This is Part B. / Abstract not Provided. / Thesis / Master of Engineering (MEngr)

This thesis explores the protection of ownership of corporeal moveables in Scots law with particular reference to the position of a good faith acquirer from a non-owner. It exposes three fundamental tenets of Scots property law to critical scrutiny: the sharp theoretical distinction between possession and ownership, the requirement that the owner consent to derivative transfer and the right of the owner to recover his or her property from any third party in possession. In many other civil law jurisdictions, greater protection is afforded to the bona fide purchaser. The thesis explores the historical and doctrinal reasons for the strong protection of the original owner in Scots doctrine, including an important Romanist tradition but also a significant moral and theological emphasis on the duty to restore, particularly in Viscount Stair’s influential Institutions. Utilising a historical and comparative approach, the first part of the thesis outlines the development of early Scots law and the foundation of the modern Romanist structure of the law governing transfer of moveables. It is argued that the modern patchwork of exceptions to the nemo plus rule lacks any unifying justificatory principle and produce often uncertain results. The thesis also examines the various justifications advanced for protecting good faith acquirers. The most frequently cited explanation is that of promotion of commerce, but significant difficulties are identified with this argument. It is further concluded that the publicity afforded by possession is not sufficient for it to justify protection of acquirers. In terms of security and certainty of rights, good faith acquisition is not a panacea for the problems associated with highly mobile property such as vehicles. However, in light of the deficiencies of the current Scots law rules, a clear doctrine explicitly conferring ownership in more precisely defined circumstances would be preferable.

No description available.

Possession is a legal concept applying in a variety of legal contexts. In Scottish legal literature, however, there is little in-depth writing on the law of possession, and much of the law is uncertain. This thesis is intended to be a contribution to remedying this deficiency as far as one aspect of the law of possession is concerned, the physical element of possession of corporeal moveable property. As part of this, in the hope that this comparative and historical consideration would shed some light on the issues raised, the law of Rome is considered, along with the law of France, Germany and South Africa, as examples of the Civil Law tradition of legal systems drawing on Roman law. English law is also considered. The thesis is thus able to draw on both of the major traditions influencing the development of Scots law, namely the Civil Law and the Common Law. In this way, the thesis is able to consider the extent to which the Scots law on possession has been influenced by these two traditions. The thesis begins giving an outline of the law of possession and the place of the physical element within it. The remainder of the thesis considers in detail the physical element and its role in both the acquisition and the loss of possession of corporeal moveable property. One of the difficulties with this is that many different areas of law use a concept called 'possession', and views differ as to the extent to which it is appropriate to talk of a general concept of possession. It is argued in the thesis that a general test can be developed for the physical element of possession, based on control of the property in a manner consistent with the assertion of a right to the property. This test is then developed through consideration of how it applies in a number of specific factual contexts.

Most of the moveable bridges use open grid steel decks, because these are factory assembled, light-weight, and easy to install. Open grid steel decks, however, are not as skid resistant as solid decks. Costly maintenance, high noise levels, poor riding comfort and susceptibility to vibrations are among the other disadvantages of these decks. The major objective of this research was to develop alternative deck systems which weigh no more than 25 lb/ft2, have solid riding surface, are no more than 4-5 in. thick and are able to withstand prescribed loading. Three deck systems were considered in this study: ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) deck, aluminum deck and UHPC-fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) tube deck. UHPC deck was the first alternative system developed as a part of this project. Due to its ultra high strength, this type of concrete results in thinner sections, which helps satisfy the strict self-weight limit. A comprehensive experimental and analytical evaluation of the system was carried out to establish its suitability. Both single and multi-unit specimens with one or two spans were tested for static and dynamic loading. Finite element models were developed to predict the deck behavior. The study led to the conclusion that the UHPC bridge deck is a feasible alternative to open grid steel deck. Aluminum deck was the second alternative system studied in this project. A detailed experimental and analytical evaluation of the system was carried out. The experimental work included static and dynamic loading on the deck panels and connections. Analytical work included detailed finite element modeling. Based on the in-depth experimental and analytical evaluations, it was concluded that aluminum deck was a suitable alternative to open grid steel decks and is ready for implementation. UHPC-FRP tube deck was the third system developed in this research. Prestressed hollow core decks are commonly used, but the proposed type of steel-free deck is quite novel. Preliminary experimental evaluations of two simple-span specimens, one with uniform section and the other with tapered section were carried out. The system was shown to have good promise to replace the conventional open grid decks. Additional work, however, is needed before the system is recommended for field application.

The aim of this work is description of a device developed at Brno University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Institute of Geodesy for the purpose of absolute calibration of geodetic GNSS antennas. Thanks to calibration it is possible to remove systematic error of antenna's phase centre. The device consists of moveable arm and processing unit. The moveable arm is able to set up calibrated antenna to required azimuth and elevation angle. This work introduces the issue of absolute calibration, describes the moveable arm and the process of its assembling. Further, it defines geometrical parameters of moveable arm, describes their determination and their independent verification by geodetic method. Finally, the model of movement of antenna's reference point is described.

No description available.

L’étude conceptualise la symbolique du Sud en tant qu’espace identitaire construit par une idéologie politique et une esthétique. Les cartes géographiques inversées (1936, 1943) de Joaquín Torres García (Uruguay) sont une prise de position politique qui affirme le pouvoir d’énonciation des artistes latino-américains de façon indépendante aux centres culturels européens. Sa théorie, l’« Universalisme Constructif », propose un nouvel art pour l’Amérique latine, combinant l’éthique artistique précolombienne et l’abstraction moderniste. Dans la nouvelle « Le Sud » (1953) et l’essai « L’écrivain argentin et la tradition » (1951), Jorge Luis Borges (Argentine) redéfinit la littérature latino américaine, marginalisée et périphérique, en tant que littérature qui a droit à toute la culture occidentale. Il rejette une culture qui ne serait que nationaliste. Le diptyque de Fernando Solanas (Argentine) formé des films Sud (1985) et Tangos, l’exil de Gardel (1988) est étudié à partir de son manifeste « Vers un Tiers- Cinéma » (1969), coécrit avec Octavio Getino. Dans le diptyque, le Sud est un espace de dénonciation des censures de la dictature et de l’impérialisme, mais aussi un espace de rénovation culturelle et identitaire. Dans son cinéma, Solanas utilise un produit culturel régional, le tango, comme outil de dénonciation politique. Tout au long de l’étude, on utilise des notions de Michel Foucault, (hétérotopie) et de Walter Mignolo (le centre amovible) pour approfondir le sens de l’espace Sud. / This study conceptualizes the symbolism of the South as an identity space built by a political ideology and a local aesthetics. The Uruguay artist Joaquín Torres García’s inverted maps (1936, 1943) are a political stand that asserts the enunciative power of Latin American artists who create independently of the European cultural centers. His theory of “Constructive Universalism" proposes a new art for Latin America, for the South, and originating in the South, by combining pre-Colombian artistic ethics and modernist abstraction. In the short story "The South" (1953) and the essay "The Argentine writer and the tradition" (1951), the Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges redefines South American literature, marginalized and peripheral, as a literature that is entitled to all aspects of the Western culture. By doing so, he rejects a culture that would only be nationalist. We analyze Argentine filmmaker Fernando Solanas’ cinematic diptych, which includes the films South (1985) and Tangos, the Exile of Gardel (1988) in dialogue with the manifesto "Towards a Thrid Cinema" (1969), co-written with Octavio Getino. The South is seen as a space for the denunciation of the censorships imposed by the dictatorship and imperialism, but also as a space for the renovation of culture and identity. In the two movies, Solanas uses a regional cultural product, the tango, as tool of political denunciation. Throughout the study, we use Michel Foucault's notion of “heterotopia” and Walter Mignolo’s concept of the “moveable center” to explore South’s multiple meanings. / Esta memoria conceptualiza la simbólica del Sur como un espacio identitario construido por una ideología política y una estética. Los mapas geográficos inversos de (1936, 1943) de Joaquín Torres García (Uruguay) son una postura política que afirma el poder de enunciación de los artistas latinoamericanos de modo independiente con respecto a los centros culturales europeos. Su teoría, el Universalismo Constructivo, propone un nuevo arte para América Latina que combina la ética artística precolombina y la abstracción modernista. En el cuento “El Sur” (1953), y el ensayo “El escritor argentino y la tradición” (1951), Jorge Luis Borges (Argentina) vuelve a definir la literatura latinoamericana, marginada y periférica, como una literatura que tiene derecho a toda la cultura occidental. Rechaza una cultura que sólo sería nacionalista. Estudiamos el díptico de Fernando Solanas (Argentina), constituido por las películas Sur (1985) y Tangos, el exilio de Gardel (1988) a partir del manifiesto “Hacia un Tercer Cine” (1969), co-escrito con Octavio Getino. En el díptico, el Sur es un espacio de denuncia de las censuras de la dictadura y del imperialismo, pero también un espacio de renovación cultural e identitaria. En su cine, Solanas utiliza un producto cultural regional, el tango, como instrumento de denuncia política. A lo largo del estudio, utilizamos nociones de Michel Foucault, (heterotopía) y de Walter Mignolo (movilidad del centro) para ahondar en el significado del espacio Sur.