continuous production of UMO. In the current research work, we investigated the feasibility of utilizing UMO as a modifier for asphalt and CRMA. We also investigated the effect of UMO on the micro and macroscale aspects of asphalt.

Recycling of millions of scrap tires produced everyday is crucial challenge encountered by waste management systems. Recycling tire rubbers in form of ground tire rubber, known as crumb rubber modifier (CRM), in asphalt industry was introduced in early 1960's and is proved as an effective recycling method. Interaction between CRM and asphalt is physical in nature which happens mainly due to exchange of components between CRM and asphalt and enhances the time temperature dependant properties of asphalt. In this work, the interaction between CRM and asphalt was evaluated through monitoring the evolutions of CRM in asphalt in macro and micro-level. The mechanism and extent of CRM dissolution were monitored under several interaction conditions. The composition of materials released from CRM was investigated using thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA). The molecular status of the released components were studied using gel permeation chromatography (GPC) analysis. The composition analysis indicated that the CRM start releasing its polymeric components into the asphalt matrix at dissolutions higher than 20%. The released polymeric component of CRM alters the microstructure of the asphalt and creates an internal network at certain interaction temperatures according to viscoelastic analysis. At these temperatures, the released polymeric components are at their highest molecular weight based on GPC results. The effect of released components of CRM on the time temperature dependent properties of asphalt and its glass transition kinetic was monitored using dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), respectively. The DSC results showed that the intensity of glass transition of the asphalt binder which is mainly defined by the aromatic components in asphalt reduced by absorption of these components by CRM. The evolution of CRM was investigated during short-term aging of the modified asphalt binder. In addition, the effect of presence of CRM and release of its component on oxidization of asphalt binder was evaluated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results revealed that CRM continue absorbing the aromatic components of asphalt during aging which stiffen the asphalt binder. Also, it was observed that release of oily components of the CRM, which contain antioxidant, reduces oxidization rate of asphalt significantly. / National Science Foundatio (Grant No. 0846861)

George Crumb (b.1929)'s Makrokosmos is recognized as one of the masterpieces of twentieth century piano writing. Inexplicably, volume four of Makrokosmos, Crumb's only four-hand piano piece, is rarely studied by Crumb scholars. According to Crumb's program notes, his Makrokosmos is meant to be a hybrid of piano and orchestral sound. Crumb devised a list of signs and abbreviated letters to explain his specific instructions to the performers. The pianists who plan to perform Makrokosmos need to study Crumb's notations carefully in order to faithfully realize the composer's intentions. This dissertation examines the composer's treatment of four hands at the piano. In addition, a performer's analysis and practical "translation" of these techniques is provided, in the hopes of rendering this amazing piece more accessible to pianists in search of new and wonderful repertoire for piano four hands. It is also hoped that future composers will be inspired by Crumb's innovations and imaginative ideas.