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<p>An experimental investigation was conducted to analyze the effectiveness of repairing and retrofitting the intersections of flanged concrete block shear walls using surface-bonded fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) laminates for seismic load applications. A total of 18 specially designed flange-web intersecting wall assemblages were tested using 5 different schemes. Tests included wall intersections reinforced with unidirectional FRP with the fibers oriented perpendicular to loading direction (90°), parallel to loading direction (0°) and bi-directional (90°/0°), (90°/0°)2 and (45°/135°) to applied load direction. The behaviour of each wall specimen is discussed with respect to its failure mode, strength and deformation characteristics. Results showed that the laminates significantly increased the shear strength of concrete block shear walls junction. In addition, the fiber orientation influenced the failure mode, strength and stiffness. Moreover, depending on the fiber orientation, a significant enhancement to the post-peak load energy absorption capacity of the web-flange intersection can occur. The improved post-peak behaviour addressed the benefits of retrofitting concrete block wall intersections for seismic load applications. The FRP-retrofitted specimens were capable of reaching between 90% to 390% increase in strength compared to the umetrofitted specimen constructed with traditional steel joint reinforcement.</p> / Thesis / Master of Engineering (MEngr)

<p> Four experiments were conducted to examine the visual regulation of manual aiming under visually displaced conditions. A secondary purpose of these studies was to examine potential gender differences in behaviour following prismatic displacement. The initial experiment was designed to test a monocular switch of vision as a method of presenting the visually displaced information. This experiment also provided an opportunity to explore manual and ocular asymmetries. The monocular switch had no major influence on the terminal accuracy of the movements. Therefore. the methodology was employed to present visually displaced information in the three subsequent experiments. The second experiment was designed to present visually displaced information at different times during the aiming movements. while the third experiment was designed to remove the displaced information during the movements. In a fourth experiment. a real time movement analysis procedure was used to introduce visual displacement at various kinematic markers. In Experiments 2, 3, and 4. the early presentation and removal of the visually displaced information had the most influence on terminal accuracy. However. these effects were not consistent across gender. Male participants executed their movements based on the information presented prior to the movements. In contrast. female participants were more influenced by the information received during the initial portions of the movements. The results support models of manual control that emphasize the importance of vision in the early portions of the movement for the correction of trajectory errors. The effects involving gender suggest that gender should be included as an independent variable in future research. </p> / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

Background: Since the 1980s, there has been a growing interest in research to focus on positive mental health instead of narrowing attention toward risk factors and to foster resilience instead of treating trauma. There is substantial empirical evidence that despite being exposed to the same risk; individuals react differently to the same stimuli. The ability of some people to successfully cope and adapt despite adversity is what constitutes resilience. In the context of forced migration, resilience research examines the elements that ameliorate wellbeing and positive adjustment rather than focusing on the pathological consequences of trauma. However, little is known about how the construct of resilience is conceptualized within the field of forced migration research. This research aims to critically appraise and map the existing literature on resilience in the forced migration population, and to analyze how the concept of resilience is defined, operationalized, and applied in refugee research. Methods: Arksey and O’Malley scoping review framework was followed to search 5 online databases. Numerical and thematic analysis were both conducted to examine the breadth of the literature and to chart the relevant data. Results: A total of 20 studies were selected for the scoping review. The findings included a description of the literature regarding geographic distribution, recruited methods, and targeted populations. In addition, the results investigated definitions of resilience, measures used to operationalize resilience, the relationship between resilience and mental health illnesses, internal and external protective factors contributing to fostering resilience processes, and resilience across cultures and languages. Conclusion: There is an increase in interest to understand the concept of resilience through synthesizing both qualitative and quantitative data. However, longitude and evaluation studies remain the exception. Further research is needed to validate resilience instruments across cultures and languages. The interactions between mental health illnesses and resilience should be better understood in the context of forced migration as well. / Thesis / Master of Health Sciences (MSc)

Aluminum and metal-oxide powders were mixed using mechanical alloying. Exothermic displacement reactions could be initiated in the powders either by mechanical alloying alone or by heat treating the mechanically alloyed powders. Exponential relationships developed between the initiation time of the reaction and the mechanical alloying charge ratio. The exponential relationships were the result of changes in the intensity and quantity of collisions occurring during mechanical alloying. Differential thermal analysis of the mechanically alloyed powders indicated that increased milling time inhibited the initiation of the displacement reactions. It is believed that the reactions were inhibited because of heat dissipation from reacting oxide particles in the surrounding metal. Determining the effects of mechanical alloying on displacement reactions will lead to a more thorough understanding of the kinetics of mechanical alloying. Reacted powders were densified by uniaxial compaction and extrusion. Metallographic analysis of the reacted specimens confirmed the findings of the thermal analysis. Increased mechanical alloying inhibited the chemical reactions. Densified specimens from longer-milled mechanically alloyed specimens showed finer, more uniformly dispersed reaction products. These samples also showed increased mechanical properties as a result of their finer microstructure. Current particle strengthening models were used to accurately predict room temperature properties. Because of the fine microstructures produced, it may be possible to use similar techniques to yield new high-temperature aluminum alloys. / Ph. D.

Many airborne diseases such as Coronavirus variants are spread from person to person by indoor air movement. This is of particular concern in healthcare environments such as hospitals. There is a significant body of research that suggests that indoor ventilation strategies such as personalized ventilation systems my help reduce the spread of these viruses. While there are studies related to the efficacy of air movement from personalized ventilation, there are very few studies that explore how best to integrate these systems into the design process for hospital patient rooms. This study focuses on how to integrate personalized ventilation (PV) and displacement ventilation (DPV) systems into patient room design. The aims of this study are to first, develop a procedure using the Choosing By Advantages approach to make design decisions related to the implementation for personalized ventilation and displacement ventilation in private and semi-private patient rooms to prevent cross-infection. Secondly, using this approach, design solutions are proposed for patient room layouts with PV and DPV in different locations. The study proposes the best locations and components of the PV and DPV ventilation air supply and exhaust. Further practical models/simulation rooms are required to test the impact of PV systems on patients' and nurses' daily activities. / Master of Science / Many airborne diseases such as Coronavirus variants are spread from person to person by indoor air movement. This is of particular concern in healthcare environments such as hospitals. New personalized ventilation systems place ventilation air directly at the patient bed and consequently can reduce the spread of these viruses by effectively managing in-room air movement. This study explores how best to make design decisions for the implementation of personalized ventilation systems into hospital patient rooms. Applying this decision-making approach, design solutions are proposed that integrate personalized ventilation with commonly used displacement ventilation in patient rooms.

This dissertation investigates changes in size, composition, and fiscal authority of government expenditure brought on by social disturbance by examining the effects of German reunification on government spending. This research tests several hypotheses using data on total spending and six major sub-policy spending categories between 1972 and 2006. First, this study identifies strong evidence of a large upward displacement effect following reunification, with a particular emphasis on social security spending. Second, this study finds a strong and positive correlation between per capita GDP and total spending as well as social security, education, and public safety spending, which confirms Wagner's Law. Results also reveal that unemployment rate is strongly and positively related to total spending and several sub policy categories both before and after reunification. Additionally, this study finds that the proportions of the youth and elderly populations are negatively associated with total spending after reunification. However, the proportion of the youth population is positively associated with per capita education spending, as the proportion of elderly population with social security spending. The results also show that economic openness has a strong positive impact on both total spending and economic services spending; however, the relationship between economic openness and social security, education, and health spending after reunification is negative. The right party control variable has no significant impact on total spending after reunification, though party control does seem to influence social security and defense spending. Furthermore, the election variable does not have a significant impact on spending except for a positive and significant impact on social security spending after reunification. On the other hand, the coalition government and the proportion of public employees variables have strong and positive impacts on total spending and several sub-policy categories after reunification. The deficit ratio variable is found to have a positive and significant impact on total spending and public safety spending after reunification. Lastly, using a traditional expenditure ratio and a composite ratio to measure fiscal decentralization, this study finds that after reunification there is a trend towards fiscal centralization in total spending and social security, economic services, health, and public safety spending. / Ph. D.

Mosquitoes drink using a pair of in-line muscular pumps in the head that draw liquid food through a long drinking channel termed as proboscis. Experimental investigations of mosquito drinking using synchrotron x-ray indicate two modes of drinking, a predominantly occurring continuous mode in which the anterior cibarial and posterior pharyngeal pumps expand cyclically at a constant phase difference and an isolated burst mode in which the pharyngeal pump expansion is several orders of magnitude larger than in the continuous mode. The objective of this thesis is to explain the mechanics and functional implication of this two-pump dual mode drinking of a mosquito. A reduced order mathematical model suggests that the primary role of the pharyngeal pump is in the burst mode. Since the precise geometry of the pump during drinking is yet not known, the drinking mechanism is modeled using different pump geometries based on morphological constraints in the animal. The model shows the continuous mode as being more effective in terms of energy expenditure, while the burst mode creates a large pressure difference across the proboscis which might be used to clear an obstruction in the channel or prime the channel. The hypothesis regarding the ability of a mosquito to self-clear an obstruction is analyzed by modeling the presence of an air bubble inside the system. The model indicates that air bubbles maybe able to stop flow during continuous mode drinking, and these same bubbles can be cleared by switching temporarily to burst mode drinking. / Master of Science